Gold Anklets

The young man looked at white gold ankle bracelets that appeared by the dozens in the jewelry store showcase. His wife had hinted in no subtle terms that this particular jewelry item was what she wanted for a birthday present, and had gone so far as to draw one and leave the picture on the man's pillow four straight nights. Both had experienced many laughs over the whole thing, but there was nothing laughable about ignoring her wishes. The woman had never before been so graphic or explicit in her desires for a certain gift, so this was a big deal. Whatever else the guy did there had better be a 14K gold anklet wrapped in a beautiful box and on the nightstand within two nights.

As the man began to realize how big this mission really was, the realization came home that just looking at a jeweler's showcase would not be enough of an education to make the right decision. There were too many variables in this purchase of one of a myriad of white gold ankle bracelets. A person could make the obvious assumption that something so simple could never be filled with so many variables, but indeed this item had a number of options. And the question haunted the man, "What if the wrong choice is made?" Since his wife was so insistent, and so desirous of this particular birthday gift, the choice would have to be thoughtful, well crafted and stunning. In addition, the couple had just recently graduated from college and had been married only a year and both had entry level professional positions, so their budget was tight.

The first step in the education process to find out more about a 14K gold anklet was to understand the grades of this metal that were used in making this precious metal jewelry. The first discovery was that it is not only a very precious metal, but in its purest form, 24K, it is very, very soft, just as silver is in its purest form. In its softest form, this precious metal may be fine for exchange value, but for most jewelry pieces, the purest form is much too soft to withstand much punishment experienced by the everyday wearing experience. So there is 18K gold or seventy five percent pure, and is highly desirable in very fine pieces of jewelry. For the finest retailers in the land, 18K or even 21 K gold is the standard, although 21K is often considered too soft for jewelry. Of course, the higher the K value, the more expensive the piece will be, and most jewelry in 18 K is combined with a harder white metal such as silver, palladium or platinum to make it harder and more durable. Oftentimes, white gold pieces are coated with rhodium to make the finish harder and more scratch resistant.

Since the budget for this birthday present was under two hundred dollars, the young man discovered that 18K white gold ankle bracelets were usually more than five hundred dollars, so immediately that fine a piece of jewelry was eliminated. As the man became more educated in the makeup of a 14K gold anklet, the discovery was made that this grade of white gold was fifty eight percent pure metal and forty two percent alloys. Alloys used to make this product include, nickel, zinc, silver and palladium, all of course, white metals. So the choice was made to buy one of many white gold ankle bracelets, but finding one under two hundred dollars might prove to be tricky. His best opportunity to locate one in this particular price range was to get online and begin looking in earnest. The order had to be made by the following day and shipped overnight to arrive on time for his wife's celebration.

One of the first things the man discovered is that many of the jewelry pieces in which the man was interested came in either nine inch or ten inch lengths. Since the man's wife was always insistent that whatever she wore in jewelry, such a bracelet or a necklace be snug, the man knew that this piece would also have to be form fitting and not in the least droopy. So, the guy waited until his wife was fast asleep and then took a tape measure and measured both ankles to make sure of a custom fit. He discovered that a nine would be too small, so a ten inch 14K gold anklet would be the choice. But when the man began the online search for the right choice among hundreds of white gold anklet bracelets, he was flabbergasted at what he found. There were so many types of chains that he was dizzy. They included, cable link, Byzantine, Tiffany, wheat, gold bead, mariner, puffed mariner, triple strand, filigree, gemstone, popcorn with dangling chain, and styles that included dolphins or butterflies , circles and other objects, more akin to a charm bracelet for the ankle.

As the man tried to think of any other jewelry pieces she had, the realization came that the woman chose heavier types of jewelry for her necklaces and bracelets. The choice became a no brainer when he found a ten inch filigree 14K gold anklet in white finish that had a one tenth carat diamond heart in the middle. It was slightly more than the budget allowed; costing two hundred and forty dollars with overnight shipping and tax, but the look on her face would make it all worth it. When she opened, the smile wished for was there. When the question was asked about how the right size was known, the man just smiled. "And he said unto his disciples, 'Therefore I say unto you, take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for you body what ye shall put on.'" (Luke 12:22)

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