Gold or silver jewelry for your skin: how to choose in 3 steps

Gold usually suits warm undertones and silver usually suits cool ones, while neutral skin often wears both. The quickest way to be sure is to hold each metal against your skin in daylight and see which one makes you look brighter instead of tired.

Here is a simple method you can finish in a couple of minutes, plus a table and notes on trickier metals.

How to choose gold or silver in 3 steps

You need one gold piece, one silver piece and a window. Take off any coloured top and work on bare skin.

Step 1: Hold each metal against your wrist

Place the gold piece on your inner wrist, then the silver one. Watch your skin rather than the jewelry. Does the skin look glowing and even, or does it look a bit yellow, flat or washed out?

Step 2: Try it near your face

Wrists show some clues, but the face is where it counts. Hold the pieces, or a chain or earring, close to your jawline and under your chin. Metal near the face reflects light onto the skin, so differences are easier to see.

Step 3: Check in daylight

Indoor bulbs are often yellow and change how both metals look. Stand near a window in natural light. If one metal gives you a fresh, healthy look and the other makes you look tired, you have your answer.

If you cannot decide after all three steps, you are probably neutral, or possibly olive. That is useful information too.

Which metal for which undertone

This table is a guide, not a rule.

If you are not sure of your own undertone, the five simple tests will get you there, and the full undertone guide describes each type.

Notes on rose gold, copper and platinum

Rose gold is a warm metal with a pink tint from copper. It sits between gold and silver, which is why it often works on neutral skin and on people who cannot decide. Pale rose shades can also suit some cool undertones.

Copper and bronze are deep, earthy and warm. They are a natural match for warm undertones and for many olive complexions.

White gold and platinum look similar to silver. They tend to suit cool undertones and often also sharpen up a neutral look.

Can you mix metals?

Yes, and it often looks intentional rather than careless. The simplest rule is to pick one main metal, then add a bridge piece that contains both.

• Choose a main metal that suits your undertone, such as gold for a warm one.
• Add a second metal in a smaller amount, for example a thin silver ring.
• Use a two-tone piece, such as a watch or bracelet with both metals, to tie the look together.
• Keep pieces on the same hand or the same outfit in a consistent style.

Does the type of jewelry matter?

It does. A piece worn next to your face has more influence than one on your hand, because it frames your skin and reflects light onto it.

• Earrings and necklaces are the most telling. Match these to your undertone first.
• Rings and bracelets are more forgiving, so you can be more playful with your second metal.
• Watches are practical. Choose by the colour you wear most.

If your favourite necklace is the wrong metal for you, layer it with something in your better metal, or wear a colour near your face that softens the contrast.

Metal and clothing colours

Jewelry works alongside your clothes. A warm palette, such as cream, camel and terracotta, usually pairs naturally with gold. A cool palette, such as navy, charcoal and ice blue, tends to pair with silver. If you have an olive undertone, the olive undertone guide covers colours and metals together.

Where Kittyfit fits in

Kittyfit scores jewelry against your undertone as well as clothes, so you can see whether a gold chain or a silver hoop suits you before you decide. Your result comes from a short quiz and optional face and wrist photos analysed on your iPhone. Have a look at the app.