In Chinese families, gold is not only an investment. It marks weddings, births and the new year, and it carries wishes for prosperity from one generation to the next.

Weddings

Gold sits at the centre of a traditional Cantonese wedding. During the betrothal gifts (過大禮), the groom's family often presents the bride with a set of gold jewellery known as the "four golden items" (四點金): a necklace, earrings, a bracelet and a ring. On the wedding day the bride may wear a pair of dragon-and-phoenix bangles (龍鳳鈪), a symbol of a harmonious marriage, together with gold given by relatives at the tea ceremony.

A baby's first month

At a baby's full-month celebration (滿月), relatives traditionally give small gold gifts: bracelets, anklets or a gold padlock pendant (金鎖) meant to "lock in" good health and fortune.

Lunar New Year

Gold pieces featuring the year's zodiac animal are popular gifts at Lunar New Year, and many families buy a little gold each year for good luck. Jewellers see some of their busiest weeks of the year in the run-up to the holiday.

Reading the marks: 足金 and 千足金

Gold jewellery in Hong Kong is usually stamped with its purity. Under Hong Kong's trade description rules, gold marked 足金 must be at least 990 parts per thousand pure, and gold marked 千足金 at least 999. The marks protect buyers of jewellery in the same way fineness stamps protect buyers of bars.

Jewellery or bars?

Jewellery shops in Hong Kong usually price gold by the tael at the day's rate, then add a workmanship charge (工錢) for the design. When gold jewellery is sold back, it is normally valued for its gold content only, so the workmanship charge is not recovered. Families who give gold mainly as a store of value sometimes choose small bars or coins instead, which carry lower premiums over the gold price.

在華人家庭，黃金不只是投資。它見證婚嫁、添丁與新春，承載着一代傳一代的富足祝福。

婚嫁

黃金是傳統廣東婚禮的重心。過大禮時，男家通常會送上俗稱「四點金」的金飾，即頸鏈、耳環、手鐲及戒指。婚禮當日，新娘會戴上象徵夫妻和睦的龍鳳鈪，以及在敬茶時親友所送的金飾。

滿月之喜

嬰兒滿月時，親友傳統上會送贈小件金飾，例如手鐲、腳鐲，或寓意「鎖住」健康與福氣的金鎖。

農曆新年

印有當年生肖的金飾及金幣是新春熱門禮品，不少家庭每年都會買少量黃金，取其吉祥寓意。新年前數星期，往往是金舖全年最繁忙的時候。

認識成色標記：足金與千足金

香港出售的金飾一般印有成色標記。根據香港的商品說明規定，標示「足金」的黃金成色須不低於千分之990，「千足金」則不低於千分之999。這些標記保障首飾買家，正如成色印記保障金條買家一樣。

金飾還是金條？

香港金舖一般按當日金價以「兩」計算金飾價格，再另收設計工藝的「工錢」。金飾回收時通常只按含金量計價，工錢不會退回。如送金主要是為了保值，有些家庭會改選溢價較低的小金條或金幣。

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