Jewelers Adapt to Soaring Gold Prices by Using Less Metal
Gold prices have surged approximately 40% over the past year, forcing jewelers to rethink their designs to avoid pricing out consumers. Hollow jewelry, Gold plating, and mixed-metal pieces are becoming popular alternatives to solid gold, especially as the critical holiday shopping season approaches.
"Most shoppers don’t follow the commodities market, but they feel the difference when a simple gold ring now costs double what it did two years ago," said Karen Moran, owner of handmade jewelry brand Coral Strands. Higher-end customers, however, are still expected to pay premium prices for solid gold despite the inflationary pressures driving up costs.