Even though this post is a celebration of 22k gold jewelry, it’s inspired by the Bruno Mars hit song “24K Magic,” which was released last year but was new to me after watching an episode of 60 Minutes some time this summer. It has since become the song I play at 4 or 5 p.m. as an instant mood booster, dance routine included.
I’ve found that donning any form of yellow gold jewelry has a similarly mood-elevating effect, with rich, sunny 22k yellow gold being the strongest antidote available when it comes to low energy, or mitigating the lamentable sight of ashen skin when you look in the mirror.
For jewelry designers who choose to work with 22k gold, the appeal is more complex. Designer Stephanie Albertson describes it as “raw and refined.” No other metal, she says, is warmer, or quite as lush. “It’s the perfect backdrop for colored gemstones, looks beautiful on everyone and is incredibly forgiving to work with,” says Albertson. “And in its final form, it requires very little surface finishing or polishing. I like to see my hand in the finished piece.”
Now that the holiday whirlwind has begun, equal parts magic and meshugge, I think 22k gold has to be as festive as you can get, too.
So, as Mars beckons in the song’s talkbox intro, let’s set this party off right!
Molten Opal earrings with Australian opals in handcrafted 22k gold, $6,380; Stephanie Albertson
Hex ring with rubies and pavé diamonds in blackened and satin-finished 22k yellow gold, price on request; Cathy Waterman (available at Barneys)
Delicate Geo cuff in 22k yellow gold and pavé diamonds in 18k white gold, $12,500; Gurhan
Balinese Umbrella earrings with purple and blue sapphires in 22k gold, $8,950; Reinstein/Ross
Lea Choker necklace with fancy and full-cut diamonds in 22k gold, $5,830; Lika Behar
Arch earrings with 2.48 cts. t.w. Zambian Gemfields emeralds, $5,150; Margery Hirschey
Men’s band in sterling silver with 22k yellow gold, $1,980; Todd Reed
Gabbi ring with opal center stone and diamonds in 22k yellow gold, $5,000; Abby Sparks Jewelry
Ring in 18k yellow gold with diamonds and a 1.5 ct. purple sapphire in a 22k gold bezel, $2,860; Ananda Khalsa
Necklace with cabochon sapphire and a natural orange chalcedony from Indonesia in 22k and 18k gold, $3,500; Sam Woehrmann
At top: Oval-link chain with pendant featuring tanzanite, diamond, and Ethiopian opals in handcrafted 22k gold, $9,680 (chain sold separately); Stephanie Albertson
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