Is Yellow Gold out of style?

[Mara]

Nope Deb, I don''t now but I hope to soon!!

 

[CoutureFemme]

this is a GREAT thread

I personally love all the colors of gold, but I hold rose gold very dear to my heart, I just adore it. that said, I''m actually hoping to have a two-tone (WG, YG) w-set. I just think it would be easier to match necklaces, earrings, bracelets, watches, etc. I don''t want to feel weird not "matching" if my set was all WG and I wanted to wear my hammered 24K gold earrings and pendant. I''m the girl who has been known to match jewelry to hardware on shoes and purses. My mom has 2 matching (they were once earrings)1.5c solitaire rings. One is set in 18k YG, the other in 18k WG. the mounts aren''t exactly the same, but she did this on purpose so that she could wear whichever one matched her other jewelry of the day. maybe when I have the budget, I''ll do the same

, but for now, the two-tone look will more than do!

 

[MissAva]

I love two tone jewelry, yellow gold does not look nice on my skin but I like to mix things just incase that changes as I get older. My watch is two tone and is divine. I love this ring.

 

[Lorelei]

I also think when I got engaged years ago, white gold wasn't really an option in the eighties, all you saw was yellow. My first encounter with WG was in the mid seventies as a schoolgirl, my best friend's Mother was marrying again and received a WG e - ring with a HUGE diamond, they were FILTHY rich and it was unusual at the time, you can see my diamond and jewellery obsession goes way back

. You still see mainly yellow gold in jewellers and being worn, therefore I have to conclude that YG is still the rule here and not the exception. This could also be because we don't have anywhere near the choices here or the prices as in the States

I hope this will change in the future. Also I remember in the early eighties that 3 colour gold was huge, yellow, white and rose, many of the big household chain/ catalogue stores that also sell jewellery

were selling necklaces, rings and bracelets.

 

[AGBF]

Date: 10/31/2005 1:12:47 PM
Author: recran
...here''s an article I dug up about the ''comeback'' of YG:
http://www.themonitor.com/SiteProcessor.cfm?Template=/GlobalTemplates/Details.cfm&StoryID=9657&Section=Valley%20Life

While searching for pohtos of two-toned jewelry, I, also, came across an article. This is from the April, 2005 edition of, "Professional Jeweler".

"Yellow gold is tabbed as the next big thing, again, as fashion swings back from all-white metals all-the-time. Ethnic markets, as well, present growth opportunities.

Yellow gold holds cultural resonance with those of South Asian and Middle Eastern descents.

Forty-one percent of Hispanic consumers polled by the Jewelry Consumer Opinion Council chose yellow gold as their favorite metal, with white gold as the second favorite at 29%.

Larger, bolder yellow gold pieces appeal to fashionistas of all cultures – the jewelry perfectly accents the bohemian look that’s popular for summer."

entire article

Deborah

 

[aljdewey]

I went two-tone....but not because I worried about which metals to wear.

I wear mostly yellow gold, so I want the primary metal of my jewelry to be yellow. With diamonds, though, I really feel they are best showcased in white metal.

Hence, the heads of my e-ring/w-ring are platinum; the shanks are yellow. On my pendant, the inner bezel and melee setting is platinum; the outer rim is yellow.

Plus, this lets me get away with wearing varied metals.

 

[Caribou]

I personally like white metals...I think round stones look nicer in white than YG...I think they sparkle more. Three of my friends have YG rings...and while I think their rings are pretty, especially my friends 3-stone ring which sparkles like crazy, I would still perfer white. I wear mostly white jewerly albeit not a whole lot of it.

Eventually YG will come back ''in style'' and then go back out again....so you should really just get what you (or she) prefer.

 

[pyramid]

I keep reading that people think yellow gold or white gold/platinum looks better with their skin.

What skin suits which color?

Is it yellow gold for darker skin and white gold for fairer skin?

 

[Lorelei]

Curious Pyramid, as a fellow Brit is most of your jewellery set in YG too?

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Date: 10/31/2005 6:28:06 PM
Author: tareyton

Kenny,

If you live in NY and your GF follows the styles GET PLATINUM OR WG. Maybe if you live in the midwest younger girls wear YG E-rings but not in Boston, NY, Baltimore or DC. I just got done looking for a e-ring in all of these cities and I don''t remember seeing a single YG ering setting in any high end jewlery stores.

