As the adage goes, gold is always a good investment. That sentiment is especially true for many women across the Asian diaspora, whose relationship to the precious metal makes it more than just an accessory.
Consider, for example, how for some Indian women, gold is not just a show of wealth but an item that offered financial and social security. In Chinese culture, gold is synonymous with wealth, abundance and good fortune. And in South Korea, it is customary to give gold jewelry, typically a ring, for a baby’s first birthday.
The New York Times is interested in hearing from Asian American women of all ages and ethnicities about their own relationships to gold, jewelry or other inherited pieces of adornment. Was it passed down to you by your mother, grandmother or some other maternal figure in your life? Do you wear it regularly, or stow it away for safety? Have you melted it down to be remade into something else entirely? Did it provide comfort to you during hard times?
We’d also appreciate your help by sharing this questionnaire among friends and others, including in forums where these conversations may be happening in private, like group chats.
Please share your story with us by March 24. We will read every response as it comes in and follow up with a portion of respondents to hear more. We won’t publish any part of your response without following up with you first, verifying your information and hearing back from you. We won’t share your contact information outside our newsroom or use it for any reason other than to get in touch with you.
