Gold or Silver Jewellery? What Suits You Best

Why metal tone matters

Jewellery sits right next to your face. A necklace is near your collarbone and earrings frame your face directly. Because they are so close, the temperature of the metal shows up against your skin, eyes and hair.

Gold is warm. Its yellow base works with warm complexions to add a bit of glow. Silver is cool. Its blue-grey base brings clarity to cool complexions. Neither is better than the other, but they have their own home.

Springs: gold, always

Springs have warm, clear colouring, so gold is your metal. It matches the warmth in your skin and the brightness in your features.

Light Spring: delicate gold is best. Think fine chains or small hoops. Avoid heavy, ornate pieces that might overwhelm you.

True Spring: you can wear warm gold in any weight. Rose gold is also a great pick, as the peachy warmth fits right into your palette.

Bright Spring: you can handle bolder gold pieces. If you want to mix metals, make sure gold is the one doing the heavy lifting.

Summers: silver, and its softer alternatives

Summers have cool, soft colouring, so silver is your go-to. It harmonises with your undertones without introducing the warmth that can make things feel a bit off.

Light Summer: fine silver, white gold and platinum are all great. Avoid yellow gold, as it can make your skin look a bit sallow.

True Summer: standard silver works in any weight. The slightly deeper colouring here also means you can carry off pewter or grey-toned metals.

Soft Summer: silver is fine, but since your colouring is muted, try oxidised silver or brushed gunmetal. They often look more natural than high-shine silver. Avoid yellow or rose gold.

Autumns: gold and its richest forms

Autumns have warm, rich colouring, which makes gold your best friend. Look for rich, warm, and slightly matte finishes rather than bright, yellow-toned gold.

Soft Autumn: rose gold and warm brushed gold are excellent on you. A lower-sheen finish feels more natural than a high-polish look.

True Autumn: warm yellow gold and antique gold (the kind with a bit of a patina) are perfect. Copper and brass are also great choices.

Dark Autumn: you can carry off bold, chunky gold. Think statement necklaces or heavy links. Copper is another good option.

Winters: silver, and its most dramatic forms

Winters have cool, high-contrast colouring, so silver is the metal for you. Where Summers prefer softness, you can handle more drama.

Bright Winter: high-shine silver and white gold work with your vivid contrast. Look for geometric or architectural pieces.

True Winter: platinum and cool white gold are ideal. Keep it structural and bright. Avoid anything warm-toned, as even a little bit of yellow can dull your look.

Dark Winter: you can lean slightly warmer than other Winters. Some of you find dark, oxidised metals or gunmetal work just as well as silver. Avoid yellow gold, but blackened metal is a great alternative.

What about rose gold?

Rose gold sits in the middle. It's warmer than silver but softer than yellow gold. It usually suits the warmer seasons like True Spring and Soft Autumn best.

For cool seasons like Summers and Winters, rose gold tends to add more warmth than you actually need. You can wear it, but it might not be your most harmonious choice.

For warm, bright seasons like True Autumn or Bright Spring, standard yellow gold usually has more impact. Rose gold can feel a bit quiet by comparison.

Mixing metals

Mixing metals isn't forbidden. It just works best when one temperature takes the lead and the other acts as an accent.

If you're a warm season, lead with gold and use silver or rose gold as the accent. If you're a cool season, lead with silver and use darker or warm tones as an accent.

A 50/50 split often just looks a bit undecided, even if the individual pieces are lovely.