GOLD JEWELLERY

From time immemorial, the most widely used and prized material for jewellery making has been gold. Gold besides being valuable, is malleable and ductile. It is pleasing to the eye because of its radiant colour and does not corrode or tarnish. So it was one of the first metals to attract man's attention. In the ancient egyptian, Minoan, Assyrian and Etruscan cultures, entisans fabricated beautiful and elaborate works of art from gold. The lure of gold ensured that while different commodities acted as mediums of exchange in various parts of the world in ancient times, gold was one material accepted in exchange for goods and services everywhere.

The average Indian woman is fond of jewels made of gold.  In ancient times jewels were believed to have the power to prevent sickness which was thought to be due to evil spirits. Woman who were weak were made to wear many jewels and men to wore some ornaments.

   
In India, when the first baby is born to a couple, an event which usually takes place in the girls fathers house, the grandparents are expected to put a gold chain around the neck of the baby, before girl leaves with it and goes back to her father-in-law’s house. Gold was considered to be anaid to beauty and was unabashedly displayed by both men and women as a measure of their social status. The purity of gold is measured in carats which are the seeds of the carob tree.