Written on two timelines, Trust Is for Silly Girls evokes the nostalgia of the early twenty-tens. Nona Zuri reminisces on the significance rose gold had on the accessories landscape back then and how this gold blend has held its position as desirable over the years through innovative designs by heritage jewellery brands drawing from a variety of influences. This book, an ode to youth of sorts, is aptly covered in rose gold satin reminiscent of jewellery of the same composition - once impossible to avoid on the internet, social circles and media alike, when the first manuscript of this book was drafted.
Cape Town, South Africa | 20:22
After six months in the city of Gold, reconnected with the gritty nature of progress in those parts - the ever looming lore of how the city began - the hollowed out mines of the Witwatersrand, it feels ingenuine to put manicured fingers to my aging keyboard to explore the gold that started it all without breathing Johannesburg air. The pollution accompanies realisation - it is necessary to dig deep, I'm afraid. As one chokes on sulphur, monoxide and pompousity of the financial square, clarity arrives as translucent as the top coat dressing the fingertips drumming this journal entry into existence.
In the yesteryears of ballet pumps, peplums and statement necklaces - one couldn't escape the stronghold of rose gold. Beverage straws, garments, lipsticks, fashion and fine jewellery alike bent the knee. The market was saturated with the blend of gold, copper and sometimes silver and we, the people, threw on our pinkish shackles and celebrated. One looks back at that time with fondness - this is at risk of being redundant, there is an entire novel as proof of my disposition.
Personal experience aside - firmly bonded with one's sense of youth and many firsts, rose gold has been a symbol of romance ever since it's known conception by none other than the Russian, extravagant-satin-egg-creator Carl Faberge. Winding its way through the imperialist timeline, "Russian Gold" bent around the corners of history into the roaring twenties and eventually found itself in the house of Cartier. There it was incorporated it into high jewellery, consequently popularising the alloy.
Alas, the human condition did not allow for a prolonged sense of victory for our metallic salmon friend and war broke, resulting in the shunning of rose gold with platinum preferred in its stead. Clinical and a better fit for the tragedy of violent conquest and retaliation, platinum jewellery found its way into the upper ranks of adornment. A short lived elevation because the metal was deemed important for war to the extent of being banned for aesthetic use in some European countries.
Ah, well.
From mansion to trench.
Rose gold returned to take its place in well-dressed hushed conversation, slipping in-between champagne filled coupes under soft amber light poured onto the elite by crystal chandeliers holding hands with high ceilings. One imagines it hosted plenty-a-mine cut stone.
The reigning alloy's story continued through time until it met my earlobes and fingers in the leafy suburb of Auckland Park. Accompanying every outfit as I was enthusiastically wading through the waters of youth. Waters that were sometimes tumultous and sometimes still and seemingly void of reflection. Sweet waters they were. With time things changed, of course, and so did the shape of being young and free. By 2018, Rose Gold's hegemony was officially dubbed Millennial Pink and it had no plans of forfeiting its regime as we surrendered statement jewellery to ease into delicate pieces and stacking. The mixing of metals meant one's nose was tipped with the ink of vetted fashion editorials, thus worthy of attention and praise - rose gold would often be found beside other shades of gold and silver.
One would think that was the turning point and perhaps to the naked eye scouring social spaces it would seem so but by 2022, articles in The Jewellery Editor were mentioning the alloy love child of copper and gold once more. Old money, post-pandemic humility and luxury sales slump spurned by overwhelming news of disasters at every end alongside confounding loss had collectors keeping their looks intimate, a style that rose gold successfully delivers. Around this time, might I add, the diamond market was undergoing media scrutiny at unprecedented levels - the push was for lab grown diamonds to take their place and we watched giants stumble and others begin to circle looking to pick them apart and divide their lavish garments. A South African, the obliteration of De Beers beginning with social media abuzz with how diamonds weren't truly forever isn't something one simply forgets. The game set afoot thereafter was eye-opening but oh, was it inspiring too. Fascinating to say the least, enlightening to say the most.
One will turn to fiction to elaborate.
Rose gold offers the essence of resurgence, soft resilience and assimilation that begets elevation. It is a blend which, depending on how much of each metal is applied, becomes lighter or darker. A sorting process. Refinement through experimentation: whole and beautiful in itself. Though lovely, comfortable and acceptable, it is still fleeting as common expectations that speak to ultimate actualisation rear their head at all times. It appears to be the perfect metal to ascribe to youth.
The perfect alloy to encompass a time defined only by change as we made our way to the people we had worked tirelessly towards becoming.
It is fit to envelope this debut and launch this literary collection. It is, at least for me and the characters I have penned, the epitome of fleeting youth and impending duty.