Right, and gold leafing on books actually protects the pages, makes handling easier, and prevents paper cuts. I'd call that a real use. Gold fillings, a material that can actually be cold impact welded in an environment as bad as a human mouth and wing break down after installation. Gold mending of materials. The low melting point makes it easy to work, ideal for repairs.

All of those are genuine historic uses of gold that aren't just GOLD PRETTY. I mean, the attractive end result sure doesn't hurt, but the properties of the gold itself are the reason to choose it.