[dlubarov]

> I’d be willing to buy gold or art at a certain price for their practical or esthetical use

For esthetical use, wouldn't an inexpensive fake gold work just as well, as long as its appearance was substantially the same? Not many people are interested in buying fake gold, of course, but I think that's a matter of wealth/status rather than aesthetics.

I think the demand for white gold and rose gold also suggests that interest in gold jewelry is largely about wealth/status. Even "gold gold" jewelry is usually mixed with lighter metals in order to intentionally change its appearance. (Of course it's also to strengthen the material, but that could be done while maintaining the approximate color if people truly liked the color.)