How to Choose Luxury Jewelry Gifts as the Gold Price Soars – PICCHIOTTI Experts Advise
Record gold prices have been making headlines of late, with the gold price soaring above $4,000 per ounce. As shoppers look to choose holiday jewelry gifts, we thought some advice from the experts at PICCHIOTTI might help. Jewelry is always a welcomed gift, and there are some clever ways to invest in fine jewelry and to select the perfect gift during these historic times. Here are PICCHIOTTI’s top tips regarding how to choose luxury jewelry gifts even as the gold price soars.
“Gold is one of the oldest and most valued currencies of all time,” says Giuseppe Picchiotti, founder and lead designer at PICCHIOTTI. “The warmth, allure, and enduring intrinsic value of gold has transcended millennia, and it resonates across all borders, in every culture. Unlike most commodities, demand for gold jewelry actually increases as the price goes higher. Because gold is trusted as a safe haven; it has a lasting store of value. In the form of fine jewelry, gold takes on an even more meaningful emotional connection because it can be passed down from one generation to the next. It is no surprise that bold gold jewelry is trending now, and there is no reason not to embrace it. These helpful tips below will help you make a wise choice when selecting the perfect jewelry gifts for your loved ones.”
Filippo Picchiotti – Select Superlative Stones
Clockwise from upper left – PICCHIOTTI Masterpieces Emerald earrings, PICCHIOTTI Xpandable Yellow Diamond cocktail ring, PICCHIOTTI Masterpieces Fiocco Ruby ring, model wearing PICCHIOTTI Masterpieces Fiocco Ruby ring, model wearing PICCHIOTTI Xpandable Yellow Diamond cocktail ring
Truly superlative gems are rare, and rarities almost always increase in value over time. Vice President of PICCHIOTTI and senior gemstone buyer, Filippo Picchiotti has a bias towards gems as he spends much of his life scouring the globe with his father Giuseppe Picchiotti in search of the most exceptional gemstones in the world. According to Filippo, “superlative gems are a specialty at PICCHIOTTI. For us, the precious metals, like gold and platinum, are simply a conduit for showcasing nature’s rarest and most beautiful gemstones. When the gold price is high, choosing pieces with exceptional gemstones can actually mitigate the impact on the price of the jewelry. For us, the real value is in the gemstones and the labor of our master jewelers; therefore, our prices do not really change much when the price of gold fluctuates.”
For this holiday season, Filippo suggests choosing fine jewelry that is designed with the very highest quality gemstones and minimal amounts of visible precious metal – not only because of the price of gold, but also because the gemstone can be fully appreciated in all its beauty. The PICCHIOTTI design team often goes to great lengths to hide or minimize the metal showing in the jewelry. For example, the Emerald Wonder necklace (seen in the feature image above) features perfectly matched verdant emeralds in a collar necklace that makes an impressive statement. A piece like this is highly valued for the workmanship and the quality of the gemstones, as opposed to the cost of the white gold used to make the long channels of baguette diamonds and emeralds that come together like linking fingers just below the collar bone. A masterpiece such as this is a modern heirloom, a piece that can be equally valued and treasured for many generations.
Similarly, the octagonal Colombian emeralds in the PICCHIOTTI earrings featured above make great gifts as they adorn the lobe gracefully regardless of age or hair style. The sizable Colombian emeralds are rare and will likely increase in value over time.
Another scarcity that creates a gift of lasting value, despite the fluctuations in the gold price, is natural fancy yellow diamonds, especially larger sizes of exceptional quality. The PICCHIOTTI Xpandable Fancy Yellow Diamond cocktail ring is a statement maker that transcends time, age, and even size. The invisible mechanism of the Xpandable™️ technology gently slides over knuckles and expands and contracts for comfortable wear throughout a lifetime. The radiant cut natural fancy yellow diamond is quite large, weighing over 7 carats. This beautiful and rare specimen is set in typical PICCHIOTTI fashion with a classic architectural design and precisely re-cut baguette diamonds.
The exceptional marquise ruby in the Fiocco (bow) ring above is another great example of a perfect gift no matter the current price of gold. The quality of the ruby is exquisite. Its distinctive marquise shape, paired with the sprinkling of classic round rubies in the bow, highlights the depth of rich red color in the stone, as the diamonds sparkle their radiant reflection on the ring. The bow motif has proven its timeless appeal and will remain desirable and relevant for ages to come.
Maria Carola Picchiotti – Choose Timeless Design
Clockwise from upper left – PICCHIOTTI Ruby Lace ring, model wearing PICCHIOTTI Ruby Lace bracelet and ring and Masterpieces Ruby and Diamond earrings, PICCHIOTTI Xpandable Signature Style in emerald, sapphire, yellow diamonds, and ruby, PICCHIOTTI Ruby Lace bracelet
Another thing to keep in mind when buying fine jewelry at record-level gold prices is design. Truly timeless design tends to increase in value over the long haul. Maria Carola Picchiotti, Marketing Director for PICCHIOTTI, and Giuseppe’s only daughter, suggests that “when buying a gift, you must always take into account the gift recipient’s personal sense of style. But I find that almost everyone appreciates the enduring beauty of timeless design. In my own personal jewelry collection, I tend to go for the classic styles that elevate my mood or my look but are versatile and lasting. I like jewelry that I can wear on a regular basis, but that my daughter also wants to borrow. I suppose timeless is another way of saying ageless. The design team at PICCHIOTTI always surprises me with the balance of innovation and timelessness. I love jewelry that feels fresh but that also feels like it will last forever, meaning it will be just as relevant and wearable in the future as it is today.”
