Necklaces are one of the oldest pieces of adornment with a history of over 40 thousand years. There are traces of man wearing stone necklaces in ancient times. The stones weaved together with the help of a vine or any other plant material strong enough to hold the stones together.
Apart from stones, feathers, bones, shells etc., were also used as materials to make necklaces. Then the luxurious and shiny gold came into the picture. The yellow gold jewellery is a gift of Egypt to the world. The noble and royal families of Egypt used to adorn themselves in gold jewelleries. Because of the high quantity of gold in their soil.
Gold necklaces communicated the social status of the wearer. They were buried with their ornaments on. Many traces of ancient gold necklace sets and other jewelleries are said to be from these graves.
"We have compiled a few popular necklace designs for you to explore, so you can find the perfect piece to elevate any outfit.
Significance of Gold Necklace
Gold came way after bronze but is still considered one of the most valued metals. It has the largest jewellery market. One might wonder why. What makes gold necklaces so precious? This has many reasons:
Before being a piece of personal adornment, a gold necklace was worn because of auspicious reasons. Back in the day, people wore gold to keep evil away. Even today, gold holds its auspicious values and is still worn for many religious purposes. Mangalsutra which means an auspicious thread is an example of religious importance of a gold necklace. Hindu married women still wear a mangalsutra as a symbol of her new journey and to ward off black energies. Gold does not tarnish and is resistant to rusting. This long durability was the reason kings chose to wear it. Something to pass on to generations because it won't be exaggerating to say that gold is for forever. It can be in any shape and size, can have intricate detailing on it, which can stay the same for a long time. The options in designs and sizes of the necklace, help it secure its place in women’s jewellery boxes for generations.
Types of gold necklaces
The variety in designs and types of gold necklaces can leave us flabbergasted. Listed below are a few one must not miss.
Traditional Gold Necklaces
Traditional gold necklaces are the ones depicting the designs and patterns used during ancient times. The ones that were worn by kings and nobles back in the day. Inspired by the temple statues and old pictures, they are heavy and studded with different gemstones, sapphires and rubies. They have intricate designs of flowers and temple designs. Their length varies from collar bones to necklines. They are a bit heavy and look royal. Ideal for important social functions and gatherings, they look luxurious and lavish when paired with ethnic wear.
Bridal Gold necklaces
Gold holds religious importance. It is considered auspicious to wear gold on your wedding day. Many customs and traditions of Indian weddings have different gold jewellery as a main component. Brides choose their wedding jewellery making sure it goes well with their outfit and also looks trendy. Bridal gold necklaces are designed for the brides to wear on their big day. A combination of gold with rubies and sapphires with leafy and flowery design looks heavy and attention grabbing. It makes the bride look like a princess that she is adding to the beauty of her look. A whole set of other accessories such as mangtika, bangles, chuda, payal also come with a bridal gold necklace to have all the accessories match.
Casual Wear Gold Necklaces
Gold is a versatile alloy that can look luxurious and dressy for special occasions. It can also be a perfect choice for casual outings because of the variety of designs to choose from. Unlike traditional gold necklaces, casual wear gold necklaces are lighter and use less materials . A single chain with a pendant or a few light trinkets could be a perfect example of casual wear gold necklace. As its name suggests, they are right to be paired with casual outfits, such as a jeans top or a gown. Those who like to achieve a minimalist look wearing ethnic attires can also go for this.
Plain Gold Necklaces
Plain gold necklaces prove that gold can look fine without any decorations and colours being added. A plain gold necklace set has only gold used in the making. In plain gold necklace designs instead of using other materials, the craftsmanship of the goldsmith is used. The experience and expertise of the goldsmith can be seen at a big level in plain gold necklaces. Available in various designs, plain gold necklaces can be worn with ethnic wear and they can be a right choice for western attire as well. The size and length alo varies to suit different needs and occasions. Plain gold necklace set is a wise choice for both the lovers of bold and minimalist fashion statements.