Yes some designers seem to be making some stuff in YG but it is very Trendy and in my opinion ugly stuff. The stars may be wearing it but not much of anyone else. Or at least in the 25-35 crowd of the cities listed above.

Are you SERIOUS???

I am from the midwest, does that mean I have bad taste? Pretty rash isn''t it?

 

[pyramid]

Lorelei

Yes I would say that about 95% of the jewellery I own is yellow gold. I have some white gold and platinum and tend to like platinum at the moment but still love the yellow gold too.

Looking in jewellers in the city in which I live and in the neighbouring cities I would say it is 50% yellow and 50% white in both family owned/smaller jewellers and in the chain stores. I notice a lot of young people wearing white engagement rings but also see some of the same age group going for yellow gold. One very upscale jeweller has Roberto Coin jewellery and I notice that most of what they have is in 18 carat yellow gold with only 1 piece or two in white gold.

 

[pyramid]

Just adding. My sister has always liked yellow gold better and gave me some of her older silver pieces as she did not wear them when she was about 20 ish. She is now in her mid thirties and when looking at jewellery she was speaking about white gold which I was surprised about. I told her about the rhodium plating which she did not know and said later that this had put her off as she did not want to have to get things plated and as others said she felt there was no point saying it was white gold when it was rhodium which people were seeing. A few months later I said to her what about getting platinum and she said 'oh no that just looks like silver and I prefer yellow gold'. I think when she originally looked at the white gold she was interested in the trend or the design of the piece she had seen. I tried to tell her that there is a difference that silver is a whiter reflecting metal and platinum has a deeper kind of shine and is heavier etc. but she just prefers yellow gold.
I like all colours though

 

[fire&ice]

Date: 11/1/2005 2:31:03 PM
Author: Pyramid
I keep reading that people think yellow gold or white gold/platinum looks better with their skin.

What skin suits which color?

Is it yellow gold for darker skin and white gold for fairer skin?

Blondes tend to look better in gold.

Me, I''m rather fair dark haired w/ light eyes - for me silver/white metals look best on me. But, I wear quite a bit of black & silver is a natural for me.

Styles come and go. Classics stay. And, good design in any color will always be "in".

I hate definitives. Wear what makes you happy! Though nearly all of my jewelry is silver colored, my rings are nearly always gold. And, I have no problem mixing metaphors. Worrying about what''s in what'' out takes the fun out of Jewelry, especially when one collects. But, then I make my living "living in the past".

 

[JDgirl]

Exactly, I''m blond and I think YG looks better on me.

Does anyone here own a two-tone e-ring? I''d love to see pics of anyone''s that they already own or would like to own...

 

[AGBF]

Date: 11/1/2005 4:13:33 PM
Author: JDgirl
Does anyone here own a two-tone e-ring? I'd love to see pics of anyone's that they already own or would like to own...

Like aljdewey, I prefer yellow gold to white gold or platinum, but I often use platinum to set off diamonds. Consequently my solitaire is two-toned: a gold shank, but platinum prongs. I don't think that unless you were looking closely, however, that you would even notice that there are two metals there. Unlike some of the very decorative two-toned rings I posted (in another thread today), my ring is very simple and designed to draw the eye to the stone. Do take a look at the two-toned rings I posted today. I thought some of them were exquisite!

Here is a link:

Two-toned Rings

Deb

 

[flopkins]

This is an interesting thread.
I prefer white metals too, also bc I think it goes well w/my skin tone (Asian) but a lot of my jewelry pieces are YG too... esp stuff from my mom; I think Chinese love YG, like Indians, esp the 18k/24k stuff. Growing up (in the 80s) it was all YG and when I look back I realize I dislike the 80s style more than I actually dislike YG... In fact I like YG for some pieces, for example I think YG looks fab w/jade...

Overall I lean toward the white metals though. When I was pledging my sorority freshman year of college we had a choice between YG and WG for our sorority pin, and I wanted the WG but an older girl convinced me YG was more classic. I got the YG and regretted it ever since!

