With gold reaching $1500 per ounce, it is a precious metal that's become almost too precious for most. Yet gold remains popular. Gold baby jewellery, being tiny, is still affordable and popular, particularly baby or children's earrings. 9ct. gold seems to be the most popular gold sold in jewellery shops and online, these days. 9ct. gold is not a bad buy considering it's hardness - which determines whether it loses its shine (becomes scratched) and is harder to bend or dent. Therefore it will stay like new for far longer than 14 or 18ct gold. It looks exactly like 18ct. gold but is far more affordable.
There is something traditional about gold baby jewellery which keeps people coming back and paying the premium prices. Gold filled (or plated) is making a come-back with better plating methods ensuring a good, long life of use. Again, it looks like solid gold (in most cases) and is affordable.
Gold baby bracelets are most popular, and baby brooches, once a most popular item, are now returning in 9ct gold. These and baby ID bracelets, can be personalised, with baby's name or date of birth engraved on the ID plate. Personalised jewellery is becoming increasingly popular.
Silver is currently purchased far more often in baby and children's jewellery because of its affordability. The price of silver is rising rapidly too, in fact I've seen several articles lately touting silver as being a "must have" in anyone's portfolio! It takes me back to when I read this about gold, and this was well before it reached $500 an ounce. So there may be something in it- who knows?
The designs of silver jewellery are stunning. Modern, traditional, cute and funky, there is a design to wow anybody. Teamed with pearls, gemstones, enamelling, silver shines! Look for sterling silver which is 92.5% silver (the remainder is usually copper, for hardness) or Tibetan silver which is 70% silver, and therefore harder again. If you see 100% silver, which I've often seen advertised online, I would avoid it, because even if it is 100% silver, it will be too soft for baby and children's jewellery.