【GoldIndiaistheworld'slargestmarketforgoldjewellery．InmuchofAsia，theMiddleEastandIndia，aroundtwo-thirdsofthejewellerypurchasedisusedasawayofsavingmoneyaswellasbeingwornasadecorativeitem．Theuseofjewellery】
Gold
India is the world's largest market for gold jewellery．In much of Asia，the Middle East and India，around two-thirds of the jewellery purchased is used as a way of saving money as well as being worn as a decorative item．The use of jewellery as a way of saving money is often important in rural areas where finding a bank is difficult or even impossible．People buy gold because its value stays strong even when the value of money goes down．
Gold jewellery has often been a woman's only valuable possession，and in some families this is still true．A woman's gold can therefore be her only protection against personal misfortune．Today，all around the world，sales of gold jewellery have grown by over 20% per year，because everyone is confident that gold won't lose its value．Demand for gold is so high that gold mines cannot supply enough．
Gold's function as a decoration，as jewellery，has been evident for thousands of years．Since the earliest times，the beauty and richness of gold，along with the fact that it does not change its colour，has meant that it has always been the favourite metal of jewellers．The earliest gold jewellery dates from the Sumerian civilisation that was at its most powerful around 6，000years ago．In the Middle Ages，ancient people attempted to make gold from other metals．They used gold in medicines designed to fight old age and prolong life．
Gold also performs important functions in many aspects of everyday life．It does not react when it comes into contact with other substances and this，along with other unique properties，makes it useful in medicine and many other areas that we consider essential to our modern lives．
During heart surgery，gold-covered"stent"are put into blocked arteries to help the flow of blood．These gadgets need to be carefully positioned．Gold is ideal for this because it shows up clearly on X-rays and can easily be located by doctors．A pacemaker，a device inserted in the body to keep the h