All That Glitters: 6 Awesomely Astonishing Uses of Gold

We all know that gold is valuable; it’s one of the few metals that retained the value they first gained in 1,500 BC. Ancient Egypt used gold for trade, jewelry, and idol worship; this went on for a couple of centuries.

Then humans started experimenting—as they do—with the precious metal to see if they could get more from it than commerce, worship, and decoration. From the unearthed artifacts, we know that the metal was used in everything, from crockery to facemasks.

A lot has changed since then: Gold is no more exclusive to the wealthy minority. It’s still expensive but also more accessible to the general public through gold jewelry and much more.

The demand for gold jewelry and other gold items has skyrocketed due to decreasing output, inflation, and US federal reserve rates. With the metal at an all-time high, now is the perfect time to sell your gold jewelry online.

Lest we forget, here are some of the most fascinating uses of gold available to the masses today.

1.  Dental Gold

Gold was first used in the dentistry field around 2,500 years ago. Fast forward to today, and this metal’s dental applications consume around 80–100 tons worldwide. It is a non-toxic substance commonly found in crowns, bridgework, and even dental fillings.

Unlike gold jewelry, these dental products are infused with gold due to the metal’s durability than for decorative purposes. They are still a commodity, as most individuals prefer cost-effective alternatives, especially since the 1970s when gold prices started taking off globally.

2.  Medicinal Gold

You bet the world of anatomy has wanted in on the gold rush. It can’t hurt you if it’s not toxic, whether you put it in your mouth or body. Best-case scenario: It may be a cure. 

At least, that’s what the Chinese physicians thought when they used the metal to treat skin ulcers, furuncles, and smallpox. The ancient Romans backed up their Eastern friends on the skin treatment part, not so much on the rest.

Fast forwarding to now, we have surprisingly continued using gold to treat arthritis, harnessed its bacterial resistance and non-toxicity in body implants, and even used its nanoparticles for chemotherapy delivery. Who knows: The gold in your jewelry might just be life-saving.

3.  Gold for Skincare

There is more than one type of wearable gold; in this case, it is not the gold jewelry you want to sell. If the historical upper class can put lead in its cosmetics, why wouldn’t it use gold, which is a sign of prestige in and of itself? 

That’s right, gold sellers! We speak of the cosmetic industry. Even today, it imbues products like lip balms, moisturizers, and skincare creams, especially those geared towards treating breakouts, with trace amounts of gold.

Gold is said to lend elasticity and improve the appearance of the skin. It also happens to improve blood circulation, or so say reputable brands like Dior and L’Oréal. Gold is more popular than you think; its skincare market was worth USD 3,412.3 million in 2022.

4.  Gold Goes to Space

Did you know that the visor in the helmets that astronauts wear contains a layer of gold to protect them from harmful infrared rays? 

On Earth, the ozone layer acts as our filter, but nothing stands between us and the infrared rays as we leave the atmosphere. The gold layer acts as a filter—a micro-atmosphere—protecting the celestial explorer from radiation.  

There are, of course, more out-of-this-world applications of these precious metals. Its filtering and temperature-stabilizing properties are also utilized in space vehicles. Gold is perceived as a necessity instead of a commodity in an industry that prioritizes reliability over cost.

5.  Gold Architecture

If humans can wear gold jewelry as decoration, why can’t buildings? That is probably what the minds behind some of the world’s most famous structures thought when they added gold details to their final designs.

Let’s start with the Golden Temple Vellore located in India. The massive structures within the complex embody approximately 1.5 tons of gold. While the metal’s softness doesn’t allow the temples to be made from pure gold, the copper buildings are covered with layers of gold foil made from melted gold bars.

Other structures with such detailing include the blindingly golden domes in Kyiv’s St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery and the gold leaf-covered ceiling in London’s Criterion Restaurant.

6.  Cellular Gold

The next time you wonder why mobile phones keep getting expensive, send your gold jewelry to our gold buyers for an appraisal. Nine times out of ten, it will pay more than what you bought it for. Like jeweled accessories, your mobile phones contain up to 50 milligrams of gold.

Multiply the 15 billion smartphone units worldwide by those 50 milligrams, and the cumulative gold consumption of the smartphone industry doesn’t bear thinking about. Since gold is more corrosion-resistant, manufacturers choose silver over silver, which is more conductive but less resistant to rust and corrosion.

The World Needs Your Gold: Sell it for Cash Online

While many of the above uses of gold are necessary, they involve massive gold consumption. Most of this gold is non-recyclable and is lost to us forever. With gold mining at its tail end, the world will soon start looking elsewhere for the precious metal.

You can address this growing issue by selling the gold jewelry you don’t need online. Request a free appraisal kit at Gold to Cash for a detailed offer by our online gold buyers. Since we average 4.8 stars on Trustpilot after being in business for ten years, you can trust our price with your eyes closed.

 

Reach out for inquiries related to logistics and our gold-for-cash process.