ETA: I also remember when my mom gave me an old WG necklace she had when I was young, and I thought it was silver, at the time there really wasn't much WG around, and I was so surprised when my mom told me it was WG!! THe other interesting part about it is, I wonder what alloy they used for it, bc it's a much darker grayish color than any other WG I've seen.

 

[SquareCut]

Vera Wang is doing some nice e-rings in yellow and rose gold. Barney''s in midtown NYC has some nice yellow gold e-rings. It may be trendy now that white metals are so common but white is still considered the classic -you won''t find a single gold e-ring at Tiffany''s. Yellow gold is fine but people are afraid of it because it evokes flashbacks of the truly tragic fashions of the 80''s. If you get a modern, non- 80''s style setting you''ll be fine.

 

[valeria101]

Date: 11/1/2005 10:05:48 PM
Author: SquareCut


-you won''t find a single gold e-ring at Tiffany''s.

Etoile and a few solitaires come with yellow shanks. There are a couple of Schlumberger bicolor designs too...
I can''t remember if these are on the website and do not know if yg versions make it to presentation displays in every shop etc.

But you are probably right... If ones wants yg by all means, they''d have to ask for it these days. White is the ''default'' option.

 

[mrs jam]

For my e-ring upgrade, I went with platinum. I really like the heftiness of the metal more than anything else. That being said, all my other favorite jewelry is yellow gold. I just lean towards warmer colors, whether it be in gold, gemstones, home accessories, or clothing. I'm an olive-skinned brown-eyed brunette, and I think yellow gold looks best on me.

I just recently took all my "unused" diamonds, most of which were in white gold ring and pendant settings, and had my jewelry set them in a very, very, VERY heavy 18kt hammered yellow gold bangle. I LOVE IT! I guess I'm a mess jewelry-wise, because I wear my platinum e-ring on my left hand, yellow gold flower ring on my right, and and armload of yellow gold bangles. But, it makes me happy, and that's all that really matters!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Date: 11/1/2005 10:20:17 PM
Author: mrs jam
I''m an olive-skinned brown-eyed brunette, and I think yellow gold looks best on me.

Mrs Jam, that is funny because I am olive-skinned brown-eyed brunette and think white gold looks best on me! Your gold bangle sounds great have you ever posted it?

 

[Mara]

Its tough to say what I think looks best on me. I think that sometimes the white metal is too STARK against my skin and also ends up making my skin look more 'dry' or imperfect somehow....YG is very flattering to my skin tone because I have medium olive skin tones. I just love the look of white metals, even silver, so I guess for me it doesn't matter what looks best on me either because like everyone else, I wear what I like !

Mrs. Jam did you ever post that hammered bangle with diamonds? It sounds yummy.

 

[anika]

Very interesting question. I have only bought white metal pieces in the last few years; I feel that diamonds look best in white. White gold doesn''t even suit my dark skin tones in particular but it makes the diamonds look fabulous. I also wanted a change after 10 years of wearing a yellow gold ering set. My exception however is bangles and bracelets-somehow I only like these in yellow. Every time I have tried on a white bracelet or bangle- it just hasn''t looked as luxurious as it does in yellow.
In Asian cultures, yellow gold is tradition. People have their everyday jewelry and then they have medium wear and then serious hardware. Yellow still reigns for the heavier designs but white is growing in popularity with the new generation. The value of yellow gold will always be recognised in these cultures due to its tradition and family heirlooms. Gold is also seen as an investment by some so some actually forward buy when the rate of yellow gold is low. Yellow gold is readily melted and reset by jewellers and so many see it as an investment.
For my daughters, I would only buy them yellow gold pieces to start with as they are not going to be wearing diamonds for many, many years and I feel its traditional.
If I was going to get them simple bangles and chains in white then I would be better to buy silver.
As for me, I am a white metal convert. I love platinum- it feels so good to wear!

Anika

 

[AGBF]

Date: 11/2/2005 12:22:43 AM
Author: Mara

mrs. jam impressed those of us who hang out in Jewelry Pieces (often discussing yellow gold) with what she did with her, "recycled" diamonds.

