Supply is elastic, installment #6437

In Italy’s storied gold‑making hubs, jewellers are reworking their designs to trim gold content as they race to blunt the impact of record prices and appeal to shoppers watching their budgets.

The rally is putting undue pressure on small artisans as they face mounting demands from clients including international brands to produce cheaper items, from signature pieces to wedding rings…

“The main question that I’ve heard in the last months is if I can produce something lighter while having the same appearance,” said Massimo Lucchetta, owner of Lucchetta 1953, an independent jeweller which makes items for department stores in Bassano del Grappa, near Italy’s premier gold-crafting hub of Vicenza in the country’s northeast.

Here is the full story, via John De Palma.