If you've never been in a room surrounded by wall-to-wall gold jewelry reflecting and shining intensely like the sun, you're missing out.  See this was my happy place.  I grew up overseas in communities where gold markets we called "Souks" were very common.  I spent my weekends as an American teenager wondering through the Foreign Souks from one store to another.  My time was spent browsing, touching and choosing which piece was my next kill.  Yes, it was like hunting though a jungle of treasures all waiting to be taken home.   

Unfortunately, upon returning to America this joy was lost and no one seemed to understand my sorrow in missing this experience. That’s because no one I knew here in the States had ever shared this experience. They just didn't know what they were missing. Many would argue that there are plenty of jewelry stores here in the States to get lost in. It’s just not the same and I will tell you why.  The metal just isn't the same.  Here in America the "gold standard" is 14kt gold.  This means your jewelry has 58.3% gold in it.  Most foreign countries and their consumers would look at this and say, "It just isn't gold."  Pure gold is 24kt.  That's 100% gold.  Anything less is mixed with other alloys and metals.  Although Pure gold is heavier alone, it's also softer alone.  It scratches easier so jewelers tend to mix it with other metals to strengthen it.  It holds designs better.  It is less likely to bend or scratch when other stronger metals are added. It becomes a tradeoff to strengthen the gold this process also makes it less valuable,   

PURE Gold is a store of wealth for many people across the world.  Jewelry is and has been for centuries the way everyday people invest in generational savings.  I learned this over the years in my experiences living in the Middle East and travels to India and other Asian countries.  In these cultures, you will only find 18kt gold and higher.  18kt gold is 75% gold. This is the lowest grade you are likely to find.  Most Middle Eastern and Asian countries have their jewelry made with 21kt, 87.5%, 22kt, 91.6% or 24kt, 100%.  Gold old is not just jewelry for them, it's wearable money. It’s an investment. 

It is true that when buying gold, you will pay a premium or some charge over its market value. Here’s the culture shock that got me the most, here in the U.S. the 14kt and 10kt gold jewelry is usually marked up over 400% or more!  So not only are Americans getting less gold, but they are also paying huge make ups for it. In this scenario it's impossible for gold to be a store of wealth.  In my opinion it's actually stealing wealth. 

I have been in countless jewelry stores here in the states and I just don't have the same joy visiting them.  They are not happy places. I have spent years working in the jewelry industry mostly around 10k and 14k pieces and while I still appreciate beautiful artistic designs, it just isn’t gold.  This is why I have started my own jewelry business.  My hope is to provide quality gold jewelry to everyday Americans.  Gold should be a store of value for us too. It should inspire us, empower us and increase our generational wealth.