I like to keep a very small percentage of my portfolio in gold just in case.
It is also customary to gift newly weds and new babies gold coins.
I prefer to buy cold coins or bars. There are bars as small as 1 gr. Here is what they look like.
In rural areas women prefer to buy 22 ca. gold bracelets with minimal workmanship. They dress modestly and they can actually hide the bracelets in their sleeves thinking that it is a good way of safekeeping. Not! Some like to show their bracelets of during weddings, get togethers and other family occassions. They look like these and those:
The heart of gold is the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul and here is a typical jewelry shop window:
Here is a picture of the gifts of a bride from a very rural, very rich wedding. This is very rare obviously. Besides, I would not wear most of that stuff if I had been gifted them. Too rural for my taste.
In Old Testament times women sewed their gold coins into their clothing. There is a story of the woman who lost a coin and searched and swept, looking for it. Since a husband could divorce a woman with a word and no warning and she had to walk out with only what she wore, she could wear her gold and take care of herself. Good idea!
ReplyDeleteWhat you have posted is all very interesting. I can see why the smaller amounts would be better since you would not want to use a large amount to buy a lesser valued item. I love the gold bracelets. And, I don't understand why the jewelry the woman has is "rural." Can you explain that? Do you mean gaudy and lower class? Those are not what a rural woman in this country would own. Just my opinion.
This was an extremely interesting post. I would love to get gold as a gift!
I think I meant gaudy more than lower class. The 22 ca. bracelets are very yellow and that color gold is not very tasteful.
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