Even though the value of gold is directly proportional to the percentage purity of gold in that jewelry, Italian Gold jewelry is considerably more expensive than jewelry of other types of gold or gold from other parts of the world.
But why is this the case?
What makes Italian gold much more expensive than the rest of the gold jewelry on the market today?
Why Is Italian Gold (Jewelry) More Expensive?
1. Standard acceptable karatage
For starters, the most common type of gold used in jewelry making all around the world is 14k gold.
It is quite affordable, durable, and the most preferred version of gold on the market today.
But despite its popularity, Italy has set the bar quite high in that all the best jewelry sold by leading Italian jewelers is made of 18k gold or higher purity gold.
This automatically makes the gold jewelry made in Italy cost more.
But then, even the Made in Italy 14k gold is comparably more expensive than 14k gold from other parts of the world, which, if you ask us, just doesn’t make sense.
But after some research into the price differences and the significantly high pricing of jewelry made in Italy, here are the main reasons why Italian Gold jewelry is a lot more expensive than gold jewelry from other parts of the world.
2. Import tax
Taxes have a great influence on the price of gold jewelry imported from Italy, and by the time this jewelry sets foot in pretty much the rest of the world, the price is already too high.
And as global gold prices rise, the government is in a position to collect a lot more money, which will make gold jewelry made in Italy a lot more expensive.
Interestingly, it’s only gold jewelry from Italy that is ridiculously expensive, and jewelry imported from Indonesia, Israel, Mexico, etc., all have very little to no import tax imposed on them, which leaves you with the expensive gold jewelry made in Italy.
3. Exceptional Quality
Gold jewelry from other parts of the world is cheaper than gold jewelry from Italy, but the demand for Italian gold jewelry is always quite high, which begs the question, why is Italian gold still in very high demand? Well, the answer to this is that Italian gold jewelry is made to meet the highest possible quality and design standards.
And as you already know, Italy makes the most beautiful gold jewelry in the world, which means that as long as Italy continues making the best of its gold jewelry, the demand for their jewelry will remain high.
The high quality of the Italian gold jewelry is the primary reason why their jewelry is very expensive and also the most imitated variety.
So, you need to be extra careful about the features to look out for in the gold jewelry. Ideally, Italian gold jewelry bears a Made in Italy stamp that is elegantly placed on the jewelry for easy identification.
Note that this stamp or engraving is done perfectly, and no letters are out of alignment.
There are clear lines, and though the Italy stamp has to fit in such a small space, the stamp is picture perfect and demonstrates the high level of craftsmanship of the guys behind the brand.
The unique branding, along with the exceptional quality of their jewelry, is why gold jewelry made in Italy is worth quite a bit of money, and they cost more than other types of gold jewelry from other parts of the world.
4. Unique Techniques
The other thing that stands out from Italian gold jewelry is the fact that the gold used in jewelry making seems to be made using different techniques than what is used in other parts of the world.
The gold used for Made in Italy jewelry is buttery and also seems yellow, with this almost beaming luster that makes the jewelry look different, lush, and better than gold jewelry from other world markets.
This apparent superiority in the gold design, feel, and shine means that Italian gold jewelry is priced a bit higher than gold from other parts of the world.
The 18k gold jewelry made in Italy is particularly lush, and with the high-quality standards attached to jewelry brands made in Italy, it makes sense that the jewelry has a higher price tag.
5. Preference for 18k gold
The best of gold jewelry made in Italy is made of 18k gold, even the gold-plated jewelry made in Italy is mostly made of 18k gold.
18K gold is regarded as the purest form of gold that is used in wearable gold jewelry – the rest (22k and 24k) are too soft for use in jewelry making.
With this in mind, Italian jewelers have made it their purpose to make the best 18k gold jewelry using only the best of gold.
They also use superior quality metal alloys with few impurities and allergens, leaving you with the most elegant varieties of gold jewelry.
There aren’t that many 14k gold jewelry varieties made in Italy.
6. The name – Italian Gold
Italy is associated with glamour, elegance, and all the best things in life, which is why Italy is known for the best of fashion, whether clothing, bags, shoes or jewelry.
With the country’s products placed on such a high pedestal, it makes sense that Italian gold jewelry will attract a higher price on the market.
Then there is the adoption of modern styles that make the jewelry made in Italy highly desirable and expensive.
How much is Italian gold worth?
Today, the price of Italian gold in Ounces stands at 1545.85 Euros per Oz. 1g of 24k Italian gold is 50.81 Euros, while 1g of 18k Italian gold is 38.10 Euros.
Note that Italy also features 21K gold that is often used in jewelry making.
Is Italian gold more yellow?
Yes, but this can be attributed to the country’s jewelers’ preference for higher karat gold varieties, which means they use a lower percentage of metal alloys that would dilute the color too much, hence the more lustrous yellow of Italian gold.
Difference between Italian gold and Saudi gold?
Besides Italy, Saudi Arabia is also very well known for its gold. But there might be some difference between the 18k gold jewelry you buy from Italy and the ones from Saudi.
Essentially, the difference between the gold from different parts of gold is mainly the difference in the karat quality. Karatage is the unit that is used to describe the percentage purity of gold in gold jewelry, but it’s not always standardized.
In the case of Italy and Saudi, Italy boasts the best karat quality for their gold jewelry, and in most cases, Italy’s 18k is more exact at 75% pure gold, but in other countries, the 18k gold might have a little less than 75% pure gold.
If you want to read more about this topic, this informational post is just for you! Italian gold vs Saudi gold, which one is better?
Conclusion
Italian gold is considered the best quality gold used in jewelry making, which is why it is more expensive than other versions of gold and gold jewelry from other parts of the world.
Of course, the imposed import taxes increase the price of Italian gold, but it is not the only reason for the high price tag.
Read more jewelry metal posts here or here!
Tiger is a fashion&jewelry lover. He is also a fashion jewelry manufacturer that help thousands of small business to grow and also do business with some big fashion jewelry brands. He is a truly metal expert and he will share some information you are looking for.