Maria Carola also recommends doing a little “Girl Math” when choosing the perfect gift of luxury jewelry, especially as the gold price soars. “Always consider the price per wear,” she advises. “Timeless design means you can wear it no matter the current trend. And the more you wear a piece of jewelry, the more value you get out of it.” Avoid flashy or gimmicky fads when purchasing fine jewelry. She suggests trying costume jewelry for those trendy pieces.
The new PICCHIOTTI Signature Style Xpandable sapphire bracelet and ring make exceptional gifts because of their sleek silhouette and their clean, classic design. On the one hand, they appeal to a wide variety of fashion personalities and personal tastes. But they also will stand the test of time and are extremely chic while still being very wearable in the contemporary world, where casual style reigns supreme. These bracelets and rings easily dress up neutrals and are equally relevant with business attire or black-tie gowns. Gemstone lovers can choose superlative sapphire, ruby, emeralds, or yellow diamonds or start a collection and stack them all.
For a truly memory-making gift, consider the new PICCHIOTTI Ruby Lace bracelet or ring. The fabric-like tapestry of diamonds and rubies is incredibly supple and wraps the wrist or finger in absolute decadence. Here again, the precious metal is barely visible, allowing the gems to radiate their sparkle, and the classic design pattern is sure to endure in long-lasting appeal.
For more minimal or everyday fine jewelry gifts, especially when the gold price is high, be more selective and choose clean silhouettes, classic motifs or shapes (for example a hoop, drop, or button earring), and styles that feature simplicity and elegance.
Umberto Picchiotti – Craftsmanship Matters
Clockwise from upper right – PICCHIOTTI Xpandable Sapphire cocktail ring, PICCHIOTTI Xpandable Ruby, Onyx and Diamond cocktail ring, Xpandable Emerald cocktail ring
Better quality goods also have more enduring value, especially when considering the record gold prices. Machine-made gold jewelry with minimal workmanship that can easily be melted down for scrap is not the best gift when the gold price is soaring. At times like these, consider alternatives like high jewelry where the precious stones and the skilled labor give the piece greater intrinsic value. “The highly skilled labor is often worth more than the gold,” explains Umberto Picchiotti, the Operations and Quality Director of PICCHIOTTI. “The better the quality of the manufacturing and the more intricate the details, the more likely the value of the piece will endure, despite fluctuations in gold or gemstone prices. For example, the more architectural PICCHIOTTI designs require incredible craftsmanship to complete and perfect. They retain not only their value but also their fashion relevance and their extraordinary beauty for generations.”
PICCHIOTTI’s Xpandable cocktail rings are great examples. Each of the baguette diamonds that often surround the center stones (see examples above) are precisely re-cut to fit the perfect dimensions of the ring design and the center gemstone. Similar to architecture, the angles must come together seamlessly with exquisite precision to support the stone and ensure the enduring quality of the ring over a lifetime of wear. The PICCHIOTTI Diamond, Ruby, and Onyx ring highlights the glorious beauty of the square emerald cut natural diamond at center with a bold contrast of black onyx and buff-topped rubies. Paying tribute to the beloved Art Déco era, this design is intriguing with its geometry and concentric frames of onyx and ruby, seemingly elevating the height and depth of the diamond.
Similarly, the PICCHIOTTI Xpandable Sapphire cocktail ring augments the deep blue hue of the octagonal sapphire at center with the House’s signature baguette diamonds forming a halo of brilliance all around it. The minimal use of diamonds makes this ring very wearable on a daily basis. The emerald version featured above is also minimal in aesthetic and yet extraordinary in design and craftsmanship. The baguette diamonds add sparkle without “bling,” making it very appropriate for a wide variety of occasions. In addition, the yellow gold prongs on the emerald create a two-tone style that can be worn with a variety of other jewels and a broad array of fashions. Here again, timeless design is paramount, but the truly lasting value lies in the meticulous craftsmanship.
The Xpandable mechanism which allows these rings to expand and contract is hidden and is comprised of a metal that has no memory, so the rings will never get “stretched out.” They will always spring back into place. These make great gifts, not only because they are not really impacted by the price of gold but also because there is no need to know the exact ring size. They are the perfect gifts for women and men of any age.
No matter if you are shopping for yourself or your loved ones, luxury gift givers can rest assured that there are many great jewelry options, even with record gold prices. Keeping in mind the helpful hints above from the experts at PICCHIOTTI, you can shop with confidence and know that your gift will be treasured and worn with delight well into the future. As Giuseppe always says, “well crafted, classic high jewelry made with superlative gemstones is the gift that keeps on giving … adding an emotional sparkle that surpasses all understanding and paying it forward for future generations to enjoy, as well.” Shop smart and invest in “fewer better things,” for there is no price that can compete with a lifetime of radiant, loving smiles.
Feature image at top – clockwise from upper left – model wearing PICCHIOTTI Emerald Wonder necklace and Masterpieces Emerald earrings, PICCHIOTTI Masterpieces Ruby and Diamond earrings, PICCHIOTTI Xpandable Signature Style cocktail ring
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