Interesting (and relevent) information

[stardust]

I went to a friend's shop to get dd a new pair of earrings today. she had lost part of her only pair (not her fault-it snagged on her hair. When he pulled her hair it went flying.) ANYWAY, I had said that I had put 14k yellow gold studs in and she reacted to them, hence our trip back.

She said it wasn't suprising, and that gold allergies were becoming much more common. I was taken aback, and asked if she meant white gold? No. She said she had just come back from a gold conference of some sort and one of the things they were instructed on was purity. She said that A LOT of the gold being sold in the US/Canada was inaccurately marked. I was floored. She said that if the gold came from Asia and someplace else (have to check on this) that it contains a much higher lead content and not anywhere near the gold content it states.

She said that there is a purity cert that the gold is supposed to have stating where it originated-wholesalers would have it. That you should ask to see said cert to verify the 14k or 18k or whatever you're getting is cert'd by US/Canadian standards. She said that many of the high end jewelers around us (we live in a very affluent area) get their gold from the Philippines and it's a HUGE problem-you're not getting what you're paying for even though it's hallmarked.

It's one of the reasons to go with a highly reputable online dealer, and that all gold is not created equal. If someone seriously undercuts a quote, or offers an identical piece at a much lower cost, then it would benefit you as the consumer to find out where the gold came from.

Interesting. I'll be meeting her for coffee next week and will find out more about this. I was wrangling all three kids and couldn't get much more than that today. But I was more than a little shocked.

[jenncent]

VERY interesting!!! Thank you!!

[Hadley]

It's like pot. You just can't find the good stuff like you used to.

[stardust]

Oh, Hadley. You're going to lose your halo if'n you keep talkin' like that!

[MrsK]

Hadley did say she was a smoker, but she never specified what she smokes.

[Hadley]

Hahaha, sorry to let you all down. I'm not *that* smoker. But I am good at a snappy retort. Voila.

[MoreSparkles!]

There is a lot of cheating going on with the price of gold rising. I read an interesting article that investors who buy gold bullion are buying more coins than bars because there was a gold bar with nickel found inside. Considering that gold bars go for many thousands (depending on weight) it shows why people are trying to steal. I wouldn't be surprised to see gold prices at $2500ish per ounce in the next 2-3 years. Sorry ladies, way too much finance/political talk -- ignore me :p

[stardust]

And gold fillings are considered the safest, longest lasting of all fillings for teeth. Apparently it's not really "gold" they're using nowadays. They're using a bunch of alloys mixed with beryllium that look like gold, or so I'm told. But charging for the real deal.

It's a scary, scary world.