GOLDEN TRINKETS TRICKLE INTO MARKET

Manawatu Times, Volume 60, Issue 174, 26 July 1935, Page 11

GOLDEN TRINKETS TRICKLE INTO MARKET

Romance No! Always Broken When Jewels Sold

DO RADIO SETS SUPPLANT ORNAMENTS IN FAVOUR?

Every day in Palmerston North, ornaments—be they necklets, bangles, watch chains—are being put to market by people who have owned and worn them tor many years, or who have at least guarded them as something treasured and valued. Por they are made oi : gold, and, as ever, gold is a commodity that commands a premium over all its fellows. Yet it would seem that at last

gold is losing much of its supposed romantic worth. As an item of personal adornment it is going out of fashion, according to those in the jewellery trade.

That is the position as described to a “Times" reporter yesterday when he made enquiries in the city. Por several years there has been an active trade in the purchase of used articles u£ gold content, and although much of the prolilie supply has now been tapped, articles still come forward in fair quantities to re-enter the melting pot. One buyer stated that, peculiarly enough, ho found that the treasures now being brought forth were superior in quality to those that formed the flood When the depression first established a solid traffic of this kind. People who, from economic necessity, had sacrificed their possessions for tho sake of the ready money to be had in return, had long since exhausted their supplies. The result is that the average of gold articles being vended to-day is higher. Ornaments are being sold now by people who aro not compelled to do so, but whose tie of sentiment is sundered by a dislike of hoarding things whose fashion has waned entirely, liangles, medals, watches and watch-eases were all being offered, and it was remarkable that most pcoplo had a considerably exaggerated idea of the value of their possessions. Sovereigns were formerly proffered frequently, but in the last three months this particular informant had not seen. one. In any case, a gold dealer’s license did not allow for handling sovereigns. Sentiment and, service

It was a true sign of the times that some peoplo were selling the gold articles they had as a deposit on a new watch, less pretentious but more serviceable. “Sentiment’’ did not sway peoplo far once they had persuaded themselves that they were eneumberd with a “lot of junk. ’’ In another quarter it rvas stated that fashion no less than penury was dictating the sale of gold ornaments. Necklets, watch-chains, cumbrous brooches .in particular had lost their fascination for this day and generation, and as a result were being scrapped. On the other hand there was no doubt that many people, even after the market had been combed for years by energetic buyers, were still treasuring the golden pieces belonging to them. lie knew many people having £lO or £2O worth of gold who were quite content to leave it in the drawer where it had long reposed. Coins were still in fair numbers, although, it was years since they tvere current in New Zealand.

People’s Wants Go Wandering. "The piresent is a time almost unique in history for the fading importance oi gold as a means of personal adorn ment," “was a striking declaration made. "Prom the days of Egypt and before, gold, or where it could not be had, silver, has been coveted for the making of trinkets. But to-day it is different. For the past ten years gold necklets have fallen steadily from favour, and kindred things have fallen with them. I have come to the conclusion that it is because to-day people have opportunities for spending their money that never came their way before. We are loath to admit it, but the radio set and the sound cinema are replacing the jewelled finery of our grandmothers. It is a funny world," con: iided this confiding man. Wedding Rings Lose Caste,

"Not only are people selling old gold for this reason, but they are buying less new gold," he declared. "To-day, although there’ is the same demand for gold engagement rings and wedding rings, very few dress rings are sold. Besides, not so long ago all the wedding rings were of 18 or 22 carat gold. Today most of them arc 9 carat only. They seem to serve as well."

Perhaps the greater facility for making imitation articles w as lessening the sale of the real thing, suggested the enquirer. But no, men had always counterfeited with a disconcerting skill, was tho repl.f. That could not bo the reason. Merely, it was a funny world.