Modern Gold Necklaces
Modern day fashion is a fine fusion of trends and traditions. The modern gold necklace designs are mindful of the traditions well enough to blend them with modern days fashion trends. They are lightweight and have the intricacy of designs to suit the cultural and traditional vibes. Modern gold necklaces, along with gold have other precious metals such as platinum and silver used in it. It gives a different look than the usual yellow gold. The mixture of these metals have received a huge welcome from the younger generation especially rose gold necklace. They look chic and stylish. Just like plain gold necklaces, these can also be paired with both ethnic and western attires. They look fresh and lively, worn on any outfit. Gold plated necklaces have also become a go to choice for women for its pocket friendly.
Occasions
One can never run out of options of gold necklaces. The list of occasions to wear them on is also as long as the options in designs and types of gold necklaces. This age-old piece of jewellery does not seem to lose its popularity even after thousands of years.
Everyday Wear
Why wait for special occasions to adorn yourself in gold? Gold is a metal which has a shine and glitter of its own attracting many to make it a part of their everyday jewellery. Making a gold necklace a part of our everyday accessory has become possible due to the variety of designs available in the market. Many options for lightweight and simple gold necklaces are available to choose from for everyday wear. Make a gold chain necklace with a light pendant as a part of your everyday wear and make it a subtle style statement.
Party Wear
Gold necklace designs do not limit itself to just being a traditional ornament. Modern gold necklaces and casual necklaces have become a go-to choice to wear with party wear nowadays. The subtle designs and lightweight necklaces look fashionable and bring a change in all silver monotony.
Traditional Events
The monopoly of gold and gold necklaces in traditional events is undebatable. Gold is the best to wear on traditional events. The authenticity and cultural vibes gold necklace set brings to a traditional outfit is unmatched. The yellow gold paired with colourful rubies is still a go to choice for traditional events of all age groups.
Office Wear
Very recently, gold has also made its way to the corporate world. Corporate is a world where heavy and glittery accessories are a big no. Pairing your Indian formals or western formals with a light chain necklace with tiny pendant is a fashion trend. The neutral tones of formal wear complement light jewellery without breaking the dress code.
Gold Necklace Set Care
Though gold does not tarnish, the precious and pricy gold demands a bit of care to maintain the gloss and shine of the jewellery. Gold is precious to us all, we at times neglect the importance of storing and cleaning gold articles. Here are a few things to break down the process of caring for gold necklaces.
Cleaning and storage
Like other accessories, every article of a gold jewellery needs to be stored separated from each other. Using a velvet or muslin cloth is advised for the same if compartments are not available.
Chlorine and other harsh chemicals of soap and cleaners can damage the jewellery. Hence, not wearing them while bathing is advisable.
Storing gold necklaces away from humidity and direct sunlight is the best place to keep them.
Harsh chemicals of hair sprays and makeup can damage your gold. Wear the jewellery last while applying any makeup or hair spray.
No metal is sweat proof so avoid wearing gold necklaces while playing any sport.
Cleaning gold necklaces with warm water and mild soap works well. Some also swear by the method of rubbing alcohol on gold for maintaining the shine.
Invest in jewellery polishing cloth instead of paper towels and tissues. The cloth is gentler than the tissue.
A yearly cleaning is a bonus!!
FAQs
What do gold necklaces symbolise?
A gold necklace is often worn to symbolise social status and wealth. It could also be a part of heirloom gifted from generations to generations. It symbolises faith and beliefs of the wearer.
How to clean gold necklace?
Cleaning a gold necklace is fuss free and can be done at home. Dilute any mild washing liquid or detergent in a bowl of warm water and soak the necklace in it. After a while, scrub it gently with a brush and wash with clean water. Though it would be ideal to take it to the jewellers for cleaning it.
How to layer a gold necklace?
Layering a gold necklace means wearing more than one necklace at a time. The trick is to wear the shortest and heavier first followed by a long necklace or chain necklace with final touches of the longest one the last. This will get all the necklaces equal attention. The layers will look symmetrical giving a perfect look of them all being one piece of accessory.
What Karat gold is best for a necklace?
Gold can be mixed with other alloys for texture and firmness. 24 karat is the purest of gold with no other metal mixed with it. For a necklace, 22 karat is considered to be the best for its affordability. 22 karat is softer as compared to lower carats and firm enough to withstand everyday wear and tear.
