You may have asked at one time or another, “Do diamonds look better in white or yellow gold?” Now, it may be such a traditional jewelry metal, but gold remains as the standard of elegance when it comes to the setting of choice. It helps that gold can come in many shades. When mixed with certain base metals, it can have a wider array of options, including rose gold, green gold, and white gold. In essence, this is what precious metals and gemstones is all about.
For jewelry buyers, they still predominantly ask questions about what goes great with what. Much like fashion, jewelry trends continuously evolve. When choosing the right metal for your diamonds, it might be a matter of balancing taste with traditional versus modern design sensibilities.
How Precious Metals Affect Gemstones
Indeed, gemstones such as diamonds go well with certain types of metals. Just like any other process, many factors go into the crafting of the perfect piece, and mixing and matching metals and stones are one of them. If you’re into jewelry-making or simply want to equip yourself with the right knowledge when purchasing jewelry, this article will walk you through what metals and stones work best together.
Metal Mirrors Tone: The Effects of Colored Metal on Diamonds
When shopping for an engagement ring, it’s easy to focus only on the gemstone or diamond. Most people are concerned with the size and the clarity of the rock because some equate size with the price tag. If you plan to personalize your engagement ring, it’s important to take note of how to maximize your diamond by pairing it with the right metal.
While the white gold vs yellow gold popularity may not be the most common type of debate for jewelry buyers, it should be an important factor when choosing a ring.
Evaluating Value: Which Pair-ups are Best?
One key takeaway to remember with pairing metals with diamonds affects the stone’s color. Thus, if you are looking to save on an engagement ring, it’s best to use this particular sleight of color to your advantage. Keep and mind that there’s a science to combining precious metals and gemstones.
Remember this simple formula: lightness of the metal used affects the diamond’s overall clarity.
Colorless Diamonds, White Gold Clarity
Getting the most valuable colorless diamonds may not be such an easy feat if you are bound by a budget. However, it pays to do this if you are planning to set colorless diamonds on white gold. Since precious stones reflect the metal they are set in, combining these two elements can create a whiter and clearer diamond.
Consider it a balancing act when choosing between white gold vs yellow gold price. Colorless diamonds will do well to have a white setting to make them appear even more valuable. On the other hand, if your diamond needs to shine a little brighter and appear to have less color, try to set it on white gold, to lessen the reflection of yellow gold metal.
Slightly Colored Diamonds, Yellow Gold Brilliance
On the other hand, it might be a waste of a pure color if a flawless diamond is set on yellow gold. Colored metals get reflected on the diamond. This lowers the diamond’s grade down to at least two color levels. Imagine buying the most expensive colorless diamond, only for it to look two grades lower than it is.
Of course, deciding on the color and kind of metal to use is still up to the jewelry owner’s preference. In case you do want to use a clear diamond on a yellow gold setting, try embedding smaller stones beside the biggest diamond. This creates the illusion of reflecting the brilliance of the other stones on the bigger diamond. The smaller rows of diamonds also move the gold setting down, lessening its reflection to the eye. Just keep in mind that even small visual illusions like these can boost your diamond’s value without having to reflect on monetary spending.
Is White Gold More Expensive than Yellow Gold?
More than the color of the two metals, some people assume that any of these two metals can be interchangeable in as far as what material to use for fine jewelry. However, price-wise, there are slight differences in quality that also account for differences in the price points.
Pure yellow gold is among the softest and most malleable metals. Thus, it’s ironic because inasmuch as 24K gold is deemed premium and expensive, it does not make for durable wearable jewelry. The more alloys and base metals gets mixed in, the better it becomes for the gold jewelry.
On the other hand white gold does not have a pure form. It comes from yellow gold combined with white metal alloys, including palladium and silver. These alloys give white gold its sparkly white color. Additionally, white gold is coated with rhodium, which is among the rarer metals available.
Adding all of these alloys to white gold increases its price. This is expected, considering not only the rarity and price of the added alloys, but also the extra steps that the process takes. Note that this is also dependent on the carat weight of the gold. If both contain 14K gold, then the price for that particular facet will be the same, from which the white gold will have a few add-ons.
Other Metals and Diamond: How Do They Compare to Gold?
Right now, many jewelry buyers ask, is white or yellow gold more popular? But there are many other metals that can be used for diamond jewelry. Here are some of the two other favorite metals that are commonly compared to their more expensive gold options.
Does Platinum Make Diamonds Look Whiter?
Technically, platinum is more expensive than gold because of its durability and hypoallergenic qualities. Yet it has become a popular choice because it is a rare and sturdy metal.
If you are looking for a naturally white metal that is harder, hypoallergenic, and more durable, platinum will be your best bet for an engagement ring. However, contrary to popular belief, it does not make your diamonds whiter. Rather, it maintains its purity as there are no traces of the yellow gold that can reflect in the stone.
Will Rose Gold Look Good?
Rose golds are hardly a new kind of metal, but they have become a quick favorite for metal ring bands. Its copperish tone gives it a traditional look without crossing the territory of gold’s old charm. Thus, younger couples and jewelry buyers prefer rose gold.
