Renad Ghanem

Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH —  A woman does not need to be rich to sparkle. And during this Eid many resorted to gold-plated jewelry to show off a variety of wares on different occasions over the festive days.



Gold plated pieces of jewelry, which looks very much like real pieces of gold necklaces and rings, is an in thing now. To many women it is way cheaper than buying real jewelry and gold.



The business of gold plated women jewelry is growing as many women nowadays turn to buy them instead of real deal because it fulfills their need and no one suspects that it is not original.



Women interviewed in this report agreed that people are always judged by their appearance.



Manar Muhammed, 27 years old Saudi woman who prefers to buy gold plated jewelries rather than the original ones, said that people would never differentiate between them and the original jewelry.



“We are a big family and we have many relatives all over the Kingdom. We have many family occasions and it will be extremely impossible to buy new gold necklaces and rings each time. We are already suffering with the burden of buying dresses, as we have to buy a new one each occasion.”



She said that she resorted to buying gold plated pieces of jewelry, and found it a perfect solution. She said that it serves the purpose as long as no one takes a closer look or asks about it.



Um Majed, a mother of six, believes that people always judge others by appearance. She has five daughters and to her it is economically impossible to buy gold for each one of them every time there is an occasion. Um Majed faced great difficulty trying to convince her daughters that gold plated pieces are a solution.



“It was either they buy gold plated jewelries or they wear no gold. I have convinced them that there was nothing wrong with it and many people are buying it. Gold prices are on the rise and reaching a level I cannot afford to buy for my own,” she added.



She said that she always worries because they keep comparing themselves with other girls wearing real gold.



There are number of businesses selling gold-plated jewelry. Saudi Gazette met with a business owner, who refused to reveal his name, who said that his best customers are the low-income people who are looking to look good.



He said, “We have fancy shapes or necklaces and rings and other accessories and it looks real. Our prices are affordable. I import all my goods from China where I buy at a cheaper price and sell them for a good profit.”



He added, “People are judged with what they wear and the case is very sensitive when it comes to women, because they always want to be better than other women at occasions and ceremonies. Personally I convince, whoever is hesitant, that there is nothing wrong in buying gold plated pieces.



“Those pieces are very beautiful, it looks valuable and looks real, and it suffices for whatever the woman wants it for. She could buy a piece for SR1,000 that looks like an SR10,000 piece, and no one will notice.”