Gold at Record High: How Rising Prices Are Shaping Creativity

The creativity of contemporary designers has always been marked by insights reflecting the challenges and aspirations of a constantly evolving industry. In a turbulent economic landscape, where gold struggles with market volatility, their talent focuses on opening up new perspectives. Every new idea or strategy is a symbol of resilience, a manifesto of an industry reinventing itself, just as gold begins to falter. Alternative materials, bold design, sustainability, and customization have become key pillars, proving that the true beauty of a piece of jewelry lies in its ability to tell stories, express emotions, and connect with its audience.

Alighieri’s recent Bookworm Collection is an example, aiming to act as a refuge from the uncertainties of the outside world. Founder and designer Rosh Mahtani has created an anthology of items, from bookmarks and pencil cases with chains to nostalgic magnifying glasses and inkwell-inspired containers, evoking vivid memories and forgotten emotions. “Since I was a child, my books have been my friends: I would lose myself in the plots of Gerald Durrell’s My Family and Other Animals; I dreamed of the magical worlds of Northern Lights and pretended to summon the powers of Matilda. My pencil case was sacred: a metal box full of red pencils for note-taking and makeshift bookmarks that seemed talismanic...” Mahtani designed the collection mainly in silver or gold plate, providing an affordable yet refined offering.

Fie Isolde, a Danish designer based in Los Angeles, proposes a similarly intimate vision. Her Secret Note collection allows customers to engrave personal messages on pendants and rings, transforming them into bearers of deep, unique emotions. Céline Rivet, designer and founder of the French brand Garnazelle, on the other hand, has chosen to challenge the “king of materials” with an unprecedented, responsible approach. “I decided to mix recycled gold and silver to avoid raising prices,” she says with determination. “This way, our jewelry is lighter, the weight of gold is reduced, and prices remain affordable without compromising quality and craftsmanship,” she continues. This creates jewelry of great value, where aesthetics and ethics merge, demonstrating that creativity can thrive even in times of crisis.

The growing demand for customization is another significant trend. Inbilico stands out for its ability to create customizable pieces that meet the needs of modern customers. “Today, the key to staying competitive is uniqueness,” says Manuela Picciotto, designer of the brand. In a market saturated with standardized jewelry, the brand offers original solutions that combine luxury and sustainability. “It’s always a challenge to produce interesting pieces, especially given the constraints imposed by today’s market. However, our commitment is to satisfy both quality and price, without compromise. We’ve decided to explore a collection made with 10kt gold and lab-grown diamonds, combining durable, precious materials with the ability to offer extraordinary designs at affordable prices.” Inbilico is conceived as a modular brand, with some models designed to integrate with earrings that customers already own. This design philosophy offers unprecedented versatility, allowing for unique combinations and creating a heightened customization experience.

Each piece becomes a distinctive expression of a personal style, always refined and original,” she explains. Sustainability, now an imperative, is also expressed through the work of Veronica Varetta, founder of Lil Milan and Agée Scouted By Lil, who highlights how reviving vintage jewelry can offer an effective solution. “Giving new life to jewelry from the past is certainly one of the most sustainable alternatives, as it excludes the extraction of new metals or precious stones and celebrates craftsmanship from earlier times. With Âgée, we bring back jewelry characterized by uniqueness, preciousness, and character. Our motto is ‘vintage is hotter.’ We also offer a redesign service, which has been highly appreciated by our community.”

Innovation plays an equally important role. Marta Caffarelli, co-founder of Atelier VM, points out that their new 3kt alloy represents a creative response to the gold crisis. “Innovation is part of our DNA, just as tradition and the cultural heritage we’ve always carefully preserved. With this spirit, we continue to look around, living in the present, and this is how our new 3Kt alloy was born, a personal response to this complex historical moment. ‘Nomads’ of creative solutions, that’s how we are defined and how we define ourselves. What surrounds us and what happens leaves a mark and grows. 3Kt opens doors to new possibilities, it becomes the ‘gold’ of the eventuality, the need to rethink priorities without ceasing to search for beauty.” In a sector where traditions are deeply rooted, this openness is crucial for maintaining relevance.

Marco Bini, CEO of Atelier VM, echoes these thoughts: “Globally, the jewelry market is facing a true ‘tsunami’ driven by the rising price of gold. In particular, in Italy—a highly fragmented market with small companies both in production and retail—the impact of the raw material price increase will result in a general upward repositioning, which will inevitably make many brands unfeasible. It will be up to the skill, innovation, and creativity that have always characterized the Italian goldsmith sector to regenerate in the market with new offerings and solutions. At Atelier VM, we are deeply committed and investing in research and development to ensure our new collections meet the needs of a public that is even more attentive to value-for-money and a retail environment already in the post-digital era.”