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Gold is a wonderful material for a few specific things: wedding bands, Olympic medals, the occasional crown.
It is a less obvious choice for a fork. Or a bottle opener. Or a face mask you wash down the drain ten minutes later. And yet, somewhere, a designer looked at each of these perfectly functional objects and thought: what if it were gold?
We are so glad they did. Here are the things you can buy in gold that absolutely did not need to be gold, all rated the same: Necessity: 0%.
The List
The Fork
Dolce&Gabbana 24k Gold-Plated Dinner Fork $465
A single 24k-gold-plated dinner fork from Dolce&Gabbana. Just the fork. The matching knife is sold separately, for $495.
Necessity: 0%
Verdict: Twelve guests means twelve forks. That is $5,580 in forks.
The Sunglasses
Cartier Panthère Classic 24k Gold-Plated Butterfly Sunglasses $1,545
Cartier sunglasses with 24k-gold-plated frames, from the Panthère line, named for the house’s famous panther.
Necessity: 0%
Verdict: Gold sunglasses, for looking at the sun, which is also gold.
The Dumbbells (Cufflink Size)
Scully & Scully 18k Gold Dumbbell Cufflinks $5,850
Solid 18k gold cufflinks shaped like tiny dumbbells, from Scully & Scully on Park Avenue.
Necessity: 0%
Verdict: The heaviest thing he will lift all year.
The Microphone
Judith Leiber Couture Microphone Clutch $4,995
Judith Leiber’s crystal clutch shaped like a vintage stage microphone, covered in gold crystals and fully capable of holding a lipstick and a phone. It will not amplify your voice. It will make everyone look at you anyway.
Necessity: 0%
Verdict: For the friend who has never once passed the mic.
The Bottle Opener
L’Objet 24k Gold-Plated Ladybug Bottle Opener $250
A bottle opener shaped like a ladybug and plated in 24k gold, from the tableware house L’Objet.
Necessity: 0%
Verdict: Opens a beer exactly as well as the one on your keychain. Looks considerably better doing it.
The Entire Cutlery Drawer
Christofle Mood Gold 24-Piece Cutlery Set $30,000
If one gold fork felt like a half-measure, Christofle sells the whole drawer: 24 pieces of gold-plated flatware, stored in the house’s famous egg-shaped Mood pod. Christofle has been making silverware for French royalty since 1830.
Necessity: 0%
Verdict: It works out to $1,250 a utensil, and that includes the teaspoons.
The Hair Clip
Saint Laurent Cassandre Claw Clip $550
The claw clip is the thing you use when you have given up on your hair for the day. Saint Laurent made one in hammered gold-tone metal with the YSL Cassandre logo, which turns giving up into a look.
Necessity: 0%
Verdict: The bun took 30 seconds. The clip took a paycheck.
The Mahjong Tile
Malka Diamonds Gold-Plated Mahjong 1 Bam Bird Pendant $310
In mahjong, the 1 Bam tile is drawn as a bird. Malka Diamonds made it into a 14kt gold-plated pendant, for the woman whose Tuesday night game is now a personality trait.
Necessity: 0%
Verdict: It will not help you win. It will help everyone know you play.
The Gauche on a Budget Version
For anyone who wants the gold experience without a gold invoice.
The Gold You Wash Off
Peter Thomas Roth 24K Gold Mask $85
A face mask made with 24k gold, which you apply, leave on for ten minutes and then rinse down the drain.
Necessity: 0%
Verdict: The only gold on this list you get to wash off. Under $100.
The Bottom Line
None of these objects work any better in gold. The fork still picks up pasta. The bottle opener still opens beer. The sunglasses still block the sun. They just do it more expensively, and honestly, that is the whole point.
For more of the same energy, see The Gauche Edit 2026, or for the version under $100, Gauche on a Budget.
Prices and availability are as reported by the linked retailers and may have changed. The Gauche owns nothing gold. Yet.
