Gold or Silver Jewelry - Which is Your Best Option?

The debate between the appeal of gold compared to silver jewelry is long-standing. Many women have a definitively clear preference between wearing one or the other. Want to know if gold or silver jewelry suits you best? Here are a few considerations to help you decide...

• Skin Tone - Gold jewelry can wash out pale skin tones, yet brighten up others. Gold looks best against warm skin tones, while silver jewelry is the best bet for cool skin tones. Not sure if you have a warm, cool, or neutral skin tone? One tried and true method is to observe the veins in your wrist in natural light.
    -  People with cool skin tones tend to have veins with a blue/purple tint.
    -  People with warm skin tones tend to have veins with a green tint.
    -  If the veins in your wrist appear to be a combination of both blue and green, you have a neutral skin tone and both silver and gold will look fabulous on you.
  
  
• Personality - Much has been written about what your color preferences reveal about your personality. While these notions may either hold true or be completely inaccurate for you as an individual, the following traits are associated with your preference for gold or silver jewelry.
    -  Gold = timeless, classic, traditional, stable, strong, joyful, and luxurious.
    -  Silver = innovative, trendsetting, modern, free-spirited, practical, and down to earth.
  
  
• Clothing Color - Your choice between selecting gold or silver jewelry to complete an outfit may be influenced by which color you've chosen to wear. Certain clothing colors lend themselves effortlessly to gold or silver accents.
    -  Gold jewelry looks especially appealing set against soft earth-tones and warm fall colors.
    -  Silver jewelry looks best accompanied by bright colorful jewel tones and cool winter colors.
  
  
• Investment - Selecting high quality jewelry, created either in gold or silver, consistently pays off in the long run as well made pieces can last a lifetime or beyond. Jewelry passed from one generation to the next makes each piece even more meaningful and dear to the wearer.
    -  Silver is an affordable alternative to gold making it easier to expand your jewelry collection. If you like to change up your look frequently, rather than rotating between a few signature pieces, silver may offer the most versatility without breaking your bank.
    -  If you prefer the look of gold, but are not yet ready to make the investment, consider selecting jewelry created from other warm tone metals, such as brass or copper, as an economical alternative.
  
  
• Lifestyle - Your level of physical activity, particularly outdoors, throughout the day plays a role in whether gold or silver is best suited for your lifestyle.
    - Gold jewelry requires no regular cleaning/polishing and is more scratch resistant than sterling silver. Although gold is a bit more carefree in terms of maintenance, it's higher price-point may make losing or damaging it worrisome for those with a particularly active lifestyle.
    -  Silver jewelry is prone to tarnish if not worn regularly and requires a bit more upkeep to maintain a gleaming shine. If you prefer the look of sterling silver jewelry, but want to avoid the maintenance, consider selecting jewelry designs created from fine-pewter which does not tarnish.
  
  Want to learn more? Explore the links below to learn the maintenance and care requirements for each type of metal.

1. Tips on Purchasing and Caring for 14k Gold Jewelry
2. How to Clean and Maintain Sterling Silver Jewelry
3. How to Clean and Polish Fine Pewter Jewelry

Ultimately, the choice between gold or silver jewelry boils down to personal preference. Choose whichever metal makes you feel confident and joyful...or...don't choose at all. As they say, variety is the spice of life, and the rules of fashion have changed. While traditional style considered it taboo to mix metals, these days it's perfectly acceptable to  mix and layer silver and gold jewelry to your heart's delight.

Ready to get started? Explore Kathy Bransfield's two-tone silver and gold necklace designs for inspiration.

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