Fashions in gold jewelry varied considerably through time and place. Egyptians wore jewelry on every part of the body except the nose but earrings appeared late, around 1500BC, and the Pharaoh is never depicted wearing them. The Myceans preferred seal finger rings and earrings. Classical Greek men and women adorned themselves with gold. Men wore finger rings and wreaths while women wore earrings, necklaces, bracelets, rings, wreaths and diadems. Necklaces were usually worn tight around the neck like a modern choker, or sometimes to the base of the neck. Aphrodite and Eros were popular decorative motifs. Artemis was also popular. Around 350BC the Heracles knot, associated with marriage, became widespread. In East Greek cities the men wore more jewelry, including earrings which were considered effeminate in Greece itself.

In the 3rd-4th centuries AD, gold became the preferred metal for hair ornaments in China. These ornaments were decorated with filigree, granulation and precious stones. Necklaces were very rare in China before the 7th century AD. In early Japan there was some ceramic and stone jewelry but from the mid 7th century on there was almost no jewelry of any kind apart from a few hair pieces.

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Gold jewelry has always been fashionable for both women and men. Women in general wear more jewelry then men although men have started to feel comfortable as well with wearing gold. People wear gold because is stylish, beautiful and it looks nice.

Gold jewelry is found in various forms: rings, earrings, necklaces, watches, bracelets etc. One can find gold jewelry available in 3 variants: yellow, white and rose. Some people might consider it flashy, but in a right outfit combination it can be really stylish.

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Because of its unique qualities, gold had spiritual meaning in many ancient civilizations. To the Sumerians, gold was divine and it was used to make sacred instruments for the temples. In early Egypt gold was part of the sacred sphere, the solar metal. In North Africa, the Sahara and the Sahel, gold was considered an effective means of warding off the evil eye. But West Africans feared gold and avoided it because it had a life of its own, an evil and dangerous spirit that had the power to kill, injure or drive one insane.

In Colombia a combination of gold and copper called tumbaga was popular. It was the color, not the percent of gold content, that was important to the Inca who associated gold with the solar deity Inti. To the Aztecs and Mayas, jade was more valuable than gold. The Aztecs thought gold was the excrement of the gods. This belief affected the way they regarded the Spanish lust for gold! However, the Aztecs did make gold nose ornaments and labrets worn through perforations in the lower lips of their rulers.

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