Compared to white and yellow gold, rose gold has more advantages as an engagement ring. For starters, it is more durable as a metal. Its charming look does not come at a cost. Rose gold may be among the more affordable metals that do not tarnish. Because of its copper mix, it can complement almost any skin tone, depending on how much copper is mixed in.
However, this same copper inclusion makes it harder for people with allergies to wear rose gold. They cannot be considered as hypoallergenic metals because of its copper base metal.
The Colored Diamond: How Mottled Brown Transformed into Cognac Beauty
If you ever wondered, do diamonds look better in white or yellow gold, it’s better to ask a different question. Rather, ask if the diamond and metal complement each other. In their natural color, diamonds can range from clear to yellowish to even a dark brown.
Previously, most jewelers and jewelry owners would tend to dismiss brown diamonds. They do not have the same premium appeal as a clear diamond or the affordability of faint yellow ones that still look clear when set in gold metal.
This changed when brown diamonds came to the market bearing different tags, such as champagne or cognac diamonds. While they still retained their hue, they were now more accepted in the jewelry industry. What’s more the contrast of the deep color makes it a good match when using yellow gold prong vs white gold prong.
How to Set Brown Diamonds on White or Gold Metal
A ring’s setting can be a personal choice, but some jewelry makers have specific styles for unique stones. Since brown diamonds have a novel reputation of being previously devalued, its setting can make or break its selling point.
When pairing it with a white gold metal, brown diamonds can become the center of the jewelry piece’s attention. Set the brown diamond in the middle of complementary small clear stones. This creates a bull’s eye illusion that pushes up the value of the diamond. The unique setting of brown and clear diamonds on white gold gives the ring character and contrast.
If you prefer to highlight the classic appeal of warm tones, go for a brown tone that has a more copper finish. This goes well with a cool brown diamond and a copper gold metal. It’s best to complement the brown diamond, rather than create a contrast between yellow gold and a mocha brown color. Remember, brown can come in different shades–from a cool mocha to warmer clay tones. Make sure that your gold metal complements the tone with the most appropriate shade.
Colored Stones: Let the Hues Speak
While there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to mixing and matching jewelry, there is an advantage in adhering to certain longstanding practices. Jewelry making is an art in itself and designers have certain styles that they know will be a good combination.
Cool Stones: Go With Silver, White, and Platinum
White gold may be a very versatile metal because it can accommodate a range of colored gemstones. While flawless diamonds will appear to have a more premium look, white gold can set off other colored stones like sapphire really well.
The rich blue hue of sapphire stones become even more vivid when set against the white metal. Granted, it can still shine with gold, but the effect of the gold setting can have an effect on the color.
For those who have asked “Do sapphires look better in white or yellow gold?” the most common answer is the former. Besides white gold, it can also go perfectly well with platinum, palladium, tungsten, sterling silver, and titanium. Make sure to choose these metals for those who need hypoallergenic jewelry.
Other cool colored stones can also work better with white gold and other silver metals. Darker stones match white gold better because it sets a striking contrast. For instance, a deep violet amethyst will look spectacular, but a pale one may get washed out by the white gold.
Earth Stones: Bring Out The Warmth With Gold and Rose Gold
If you prefer a more traditional-looking ring, yellow gold will always be a favorite. Rose gold comes next on the list, because it provides a youthful option that can still be considered as a classic.
For some couples, the answer to the question what color diamond looks best with yellow gold still results in the preference for traditional diamonds. Nowadays, colored gemstones have started to become trendy, especially when set as an engagement ring.
Warmer tones complement yellow gold because they set off a romantic combination of warm on warm tones. Since the rose gold vs yellow gold debate has started to ramp up, more women have started looking at the rose quartz and rose gold combination for their engagement rings. Rose quartz symbolizes love, and nothing can be more romantic as a stone for an engagement ring.
Other colored stones, even the cool-colored ones, can look gold against a gold setting. Mind the shade–if you prefer lighter hues of blues, purples, and reds, pair them with a yellow gold metal setting. This enriches the color, while also giving it a warmer after shade.
The Case of Other Jewelry
Yellow and white gold extends beyond being favorite metals for rings. They are also both in the running for next-favorite metals for a variety of jewelry. Sterling silver still tops the list. Its price and durability make it one of the most flexible metals for jewelry and accessories.
Between the white gold vs yellow gold chain options for accessories, each one has a particular advantage. Again, more of the decision lies in one’s preferences. After you take away the factors of sturdiness and equal weight in gold, then choose your metal based on budget.
It’s good to note the durability of the metal you choose. This could entail a lot of different factors, including the jewelry maker and designer, and the source of the metal. It’s also good to note the process that the metal type went through. Make sure to choose not only the right metal, but also the right jewelry maker.
And that’s about it; Now, even as you now know what metal to use best with your favorite gemstone and vice versa, you may still be having difficulty deciding exactly what metal to use. For this, you can check out our guide on what metal is best for jewelry.