Help me choose: white or yellow?

[Garnet Gimlet]

Hi Everyone!

I have a beautiful little Garnet from Gene at Precision Gem that has been sitting in the back of my jewelry box since 2021, and I'm finally getting around to setting it. Now, it's time for the age old question, do I set it in yellow or white gold?
There are pictures here in lighter silver, darker silver,14k yellow gold, and 24k yellow gold. (I included the 24 mostly to get the idea of a warmer tone vs a cooler tone, but my budget will keep me in the 14k range)
Most of my rings are yellow gold, but I have other pieces in silver and white gold and love them equally. Which do you think compliments the garnet best?

Thanks for your help!

 

[Autumn in New England]

Hi Everyone!

I have a beautiful little Garnet from Gene at Precision Gem that has been sitting in the back of my jewelry box since 2021, and I'm finally getting around to setting it. Now, it's time for the age old question, do I set it in yellow or white gold?
There are pictures here in lighter silver, darker silver,14k yellow gold, and 24k yellow gold. (I included the 24 mostly to get the idea of a warmer tone vs a cooler tone, but my budget will keep me in the 14k range)
Most of my rings are yellow gold, but I have other pieces in silver and white gold and love them equally. Which do you think compliments the garnet best?

Thanks for your help!

Oh this is HARD! Because the color is so warm and rich, it is clearly well-suited for yellow gold. However, I really love the contrast with the white! It makes the stone pop. Maybe since you have so much yellow, white would be a nice change. Which are you leaning towards?

 

[kenny]

Yellow.

 

[LilAlex]

I'm thinkin' yellow all the way. With a purplish-red (as opposed to this orange-ish red), I might be more drawn to white metal.

 

[dk168]

Yellow for this stone.

DK

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

Vote for yellow from me!!!

 

[Ibrakeforpossums]

LilAlex is right (again). Yellow.

 

[Garnet Gimlet]

Oh this is HARD! Because the color is so warm and rich, it is clearly well-suited for yellow gold. However, I really love the contrast with the white! It makes the stone pop. Maybe since you have so much yellow, white would be a nice change. Which are you leaning towards?

You're brilliant! I couldn't explain why I thought it looked good with the white, but you explained it perfectly. The contrast does make it pop. Initially I was all in for yellow until I took these pictures. But sometimes the first thought really is the best one. Thank you for your help!

 

[Garnet Gimlet]

I'm thinkin' yellow all the way. With a purplish-red (as opposed to this orange-ish red), I might be more drawn to white metal.

Good point! It definitely does lean warm. And warmer tones also look better on me. It seems like yellow is the way to go. Thanks for the insight!

 

[Garnet Gimlet]

You guys are the best! Thank you for chiming in! My family was split, so they were no help. You guys made the decision much easier. Yellow it is!

 

[Dreamer_D]

Yellow all the way! It looks so rich paired with yellow.

 

[Avondale]

I know you’ve already made up your mind but I’ll jump on the yellow gold bandwagon as well.

If it’s in any way, shape or form orange, whether as main colour or undertone/modifier, it belongs with yellow gold. Yellow gold compliments it and completes it, it synchronises well with it.

White gold is universal, every stone can look good in white gold. But some stones look even better in yellow, and yours is one of them.

 

[dk168]

I'm thinkin' yellow all the way. With a purplish-red (as opposed to this orange-ish red), I might be more drawn to white metal.

That was my justification for opting for yellow gold too as I could see brown/orange in the stone.

DK

 

[Garnet Gimlet]

I know you’ve already made up your mind but I’ll jump on the yellow gold bandwagon as well.

If it’s in any way, shape or form orange, whether as main colour or undertone/modifier, it belongs with yellow gold. Yellow gold compliments it and completes it, it synchronises well with it.

White gold is universal, every stone can look good in white gold. But some stones look even better in yellow, and yours is one of the

Makes sense. I can see white being universal, that's why it looked nice there too. But the yellow just makes it look better. You're right

 

[Garnet Gimlet]

I told my family about everyone's comments. My daughter feels vindicated - her vote was for yellow too!

But for real -- I appreciate everyone's comments and insights. It helps me make a better decision on other pieces going forward.

I found an amazing emerald a while ago. It was really the stone I had been looking for for years - a beautiful color, clear while still being glowy, and just within budget if I stretched it a little. I always swore when I got my emerald I'd put it in yellow gold, but I when I started putting it in different mounts, I ended up going with white. I couldn't quite figure out why I went that way, but now it makes sense. It is definitely more of a cool green than a warm green. And I love it! Thank you guys for all your help

 

[dk168]

I told my family about everyone's comments. My daughter feels vindicated - her vote was for yellow too!

But for real -- I appreciate everyone's comments and insights. It helps me make a better decision on other pieces going forward.

I found an amazing emerald a while ago. It was really the stone I had been looking for for years - a beautiful color, clear while still being glowy, and just within budget if I stretched it a little. I always swore when I got my emerald I'd put it in yellow gold, but I when I started putting it in different mounts, I ended up going with white. I couldn't quite figure out why I went that way, but now it makes sense. It is definitely more of a cool green than a warm green. And I love it! Thank you guys for all your help

You could put the Emerald in a Yellow or Rose Gold bezel, for the rest of the ring in white metal perhaps.

That's what I have started to do with blue-green and green CSs, putting them in RG bezel, to bring out the green in them, then the rest of the rings in white metal.

DK

 

[BoulderGal]

Oh this is HARD! Because the color is so warm and rich, it is clearly well-suited for yellow gold. However, I really love the contrast with the white! It makes the stone pop. Maybe since you have so much yellow, white would be a nice change. Which are you leaning towards?

Autumn nailed it! Almost everything I own are in white metal so I'm biased, but the orangey red tone says yellow!