
Ultimately, the choice of gold or silver jewelry is about self-expression. Fashion icons like pop star Rihanna fearlessly mix and match gold and silver accessories.
When done well, a gold silk blouse or metallic-threaded blazer can elevate any outfit. However, successful blending of metals requires balance and poise. It’s also important to consider the occasion.
Warm Metal
Whether you’re looking for an elegant statement piece or something more understated, mixing metals can add a sophisticated look to your jewelry collection. Experiment with hammered, brushed, and high-polished finishes to create fascinating contrasts and highlight your favorite pieces.
Alloying gold with different metals changes its color and texture. For example, adding copper makes yellow gold richer and pink gold brighter, while silver helps gold retain its durability and luster.
Alloys also help make gold affordable and accessible to people of all budgets, which has led to the popularity of white gold and rose gold. Both yellow and white gold work beautifully with gemstones that have warm tones like citrine, ruby, and garnet, while rose gold pairs well with pink or purple gems including tourmaline and amethyst.
Cool Metal
When it comes to choosing jewelry for everyday wear, only you can decide which metal suits your personal style. Gold pieces are available in a range of colours, with yellow gold being one of the most traditional choices and white or rose gold more popular today. Different alloys create each of these shades.
Alloys are used to alter the colour and hardness of solid gold, as well as make it more affordable. This helps jewelry makers craft intricate designs that would be impossible to achieve with pure gold.
Solid gold has long been associated with wealth and status, and its intrinsic value makes it a sought-after investment commodity. This makes it a natural choice for wedding and engagement rings.
Silver
Silver is a versatile metal that can be worked in delicate and intricate designs for a dainty and feminine look or chunky and bold for a statement-making accessory. Its malleability also allows for a variety of textures, including granulation and repousse. These ancient techniques involve hammering or pushing into the metal surface to create raised and recessed areas. Silver can also be paired with gold for a balanced and deliberate mixed metal style.
As a chromatic color, silver can complement a range of tones but is most effective when teamed with cooler shades like blue and green. It can also be used on its own for a modern and futuristic feel, as seen in this stationery design by Tom Dixon.
People choose silver for its versatility and nuanced beauty. Some love its luminous qualities that elevate an outfit without feeling overtly flashy or glamorous, while others choose it because of its deep symbolic significance and heritage in different cultures worldwide.
Gold
Gold jewelry is a symbol of wealth and positivity, making it an ideal choice for engagements, weddings, and anniversaries. It’s also a favorite of celebrities, royalty, and despots, who often use it to convey an air of confidence and glamour.
The versatility of gold allows it to be worked in a variety of styles, from ornate filigree and engraving to simple chain necklaces. It also pairs well with a wide range of gemstones and pearls, adding texture and color to designs.
Gold is available in a variety of hues thanks to alloying—mixing other metals with pure 24-carat gold—to create different colors. Yellow gold, white gold, and rose gold are popular options. Gold’s complementary color is purple-blue (which sits directly opposite it on a modern color wheel), and it works well with red as well. Use our color combinations tool to explore monochromatic, analogous, and triadic palettes that incorporate gold. Try using a light or old gold shade for a more subtle look, or choose metallic gold for a bolder scheme. Some people outgrow their gold and then sell gold in Denver for a profit or to just make money. Gold will always be of value and worth more to some than others.
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