Gold has always been a precious material, but in recent months it has entered an entirely new pricing era and the impact is being felt across the jewelry industry, from custom design to repairs and everyday fine jewelry.
When King + Curated opened in Beacon in April 2017, gold was approximately $1,260 per ounce. Today, gold is around $5,100 per ounce, that's a 305% increase.
What is most notable is not only the record high, but the speed of the change. Over the past 2/3 months alone, gold has moved from roughly $4,200 per ounce to $5,100 per ounce (that's a 21.43%+ increase) ; a shift that historically would have taken years rather than weeks. And silver went up 0.40% in that time period too.
Gold is often treated as a “safe haven” asset during periods of economic uncertainty, inflation expectations, and global instability. Demand for gold and silver also extends beyond jewelry, including technology and manufacturing, which adds additional pressure to pricing.
For jewelry businesses, this creates immediate effects. The cost of raw materials changes quickly, which makes it difficult to offer long-term quotes on custom projects. At King + Curated, quotes are now only reliable for a short period of time, often about a week, due to the pace of market movement.
Metal pricing also affects services such as resizing, restoration, soldering, and repair work, since these services require additional gold or silver input.
Despite the challenges, the current market reinforces something important: fine jewelry holds real value. Gold jewelry is not disposable. It is designed to last, to be worn for decades, and often to become an heirloom.
King + Curated has chosen not to respond to rising metal prices by reducing quality or making designs lighter. Instead, the business is adjusting pricing more quickly, while keeping craftsmanship and longevity at the center of every piece.
Above all, King + Curated emphasizes transparency. For customers not closely following the precious metals market, rapid price changes can be surprising. Sharing the reality behind these shifts is part of maintaining trust and ensuring clients feel informed at every step.
For clients considering a custom project or a fine jewelry purchase, the recommendation is simple: start sooner rather than later. This message is not intended to create pressure, but to provide clarity. While gold may move up and down, the broader pricing direction has remained upward, and significant returns to earlier levels are unlikely.