Benoit designs in fine custom jewelry in gold, platinum and silver are recognized as the finest custom designed jewelry available.

Gold is one of the world's most precious metals and the most used metal in making fine custom jewelry.  It's value is tied to the scarcity, versatility, history and internationally recognized commodity value.
 
Until the last century, gold was a monetary standard (that is, money was backed by gold).   However, in 1971 the world entered an era where no circulating money was redeemable in gold and resulted in the modern financial system called the "floating currency" system.
 
The value of gold did not decline when the floating currency system was instated. Currently the price of gold rises and falls in relation to the demand for it around the world -  and the demands are many.  One is gold coins, another is adornment, and there are many high-tech uses of this precious and beautiful metal besides making fine custom jewelry.
  
The United States stores gold underground outside of Louisville, KY at The Depository.  Gold there is in bars about the size of an ordinary building brick that weights 27.5 pounds and is equal to about 400 troy ounces.
 
So what is one of those bars worth?  Well that would depend what year it is because the price of gold fluctuates (sometimes dramatically!).   Today each bar stored there is worth about $18,000.  It is not publicized how many bars of gold are stored in The Depository.
  
Actually the price of gold changes daily.  In 1971 a troy ounce of gold could be purchased for less than $50 but by 1981 the price was over $800 per troy ounce.   By 2001 the average price of a troy ounce of gold was down to $271 and in early 2007 it was up to over $650 a troy ounce.
 
Much of our fine jewelry is made of gold.  And why not?   It never goes out of style (or anyway it hasn't for many centuries), it doesn't tarnish or react to solvents.   It can be worked into many shapes and even hammered very, very thin and still not crumble.
 
However, not all gold jewelry is "pure" gold – in fact, very little of it is.   Pure gold jewelry is marked 24k any numerical mark lower than that is gold and some other metal.   18K gold is 75% gold; 14K is 58.3% gold; 12K is 50% gold, and 10K the minimum karat that can be called "gold" in the USA is actually 41.7% gold.  European gold jewelry has other markings for karat weight.
 
Customers interesten in fime gold jewelry often ask which is the best karat for them – the answer is simple:   If you expect to wear the piece for years to come and perhaps hand it down as an heirloom, then buy as many karats as you can afford. This discipline along with pave' and other gem setting techniques have allowed me to go from a vision, to a plan, for an heirloom, or to develop large installations of art and design. More can be seen in our catalog.