The color gold shines just by existing. Its chromatic characteristics make it stand out above other colors such as red and blue.
But it is not only for this reason that makes this color attract attention, but also for the precious metal with which it has traditionally been associated: gold. And this element is very rare in nature, making it very precious.
That is why the color gold has been closely associated with wealth and power, among many other meanings. Here Let’s see what the color gold means in Psychology in addition to a few historical curiosities and current uses of this color.
The color gold: how it is obtained and characteristics
The color gold is one of the rarest and most striking colors. It is named after the most characteristic metal of this color, gold, and It is, in fact, a shade of yellow, with a wavelength between 565 and 590 nanometers. The luminosity of this color will depend on the shiny effect of the material’s reflectance.
Although it can be obtained by mixing artificial pigments and other compounds synthesized in the laboratory, traditionally gold has always been made with a small amount of gold. The nuances are obtained from the metals with which it is mixed. Thus, yellow or the most normal gold is obtained by mixing it with silver and copper. Red gold, most commonly used in the past, contains copper.
This metal is characterized by resisting the action of acids and alkalis, in addition to not rusting. There is only one way to modify its chemical properties, and that is to subject it to the action of a mixture of concentrated hydrochloric acid and nitric acid, which produces aqua regia, a substance that can damage gold.
What does the color gold mean in Psychology?
The number of meanings associated with the color gold is very wide, all of them related to the strong connection between the color and the material from which it was originally obtained. Although this color is related to yellow, their meanings are not the same. Thinking about the color gold is thinking about the precious metal from which it is obtained.
First we can mention aspects such as wealth, power, abundance, ambition and luxury. It has also been associated with life and happiness, symbolizing success throughout life and in multiple aspects, such as work and family.
It has been associated with fidelity. This is due to the characteristics of the metal from which it was obtained, since gold is a chemical element that does not combine with other elements when molten. For this reason, wedding rings, which represent the fidelity that the spouses will have with each other, are made with this material.
Although money does not bring happiness, it helps to achieve it, and that is why the color gold has also been associated in equal parts with wealth and happiness. Everything that serves to gain wealth is related to this color, such as having very outstanding qualities (e.g., a great singer has ‘a golden voice’). Even though they are not things of this color, the word ‘gold’ is often used to refer to things that are very expensive, such as oil is ‘black gold’, porcelain and ivory are ‘white gold’. …
The Golden It is also associated with pride and merit. It is the color associated with fame and awards, which in themselves represent the outstanding qualities of a person and his victory in obtaining them. There are many awards that are of this color and are also called ‘gold’ or ‘gold’: the Oscars are gold statuettes, the Golden Globes are awarded in cinema…
Gold is, undoubtedly, the color of luxury, excess wealth and exorbitant prices. Gold and shiny suits are reserved for special situations, such as important events and parties. Golden jewelry, which is sometimes so striking that it is no longer elegant, is a symbol of excess wealth, a sign of power. Objects that cannot be made of gold receive a bath of this material and their price increases and they receive the label of luxury items.
Cultural and historical meanings
Although the meanings given to the color gold throughout history are not far from those mentioned in the previous section, it is worth highlighting some curiosities in relation to this very peculiar color.
In the Middle Ages, alchemists were associated with this color. This is because they were determined to transform all matter into the precious metal, and they focused their efforts on obtaining and searching for the Philosopher’s Stone, which had the power to turn everything it touched into gold, a power shared with the fable of king Midas.
Since gold is, in truth, a shade of yellow, It has also been associated with the Sun. The rays of the sun are usually referred to as golden. Another curiosity related to this is how the Incas believed that gold was, in truth, the blood of the Sun. In the same way that this material was associated with the sun, silver, traditionally seen as its antagonist, was associated with the Moon in many cultures.
In painting, the use of gilding has always been linked to paintings with pious motifs. For example, Russian icons in Orthodox churches today retain backgrounds with this color. It is a color that usually matches earth tones, and also serves to enrich the red and burgundy palette. The great Austrian painter Gustav Klimt associated this color with nobility, and his paintings, such as ‘The Kiss’, could not do without this color.
As we saw before, wedding rings are not made of gold only because the material has a high value, but because Lasts long and retains the appearance of the first day. Gold never loses its value, nor is it thrown away. Resist, as every good marriage should. Furthermore, after fifty years of marriage, the Golden Wedding is celebrated.
A curiosity, related to how this element is seen with luxury, is the case of Austrian artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser. This peculiar character organized a great meal in 1980 in which he literally celebrated luxury. Diners were given gold cutlery, gold cups and potatoes, vegetables and roasts were served covered, as one would expect, in gold leaf.
We have some examples of how the color gold has been associated with evil and negative aspects in the case of Thomas More who, in 1516, published a story whose plot took place in the country of utopia. Here the prisoners wore chains made of gold and performed forced labor.
Another case is that of the James Bond movie Goldfinger, from (1964) by director Guy Hamilton. In the film, people appear covered in gold, who intend to see themselves as a symbol of wealth, however, the gold does not allow their skin to breathe and they drown in their own vanity.
In astrology, gold is associated with the sign of Leo (months of July and August), which is when the sun is at the highest point in the sky. In turn, gold It is associated with the monarchy and the high ranks of the nobility. Gold is associated with the king, in turn, the lion is the king of animals, and the Sun is the king of the stars.
King Francis I of France commissioned 13,600 gold buttons to adorn a single suit. In the 16th century this man was considered the most elegant of his time. However, to ensure that this remained the case, the king decreed that no person of rank below the crown prince could wear gold garments.
In heraldry, the gold color is considered one of the most important. Normally, shields cannot have more than a single metal represented, being either gold or silver, but there is one exception to this rule: the Pope’s shield. The colors of the Vatican flag are gold and white, with the shield in the white part, made of gold and silver keys, representing the gates of heaven guarded by Saint Peter.
Below we will see two quite interesting uses of the color gold, both in the field of health, although far from scientific evidence, and in the commercial field, specifically in marketing.
Traditional “remedies”
The colors, in themselves, do not have healing or magical properties; However, today it has certain uses that could be considered, to a greater or lesser extent, related to changes in behavior, although this is quite controversial.
In the Asian art of Feng Shui there is the rule of placing yellow and gold flowers or decorations in a room when looking to fix communication problems with people important to oneself.
Although, as we saw, colors do not have any magical properties that cure problems of any kind, it is worth mentioning that alternative medicine, specifically chromotherapy, uses this color to theoretically combat psychological disorders such as depression.
They do this because they believe that gold balances the mind, gives energy and gives happiness, although there is no scientific support for these types of statements. Continuing along the line of beliefs without scientific basis, in other alternative medicines it is believed that gold serves to transmute negative energies. For example, they recommend meditating for 10 or 15 minutes using the color gold to facilitate the flow of words.
Marketing
Leaving aside the spiritual and mystical world of chromotherapy and beliefs of the like, we move on to something more real such as marketing. It is in this field that gold is used to advertise luxury products or services. As this color is associated with luxury, at the very least that they offer a product under the slogan that it is gold, golden or ‘golden’ they justify being able to sell it at exorbitant prices.
Premium services, that is, those that offer something that cannot be obtained at a normal price or for free, are normally sold in golden tones, which in themselves attract attention and capture the customer.
However, and resorting to the saying, ‘all that glitters is not gold’, just because it is gold does not mean it is better, it is simply another strategy to sell a product or service.
