Have you ever tried on a piece of jewellery that looked beautiful on someone else but somehow felt different on you?
Sometimes, the metal makes all the difference.
Silver and gold each have their own character. Silver can feel cool, fresh, and understated, while gold often brings warmth and a touch of richness. But choosing between them isn't as simple as following a set of rules.
The best choice is the one that makes you feel good when you wear it.
Silver: cool, classic and understated
Silver-coloured jewellery has a clean, timeless look. It works beautifully with simple outfits, darker colours and cooler shades such as blue, grey, white and emerald green.
Sterling silver is also a lovely choice for jewellery featuring natural stones. Think of blue turquoise, deep lapis lazuli, smoky quartz or the soft grey flashes of labradorite.
And, of course, silver and pearls are a classic combination. The metal's cool shine can complement a pearl's gentle lustre without drawing attention away from its natural beauty.
If you enjoy a modern, relaxed or slightly edgy style, silver may be a natural favourite.
Gold: warm, rich and timeless
Gold brings a different feeling. It can add warmth to an outfit and create a lovely contrast with darker or earthy colours.
It looks beautiful alongside cream, chocolate brown, burgundy, olive green and warm neutrals. Gold also pairs wonderfully with pearls, especially when you want a softer, more romantic look.
Natural stones such as garnet, citrine, jasper and turquoise can look striking with gold-toned details.
Gold doesn't have to mean bold or flashy, either. A fine chain, a simple clasp or a small gold accent can make a piece feel special without overwhelming your outfit.
Remember to check the material description when shopping. Gold-coloured stainless steel, gold-filled jewellery, and solid gold are different materials, even if they look similar.
Does your skin undertone matter?
You may have heard that cool undertones suit silver while warm undertones suit gold. This can be a helpful starting point, but it isn't a strict rule.
If you have a cool undertone, you might enjoy how silver complements your natural colouring. If your undertone is warm, gold may bring out a lovely warmth in your skin.
If your undertone is neutral, you may find that both work equally well.
Not sure about your undertone? Try holding a silver piece and a gold piece near your face in natural daylight. Notice how each looks against your skin, rather than concentrating too much on what a colour guide tells you.
Most importantly, look at your whole appearance. Your outfit, hair colour, makeup and personal style can all influence how a metal looks on you.
What about your hair and eye colour?
Hair and eye colour can influence the overall effect of jewellery, but they don't decide which metal you should wear.
Silver can create a beautiful contrast with dark hair and can complement platinum or ash-blonde hair particularly well. Gold can look striking with blonde, brown, red or grey hair, depending on the shade and the rest of your outfit.
Blue, green and brown eyes can all look lovely with either metal.
Instead of asking which metal you are supposed to wear, ask yourself which one you enjoy seeing in the mirror.
Can you wear silver and gold together?
Absolutely!
You don't need to choose one metal for life. Mixing silver and gold can give your jewellery a more personal, relaxed feel.
Here are a few simple ways to try it:
- Wear a silver necklace with gold earrings, or the other way around.
- Layer necklaces in different metals, keeping their lengths slightly different.
- Choose a piece that already combines silver and gold tones to bring the look together.
- Repeat each metal somewhere in your outfit if you want the combination to feel intentional.
You can also mix metals with natural stones and pearls. A pearl necklace with a gold-toned clasp, worn alongside silver earrings, can look effortless when the rest of your outfit feels balanced.
There is no need for everything to match perfectly.
Let your wardrobe guide you
Your favourite clothes can be a useful clue.
If you often wear black, grey, crisp white or cool blues, you might naturally reach for silver. If your wardrobe contains cream, camel, warm browns and earthy shades, gold may feel more at home.
But these are only suggestions. Silver can look wonderful with warm colours, and gold can bring an interesting contrast to cool shades.
Think about the jewellery you already wear most often. Is it the colour, the shape, the sparkle or the way it makes you feel that draws you to it?
Your answer may tell you more than any fashion rule.
Pearls and natural stones: the metal matters, but so does the stone
One of my favourite things about working with genuine pearls and natural stones is how different they can look depending on the materials around them.
A pearl with silver can feel fresh and understated. The same type of pearl with gold-toned details may feel warmer and more traditional.
Turquoise can look bold with silver or rich and distinctive with gold. Labradorite can reveal its shifting flashes against either metal, while garnet can create a beautiful contrast with both.
Natural materials also vary in colour, shape and surface. Two pearls are rarely exactly alike, and that individuality is part of their appeal.
If you’d like to explore which stones feel most connected to you, the zodiac series looks at the stones linked to each sign and how they pair with genuine baroque pearls — in both silver and gold: Aries · Taurus · Gemini · Cancer · Leo · Virgo · Libra · Scorpio · Sagittarius · Capricorn · Aquarius · Pisces
When choosing jewellery, look at the whole piece, not just the metal.
The most important rule? There isn't one.
You don't need to change your jewellery because a trend says silver is in or gold is out. You don't have to avoid a metal because someone told you it doesn't suit your skin tone.
Try different combinations. Wear what makes you smile. Let your jewellery reflect your personality, not a list of rules.
At Pearl Art Nature, I create one-of-a-kind jewellery using genuine pearls and natural stones, choosing materials that work together while allowing each piece to keep its own character.
Whether you prefer the cool simplicity of silver, the warmth of gold, or a mix of both, there is room for your style. Browse the pearl jewellery collection to find pieces that feel like you. You might also enjoy reading about how to layer necklaces without it looking cluttered or how to choose a necklace for your neckline.