Journal

How to give gold without overdoing it

The atelier uses three different golds, and the product page says which one you are holding. Solid 18K is a jewel: weighed, hallmarked, and priced as a private client piece against the sum of pendant, cord, box, and certificate. It is not a discount on a fictional old price.

24K vermeil is a thick layer of gold over recycled sterling. The countdown calendar is the clearest example. Its exclusive price is €149.90 because you are buying the set. The €640 beside it is the sum of the standalone boutique values of the charms, motifs, chest, booklet, and card. That is a contents value, and the itemised table is there so you can add it up yourself.

Edible gold leaf is food. It has no flavour, it is not a jewel, and the truffle box says so. A polished 18K band is a jewel, stamped 750. None of these should be described as if they were the same thing, so we do not.

If you are unsure, give vermeil to someone who likes a ritual, solid 18K to someone who will still have it in twenty years, and the truffle set to the person hosting New Year. When in doubt, the concierge would rather talk you into a smaller true thing than a larger vague one.