That's because aesthetic value is intertwined with the value coming from "it's valuable". If aesthetic value dominated, fake gold would be much closer in price

That's because aesthetic value is intertwined with the value coming from "it's valuable". If aesthetic value dominated, fake gold would be much closer in price than it actually is. The value of gold being embedded in society is similar to the value a dollar bill derives from being embedded in society. It's valued because it's valuable, which really means it's a reflection of values coming from other sources, and not something on its own.