When it comes to investing, gold is an asset class in its own right that holds a special place and regularly attracts the attention of both novice and experienced investors.  

During periods of financial instability, economic crisis or geopolitical uncertainty, many investors turn to the golden metal, a safe haven par excellence, to protect their assets against inflation, market volatility or currency devaluations. 

          Investing in gold can take a variety of forms: paper gold (financial derivatives), shares in mining companies, but above all physical gold (gold bars, ingots and coins). Unlike digital financial assets or complex financial products, physical gold is tangible: owning it is reassuring because it is not tied to a specific banking institution or to a widespread systemic risk. 

Even though gold has grown and proved its worth as a safe-haven asset in recent years, it is important for investors to understand that it fluctuates according to various factors, such as central bank decisions, the strength of the US dollar, interest rate rises and falls, and global demand for jewellery and technology.

          If you want to make a successful investment, you need to understand how the gold market works, how prices are set, where to buy and sell gold, the associated costs and how to store it. 

As with any investment, it's all a question of the strategies adopted and the objectives clearly defined by the investor. You need to ask yourself the following questions: are you looking to preserve your assets, diversify your portfolio or generate a return over the medium or long term?  

          These questions lead to a choice of product to be acquired (ingots, bullion or investment gold coins), a choice of storage method for the gold and, of course, a choice of when to buy the gold. 

These are just some of the issues that we would like to discuss below, to help investors make informed, well-considered decisions that are in line with their short-, medium- or long-term investment objectives.