The Meaning of a Gold Rose
Although they have only been grown in gardens for around 5,000 years ago, roses have been around for more than 35 million years.
Wars have been named for them, popes distribute them to acknowledge devotion and lovers present them as tokens of affection. In fact, women in the Ottoman Empire’s harems used roses to communicate, because they weren’t allowed to write, according to Eternity Rose.
The colors of roses also represent differing intentions: Red is for lovers, while black has a more macabre meaning. Floriography, the art of giving flowers meaning, which was devised in the Victorian era, assigned meaning to intent.
What Do Gold Roses Represent?
When it arrived in Europe in the 18th century, the yellow or gold rose originally meant negativity. If you were presented with a gold rose in that era, it symbolized fading love or that the giver was jealous of you.
Friendship, Joy and New Beginnings: Today, gold roses no longer have a negative association but instead have been replaced with several meanings, from true friendship and joy to new beginnings, harmony and peace. And they are real roses—just dipped in gold. Deep yellow roses are also considered gold, but the real gold roses have a lacquer quality resulting from the process that made them. They’ll last a lifetime.
Sunny and Cheerful Days: Gold roses are also often associated with sunny and cheerful days, according to The Million Roses. Send them as a token of appreciation to a hostess, to a lover or friend after a disagreement, or a wish for harmony and peace. For a first anniversary, a gold rose is an appropriate gift.
Warning
Beware of gifting a bouquet of mixed-color roses. The meanings may conflict, sending a message of confusion.
Spiritual Meaning of Gold Roses
Spiritually, all roses symbolize God’s love at work in the world, writes Learn Religions, with the color of the rose representing different spiritual concepts.
Aleteia remarks that the golden rose has a direct connection to the 4th Sunday of Lent: “when the Church briefly anticipates the joy of Easter with the priests wearing rose-colored vestments and encouraging the congregation to ‘Rejoice!’”
As a papal gift to royalty, the golden rose represented, “the glitter of gold among metals and the brilliancy of the rose among flowers.” The rose was laced with balsam and musk, encouraging the sovereign to spread the scent of virtue, healing wounds of state.
Warning
Only use a fresh rose for dipping. A brittle rose will fall apart in the solution.
Dipping Gold Roses
The best gold for dipping roses is 24K, with fewer karats resulting in a shorter life span for your gold-dipped rose. Select a rose at the optimum time because the unfolding petals are important. Spraying the petals with a lacquer is the first step in recoloring the rose.
Several coats of the gold-plating solution may be necessary, but the more you use, the less the original veining appears.
Once fully dipped, let the rose rest for at least 48 hours before applying a final coat of lacquer. Professionals take up to 60 steps and 10 days to create the Forever Rose, which preserves its natural beauty forever with a dip in a precious metal.
For more information, check out our guide on How to Gold Dip a Rose.
Tip
If gold-plating a rose by yourself, choose a cyanide-free kit, as poisons emanate from the cyanide, which may be deadly.
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Writer Bio
Jann enjoys learning about and growing little gardens on her patio. When she walks in the morning, her phone app connects her to unfamiliar flora. Unusual specimens, such as yellow watermelon and pink pineapple fascinate her and are the next inhabitants of her planter boxes.
