Worth its weight...

So is it?

Well, yes, gold is valued primarily according to its weight and carat value and always has been and always will be considered a valuable commodity. But in times of political and economic uncertainty its 'value' tends to increase as financial markets look to tangible assets to reassert stability in volatile situations.

Is gold a good investment?

I would say, almost without fail, Yes!

Obviously gold prices will fluctuate but over a period of time you should always see a return on your initial investment, patience is a virtue after all.

How and where to buy gold...

Well, you could trade in the Commodities Markets, not something most of us would be confident doing!

You could buy bullion from gold dealers and squirrel it away waiting for the best time to sell.

Or, alternatively, you could invest in gold jewellery. This would be my preferred method, as, not only do you get the pleasure of buying beautiful items but you get to wear and use them too! Antique and vintage jewellery pieces are often more eclectic, unique and better made. They will also usually have extra intrinsic value on top of the weight and carat value of the piece because of their history and collectability.

Things to consider when buying jewellery...

Weight:

Generally speaking, the more the item weighs the more valuable it will be, however don't forget to take into account the weight of any stones in the piece. Often anything other than precious stones like diamonds, emeralds, sapphires and rubies will have very little intrinsic value.

Metal purity or Carat:

The higher the carat value the more gold content and usually the more valuable the piece, so always try to buy higher carat pieces if possible.

Hallmarks:

A hallmark is an official mark struck onto items of precious metal. it should consist of a sponsor or maker's mark, the metal purity and the assay office. Items with hallmarks therefore have a wealth of information from which you can determine who made it, where, when and the metal purity.

Hallmarks vary from country to country, some pieces may only be stamped with the carat value or even not at all. This doesn't necessarily mean the item isn't gold, therefore investing in a gold testing kit might be worthwhile.

I would strongly recommend getting yourself a jewellers loupe, these are cheap, portable and invaluable when looking at any jewellery.

I hope you find some of this information helpful and it has given you some food for thought.

Happy hunting!