[sadhuji]

It was shocking to learn that only 10% of gold sold in shops is of the purest of pure variety – the precious metal has always been sought after since it was considered to be a wise and safe investment. Gold is one commodity that never loses its value. This is one of the reasons why it is customary to gift gold ornaments to newly weds – these are liquid assets and fetches its value anywhere in the world. In the sixties, ten grams of gold could be had for around one hundred and fifty rupees only; today it is in the region of nine thousand rupees. The present revelation will break plenty of myths. Customers have been advised to look for the HALL mark which signifies purity before purchasing it. But, in a country where 90% are seen to be impure, what guarantee is there that the mark would not be put to illegal use – it is after all a tiny stamp and can be replicated with ease. Nothing will prevent the unscrupulous traders from affixing the stamps on their products.

Gold has been an attractive metal from time immemorial – the American settlements developed with the gold prospectors literally striking gold in the river basins. There have been any number of Western movies where we have seen old haggard men in tattered dress and with beard covering their faces climb the steps to the Sherrif’s office and lay claim to areas that were rich in the metal. They would carry with them samples as proof. We ourselves had a beautiful reserve in the Kolar Gold fields in Karnataka – the mines have dried up. Search is on for other areas and there was a news report recently about a find in Gujarat.

Gone are the days of the goose that laid golden eggs or of persons who possessed the magical touch that could convert any object into gold. Goldfinger has been relegated to a myth like the Man with the Golden Gun. The gift to be treasured today is made up of diamonds – as the ad pronounces, diamonds are forever. It is unfortunate but true that gold, the metal, has lost its sheen even though its variations continue to hold sway like the Gold versions of credit cards and the golden jubilee of movies.

[Hippie at Heart]

sadhuji, on Mar 9 2007, 08:14 PM, said:

The gift to be treasured today is made up of diamonds – as the ad pronounces, diamonds are forever. It is unfortunate but true that gold, the metal, has lost its sheen even though its variations continue to hold sway like the Gold versions of credit cards and the golden jubilee of movies.

The Gold may not have yet lost its sheen if we see this article of 1982, even if there are enough unscrupulous goldsmiths around, it still has its original value intact in face of what is proposed as Forever Diamonds, they are even worse off and people still getting scammed by the cartel.
http://www.theatlant.../198202/diamond