So when I started designing jewelry I started with stainless steel (because of the price and durability) and sterling silver.  I haven't strayed from those two metals since.  I've been asked if I worked in gold, even rose gold, but I always had excuses ready.  Cost being one of the big ones.  Gold is much more expensive than silver or steel, I was afraid of how expensive my pieces would have to be if I made them in gold.  Could I even afford to buy it?  Just to give you a little perspective, one foot of 24 gauge sterling silver wire is about $.52, the same foot of 24 gauge wire in 10k (low end) gold is $14.96.  For something that's in literally every single piece I make, that's a huge difference!  Price isn't the only thing that's been keeping me from gold, it's also the hassle of keeping so many different types of metals, would I have to offer every design in both silver and gold?  How do I decide?  Better to keep things simple.  At the root of all of it, I've just never liked gold that much, so I never thought it was that important to work with it.  

All of these excuses (with the exception of cost, that's an important thing to consider when you're running a business!) are pretty weak, but they were good enough for me.  Until I got my hands on a strand of gorgeous 15mm wine colored coin pearls.  They really are that great!  I had been eyeing them at the bead shop down the street for a while, always passing on them because "you really don't need any more pearls right now!"  But I finally gave in and bought them!  I paired them with a strand of beautiful aquamarine beads.  While I was making the bracelet, I couldn't help but think to myself, "I really think these would look better with gold."  WHAT WAS I DOING???  I don't even like gold, but I had to admit that these pearls needed it.  

I went to the website of my favorite shop to get metals for jewelry to see what their prices were for gold.  They had gold fill materials.  I did some reading, and found that gold fill is really common in jewelry.  Basically, gold fill is similar to gold plated, except that the plated layer is so thick it will not chip or rub off.  The base metal core adds strength to an other wise weak metal, it's still tarnish resistant, and it's just as beautiful.  The cost of gold fill is also much more affordable!  Gold filled wire is only about twice the cost of silver, instead of 30 times the cost.  Meaning that my gold jewelry would not need to be nearly as expensive as I had feared!

I then did what every girl does when she needs some solid advice...I called my mom.  (I also called my husband, but for most jewelry related stuff you really need a woman's opinion)  Buying the gold materials would still be a significant investment, so my question to her, as a customer would you be interested?  She (and my husband) convinced me to go for it!  She made a really good point, some women like all their jewelry to match, so for a woman who has gold wedding rings, she will only buy other gold jewelry to match, meaning that she will never buy from me.  Both she and my husband brought up demand, is there a demand for gold jewelry?  Aside from all the times I've been asked if I had anything in gold, I've actually made custom orders in gold before.  So...yes, I'd say there was demand enough.  I took their advice, and went for it!