Gold - jewelery popular in China with hope of anti-inflation

China gold jewelry

However, to Yang and other Chinese, gold is no longer just jewelry with best wishes, but a hopeful anti-inflation tool.

China's economy grew 9.6 percent year on year in the third quarter this year, slowing from its 10.3-percent increase in the second quarter of 2010 and 11.9 percent in the first quarter.

The People's Bank of China, the central bank, hiked the benchmark interest rates in October and raised the reserve requirement ratio for banks twice in a month, indicating the government's concern about rising inflation.

Statistics from the World Gold Council (WGC) said that gold investments in China reached 120 tonnes in the first three quarters of 2010.

Two-thirds of Chinese women regard gold jewelry to be as much an investment as a statement of personal style. Consumers are keenly aware of the value of their gold.

WGC predicted that China's demand for investment in gold was expected to reach 150 tonnes in 2010.

Demand for investment in gold in China was likely to accelerate as Chinese buyers regard gold as an effective tool for maintaining and increasing the value of assets, said Albert Cheng, managing director for the Far East office of the WGC, during China's Fifth Summit on Gold and Precious Metal.

In 2009, gold consumption in China reached 462 tonnes in all sectors. And China's demand for gold increased an average of 13 percent annually over the past five years, making China the world's second largest consumer market for gold after India.

"In spite of severe recession of high-end commodities in global terms, China saw a boom in consumption in the sector. Except for traditional gold and silver, diamond investment demand is emerging in China," said Sun Fengmin, deputy director with Gem & Jewelry Trade Association of China.

Even since 2009, some Chinese had placed large diamonds with high quality on their investment lists. "And it is now a continuous trend of diamond investment," said Sun.

The surging demand for diamonds also put China into the second position in the market after the United States. Diamonds are not only a symbol of love but a new tool to maintain and increase the value of assets.

As the strong demand increases from China, India and other new-economies, Rio Tinto has decided to change its drawing-back strategy to increase the annual diamond output to 30 million carats, said Jean-Marc Lieberherr, general manager for sales and marketing of diamonds for mining giant Rio Tinto.

Rio Tinto predicted that, till 2020, China's diamond jewelry consumption would take 26 percent of the global market, which was only 5 percent in 2007.

Luxury jewelry brands such as Cartier, Tiffany and many others are commonly seen in shopping malls in Beijing, Shanghai or even the second-tier cities.

"It is never a luxury dream out of reach, the middle class in China are able to afford diamond jewelry. It is glittering on my finger now, and might looks brighter in the future as an investment," said Yang.

How to keep your Jewelry Shiny

Keep your Jewelry look fantastic

People are fond of jewelry. Even before houses were built, these shiny objects were worn by different kinds of people all over the world, as proven by archaeological excavations. People – not just women but men as well – enjoy wearing rings, watches, necklaces and earrings as accessories that show their personality, status in life and even taste.

If you are fond of these shiny objects even if you cannot afford to buy the real and expensive ones, then you must be aware that jewelry does not sparkle forever. Even diamonds – said to be forever – do not shine always.

This happens because of different components like perspiration, oil and skin moisture, as well as other contaminants that can tarnish jewelry. In order to be able to wear your jewelry in perfect condition always, you must know how to clean them.

But before you put out those generic jewelry cleaners and apply them to your prized possessions, you must know first that different stones and metals require different kinds of cleaning attention.

Here are some cleaning tips that you ought to follow in cleaning your jewelry – if you must do it yourself – compiled in part by Real Simple magazine.

Gold jewelry

Gold Jewelry

Soak for 15 minutes in a solution of two cups warm water and a few drops of a mild dish-washing liquid, like Joy. Gently scrub with a soft-bristle toothbrush. Rinse with warm water, and dry with a soft cloth.

You may also use a non-abrasive jewelry cleaner, which you can purchase at local jewelry stores.

Diamond Jewelry

Diamond Jewelry

Soak for 20 minutes in a solution of one cup warm water and 1/4 cup ammonia. Then gently scrub with a soft-bristle toothbrush, getting into the small areas between the diamond and the setting. Rinse with warm water, and lay on a tissue to dry. If your diamonds are set in platinum, this method will also clean the setting.

However, ammonia can remove the color of most metals so if you’re not confident about the metal where your diamond is set, avoid using ammonia and opt for a solution of water and mild detergent instead.

Pearls

Pearl Jewelry

Rub each pearl individually with a soft, clean cotton cloth dampened with a solution of two cups warm water and a few drops of a mild dishwashing liquid, like Joy. (Soaking strands of pearls can cause the string to stretch.) Let air-dry overnight.

The important thing to remember when cleaning pearls is to avoid any form of abrasion. So be sure to use only the softest cloth and gentle soaps.

You can also use this method to most gemstones but use a soft toothbrush to harder stones to get rid of additional grime.

Silver jewelry

Silver Jewelry

Rinse in warm water and pat dry. If silver is tarnished, use a silver-polishing cloth or a jar of silver-cleaning fluid, such as Goddard's Silver Dip. For jewelry with intricate designs, use a silver-cleaning paste, which can get into small crevices. Wipe with a clean, soft cloth.

Also remember not to use toothpaste or other abrasive cleaners to avoid scratching the metal.