PEARLS, platinum and diamonds score highly in the contemporary fashion stakes, but what about gold?
In response to research indicating that the precious metal’s image has become somewhat tarnished, the Australian Gold Council has developed several initiatives to get glamour back into gold.
The Goldfields OzGold Award 2002 forms part of AGC’s marketing push, consisting of 20 commissioned contemporary gold jewellery designs on exhibit at the John Curtin Gallery from June 7.
AGC chief executive officer Tamara Stevens said the organisation was working with the Global Marketing Initiative to market the mineral to a younger audience, currently dominated by platinum pearl and diamonds.
The Global Marketing Initiative is a push by international gold producers to improve market awareness and branding.
“Gold is seen by many younger women as something their mother or grandmother wears. It is perceived as being oldfashioned and is very ostentatious,” Ms Stevens said.
“This is an initiative designed to promote contemporary gold design. This will keep the focus on gold as a fashionable item and is glamorous.”
Ms Stevens said the focus on contemporary jewellery design was part of an effort to increase gold production, which fell to a seven-year low over the March quarter – a decline largely attributed to lower exploration expenditure.
“Eighty per cent of gold consumption is jewellery. The gold industry is focusing for the first time to market gold as jewellery,” she said.
Seven of the 20 OzGold designers are Western Australians. All the designers were selected for their particular training, background and achievements in creating contemporary jewellery. Their work, already exhibited in Sydney, has been well received and has attracted international interest.
