Fake Gold.

I don't like things that only appear to be gold. For example: "gold" pens, "gold" eyeframes, "gold" cufflinks. Besides, these kinds of things inevitably wear or tarnish in some unappealing way.

Discuss.

Do you like gold teeth?

Only when they're made into cufflinks.

Gold is fine as long as it is gold. Some cufflinks are, or have, gold, and that can be very nice. Gold pens are fake and tacky.

Not seen much these days, but it seems in the past almost any imaginable utilitarian accessory had the option of being made in solid gold.

I've seen bedside clocks, pillboxes, notepads, eyeframes, tape-measures, pencils, collar stays all made in varying carats of gold. I've even seen a woman's diaphragm out of solid gold, but that may been for hygienic purposes.

Most gold pens--whether solid or plated--do have that aura of tackiness. The plated gold pens, even if high quality, inevitably look fake.

Part of me does find appeal in the complete self-indulgence of having useful things made out of gold.

Originally Posted by LabelKing

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I don't like things that only appear to be gold. For example: "gold" pens, "gold" eyeframes, "gold" cufflinks. Besides, these kinds of things inevitably wear or tarnish in some unappealing way.
Discuss.
Even with real gold, I am not a big fan. It seems to me that one's taste changes as one grows older (if that isn't a gigantic truism) and that people in their 50s and 60s starting preferring gold accessories but for me, in my late 30s, I far prefer the cooler look of silver or platinum. So why one would go for FAKE gold I don't know...

TD

I do think the fashion today is for the silver colored metals since it's more modern and minimalist. Yellow gold is slightly old-fashioned and too "rich-looking", as it were, for many younger people.

I once had a gold kazoo,
But steel came to mind when I blew.

In my anger I jumped a hippo,
And now I hunt for a solid gold Zippo.

The only gold thing I have is my toilet.

..

Originally Posted by LabelKing

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too "rich-looking"
Too rich-looking is about right. But I'm guessing that many people thought that way before me. So what happens? Will I wake up one morning and think "ooh, I feel like buying a 22 carat gold finger ring today"? One of age's crueler blows perhaps.

TD

LabelKing, do you mean a true substitute for gold--like lacquered brass--or are you including gold-plating as well? As you know better than I do there are a number of grades of gold "plating," using that term most generally, beginning with the gold "wash" that is probably .05 micron thick, to 5-10 micron plating, up to thicker vermeil (that can go up to about 20 microns), up to what used to be called "gold-filled," and was even thicker. Some Omegas (I have one) have 20-micron gold-plating. To me, I guess, well-applied gold plating--particularly thicker versions and higher-quality ones like vermeil--is fine.

As far as the age thing is concerned, I suppose there might be a slight correlation between age and a preference for gold, but I like it because it provides some variety in our metal jewelry. I like to be able to wear both gold and silver on different occasions. Although I don't adhere to this particularly, there is what is perhaps an outdated rule-of-thumb suggesting gold for daytime use and silver for evening.

The bookkeeper for my church wears peace sign earrings, necklace and rings in gold. She proudly tells of her anti Vietnam work as a student. She also loves to display her collecting passion; Black Hills Gold.She was grumbling one day about the Deacon being a career, 3 tours in Vietnam vet and wearing this big pectoral cross. I asked her if she ever read a 60s book called BURY MY HEART AT WOUNDED KNEE, or a guy named Custer.That was another promising friendship destroyed. I made the mistake of reading B.Traven's TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE in the 7th grade and watching the movie. It made me a silver guy too, those substantial silver dollars still available at face value when americans couldn't own bullion.

Originally Posted by LabelKing

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Only when they're made into cufflinks.

Saying you got bite on the wrist?

That reminds me of a story an old neighbor of my parents used to tell. He was a Marine in the Pacific during WWII and they used to "collect" the gold teeth of the dead Japanese for momentos. A sharp blow with a rifle butt apparently knocked them free of their former owners quite nicely...