Thread in Jewelry Pieces

Deb

 

[pearcrazy]

I love yellow gold but I have recently purchased a few pieces in white gold. At the time me and most of my girlfriends were getting engaged in the late 80's and early 90's-- ALL of us were getting yellow gold-- that was the style back then. Three of my close friends got yellow gold rings with (HORRORS) marquise shaped diamonds with swirly gold and lots of sidestones in a jacket or wrap. That was very much the rage back then. Jewelry stores seemed to have just as many marquise shaped diamonds as rounds. Especially those 5-7 stone graduated marquise anniversary bands. One of my friends got that as her engagement ring and still wears it and still loves it. She's been married 17 years.

I remember when my DH and I were looking at rings, trying on my mother's white gold set with her simple .78 RB stone and thinking that it looked so DATED for the time. Her sister had a one carat RB in platinum, REALLY dated for the early 90's but very popular in 1956 and VERY popular again today. Fashion trends seem to always come around again. Get what you like and wear it with pride, having a ring that is "dated" is the sign that I've been married long enough to be horribly out of fashion-- a VERY good thing. (as Martha would say)

 

[Lorelei]

Another benefit of yellow gold is that one can buy large lower colour diamonds and they still look nice and white

 

[JDgirl]

Is that true? I thought YG was supposed to give a hint of yellow to the stone. But at the same time, I always thought it would provide for contrast and make the stone look whiter. Which one is true?

 

[Lorelei]

Usually they are set with a white gold head which stops the yellow from the gold casting a tint on the diamond, with a YG band. It is a good way to improve a colour grade, the yellow gold makes the warm tint less obvious. Also WG has a slightly more warm tint than platinum, so it is a good choice for the head. I think YG is a good choice for the warmer tones, my L faces up very white set this way, also an N colour diamond I have does too.

 

[Mara]

We''ve actually had conflicting reports on here on the yellow metals vs white metal making a lower colored diamond look more white or maksing color...for a while it seemed everyone was saying that the YG metals actually ADDED color to the diamonds rather than masked it, and that you should set it into a white metal to help it pick up colors from the metal in a white manner. Then it was the other way around (or maybe it was that way first...I can''t even remember anymore)...

But for me I am pretty confused on which it is now....!!

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 11/2/2005 12:49:05 PM
Author: Mara
We''ve actually had conflicting reports on here on the yellow metals vs white metal making a lower colored diamond look more white or maksing color...for a while it seemed everyone was saying that the YG metals actually ADDED color to the diamonds rather than masked it, and that you should set it into a white metal to help it pick up colors from the metal in a white manner. Then it was the other way around (or maybe it was that way first...I can''t even remember anymore)...

But for me I am pretty confused on which it is now....!!

I know what you mean Mara, I think the YG method was the classical advice, but opinions differ on the best way, maybe I should try it out and get mine reset

Mrs Jams K looks fantastic in her white setting, can''t remember if Seven''s beaut is in YG, I will have to go back and look.

 

[tawn]

Date: 11/2/2005 9:58:35 AM
Author: pearcrazy
I love yellow gold but I have recently purchased a few pieces in white gold. At the time me and most of my girlfriends were getting engaged in the late 80''s and early 90''s-- ALL of us were getting yellow gold-- that was the style back then. Three of my close friends got yellow gold rings with (HORRORS) marquise shaped diamonds with swirly gold and lots of sidestones in a jacket or wrap. That was very much the rage back then. Jewelry stores seemed to have just as many marquise shaped diamonds as rounds. Especially those 5-7 stone graduated marquise anniversary bands. One of my friends got that as her engagement ring and still wears it and still loves it. She''s been married 17 years.

I remember when my DH and I were looking at rings, trying on my mother''s white gold set with her simple .78 RB stone and thinking that it looked so DATED for the time. Her sister had a one carat RB in platinum, REALLY dated for the early 90''s but very popular in 1956 and VERY popular again today. Fashion trends seem to always come around again. Get what you like and wear it with pride, having a ring that is ''dated'' is the sign that I''ve been married long enough to be horribly out of fashion-- a VERY good thing. (as Martha would say)

I have one of those marquise rings that we used for the ring when we got married, with a two-tone braided band. I loved it at the time, but I haven''t worn it in 5 years, and used my mom''s diamond in a antique replica setting until I recently (finally) got my "real" rings!