For a long time people have argued about whether silver or gold jewelry looks the best. The silver versus gold jewelry debate has been popular on many social media platforms, including TikTok and Instagram. Some social media platforms have even made color analysis filters—a way to find what color themes best suit a person’s natural shades and undertones—to help users find their perfect jewelry color. Undertones are the hue or color that is seen in the skin and can be categorized into three different kinds of subtones: neutral, cool and warm. People usually match their clothing and jewelry to better compliment their hues, but undertones are not the only reason that people decide on a specific color for their jewelry. Many people choose their jewelry based on their personal beliefs or significance tied to their style and outfits.
Senior Thao Le wears minimalist gold jewelry to accessorize her outfits. She usually wears gold earrings and necklaces to suit her undertones. Le styles herself by wearing visible necklaces and earrings when she is wearing a low top or has her hair up, to keep her outfit complete. She also preferred to wear a modest necklace rather than a more noticeable one when wearing her hair down or an off-the-shoulder top.
“Gold compliments warmer undertones more, and I wear gold because I have a warm undertone,” Le said. “Silver compliments more cooler undertones; whenever I wear silver, it makes me look washed out.”
Junior Catherine Coquilla believes that gold jewelry compliments those with warmer skin tones and silver jewelry to compliment others with more of a cooler or neutral undertone.
“It depends on someone’s own personal preference at the end of the day,” Coquilla states. “People choose to wear silver or gold jewelry even if it does not complement their undertones because that is their preference.”
Coquilla does not have a preference for either colors of jewelry and styles herself with both. Coquilla’s preference depends on how she is feeling during that day and will either choose both or one of the two options. She takes inspiration from social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest. If something were to catch her eye, then she would try and find that piece of jewelry. There are no specific trends that peak her interest. At times Coquilla will also take inspiration from influencers and artists for a cool piece of jewelry.
“Gold is more of a summer-type of jewelry because you are more tan while silver is a color you can wear all-year round or during the fall and winter,” Coquilla said.
Coquilla believes gold jewelry is easier to be paired with plain clothes giving it a pop of color and silver jewelry paired with more colorful clothing gives the outfit more detail. Coquilla will usually wear silver earrings on a daily basis and switch out gold necklaces.
Her favorite kind of necklaces are nameplate necklaces. These necklaces are a type of necklace displaying names, initials, or other wording. Coquilla styles those kinds of necklaces with her outfits because they are a statement piece to complement her outfits even though they are quite classic and simple pieces.
Le’s jewelry style and influence comes from her parents and her Vietnamese culture. Often around her house, gold is more present compared to silver which is not seen as much. In Le’s culture, gold represents prosperity and has more prestige and status compared to silver. Silver is more easily acquired making it have lesser value compared to gold. In Vietnamese culture, gold symbolizes growth, wealth and royalty.
“It’s exposure, like if I’m around my family and my friends within the same culture, you’ll see them wearing gold jewelry,” Le said.
Freshman Adley Jonathan Saint-Surin prefers gold jewelry and accessorizes with gold necklaces and bracelets. Saint-Surin’s favorite kind of jewelry has a significance or meaning behind it since most of his jewelry are keepsakes from people close to him.
His jewelry is his way of expressing his religion. He wears a cross necklace in honor of his religion: Christianity.
“I would say that my religion is important to me because it helps me define who I am and it is the way I live my life day to day,” Saint-Surin said.
His relationship with religion is important to him. Saint-Surin was close to his grandmother and liked to keep their connection with him through his taste for gold jewelry.
“My grandma is my influence when it comes to my jewelry,” Saint-Surin said. “When she passed, she left me her gold chain and it is important to me.”
He was left a gold chain with a cross on it by grandmother, and it combines two things that are important to him; being Christian and his grandmother. Saint-Surin follows the word of the Bible and believes in love, trust and to have a relationship with God. His grandmother also helped him find his relationship with religion.
The cultural and significance towards jewelry can be a big deciding factor for many people but it could also depend on personal preference. There is no obvious answer to which type of metal is superior and will most likely continue on for a long duration of time.
