A bracelet costing 400 euros or a necklace with a gemstone costing 1,300 euros for your offspring? Gold children’s jewelry is hip, but often has a higher price tag than their counterparts made of silver, copper or plastic. According to experts, gold is not an unnecessary luxury for your child or teenager, but it is an investment. “Trendy moms like to spend a lot on children’s clothing, so why not an expensive piece of jewelry?”
Children’s jewelry has been around for a while. Think of Veritas, Twice as Nice or Claire’s, albeit in a different price category, says fashion editor David Devriendt. “Buying gold birth bracelets with your baby’s initials or name or giving them as a gift has also been a tradition for centuries.” Yet the rise of expensive jewelry for kids is not as surprising as the prices are shocking, he believes.
Momfluencers are big fans
“We live in a world in which parents increasingly dare to ‘sell’ their children on social media. Because they are part of the image that certain parents want to project. And that can cost quite a bit,” says Devriendt. “These are usually trendy moms or dads with a certain lifestyle. They already dare to pay a little more for themselves, and therefore also spend more on children’s clothing or toys. So why not a gold jewel to complete your toddler’s outfit?”
This is how the popular Parisian jewelry brand sells Dinh Van and London NOA fine jewellery already jewelry for children at high prices, says the fashion expert. “In our country you see such price tags for brands like Elisha Lee, Simple Comme Bonjour and Eline Fransen.” Although you do not yet see such jewelry at luxury brands such as Dior or Chanel. “They’re still children, right? They play, jump, roll and of course quickly lose something. But that’s just part of it. Such a jewel is and remains above all an investment and is not something that you throw away after a season or two.”
Yet the fashion editor asks himself some critical questions. “Children can count to a certain extent, but do they know and appreciate the value of a jewel worth almost a thousand euros around their arm or neck? And is it necessary to burden your child with such great responsibility at a young age?”
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“It is valuable for parents and child”
According to Elisabeth Leenknegt, mother herself and founder of Elisa Lee, such a child’s jewel is of inestimable value. “I understand the concern and that not everyone can or wants to buy a gold jewel for their child,” she says. “But we have a saying: gold is for life, silver is for a while. Gold does not lose its value and is therefore a sustainable investment as a gift for a child or teenager.”
According to Elisabeth, 250, 400 or 750 euros are normal prices for gold jewelry. “Gold is a rewarding metal to work with and your child can always have it reformed or remelted later. That makes it extremely durable. Moreover, Elisa Lee’s children’s jewelry grows with your child: the bracelets have ‘growth eyes’ and can therefore be worn forever.”
I understand that as a parent these days you are more likely to reach for a bracelet that costs barely five euros. But how long can your child wear it before it breaks?
Elisabeth Leenknegt, founder of Belgian jewelry brand Elisa Lee
And yes, there is a lot of demand for such children’s jewelry, says Leenknegt. “Many parents want their child to cherish something valuable that they received from mom and dad or grandma and grandpa. They save for it, put it together or even have old gold from, for example, a family jewel reworked into something for their child or teenager.”
That value cannot be compared with cheaper jewelry for children, she believes. “I understand that as a parent these days you are more likely to reach for a bracelet that costs just five euros. But how long can your child wear it before it breaks? I wear my gold jewelry every day: I go to sleep, shower and swim with it. And yet they have been around for about 20 years.”
A lot also depends on perception and upbringing, says Leenknegt. “It is a beautiful thing to teach your children, as I was taught as a child, that a gold bracelet from your grandmother is very valuable. It’s your baby and you have to be careful with it. For example, I still have gold jewelry from my grandparents. In many Belgian families this is a tradition that has lasted for generations.”
Moms Hilde and Fien: “This is such a waste of money”
Do parents, godmothers, aunts or grandparents really spend around 750 euros on a gold bracelet for a child today? We posed the question to our NINA readers. “That’s a lot of money, I paid a maximum of 300 euros,” someone responds. The majority answers firmly: “No, you fool”. Yet there are also a number of people who have already done this, including mothers Hilde and Fien. Why?
It is a beautiful keepsake and later they can always have it merged into something beautiful for their loved one or spouse.
Mom Hilde
Hilde (55) and her husband once gave a gold bracelet worth 450 to 500 euros to their godson. “I would also like to do that for my future grandchildren,” she responds enthusiastically. Do they not think that is a waste of money? “Certainly not. It is a beautiful keepsake and later they can always have it blended into something beautiful for their loved one or spouse. In the past, it was customary to give such a piece of jewelry at birth. My husband and I also have such jewelry lying around.” The only disadvantage is that neither Hilde and her husband, nor their goddaughter, wear it anymore.
Fien’s daughter (38) received a white gold bracelet at her baptism. “It cost about 300 to 400 euros at the time. But later she lost him in daycare, what a waste of money. And especially a shame, because we never found him again. She wore the bracelet every day. But it is also a shame to leave the jewel in the closet most of the time.” If Fien ever wanted to spend that much money, she would rather spend it on gold earrings or a nice ring for her daughter’s 18th birthday. “That is more useful than an expensive necklace or bracelet that you get at (much too) a young age.”
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