Which Metal? Part 1: Color Factor
What will it be – gold, silver, or platinum? Jewelry designers have a number of things to consider before making a choice. Several factors enter into each decision; one of the most basic is which metal to use. Many jewelers prefer to work only in gold, while others confine themselves to silver. And now, platinum is becoming more popular, adding a third possibility. A growing number of metal artists also enjoy working in all three metals, often combining two or more metals in the same piece. There are some inherent differences among the metals that must be taken into consideration when designing for each: color; technical aspects such as weight and strength; workability; the cost of the material; current fashion preferences; and last but not least, if you are a professional, market value.
Of course, there are also designers who work with other metals, such as copper alloys, nickel, aluminum, steel, or refractive metals like titanium, but for the purpose of this article, we’ll stick to the big three — the most popular metals by far.
Color. The color factor may determine the choice of metal at the very beginning. If you decide that your project would be best in yellow metal, then yellow gold is the obvious choice. But if your design seems to need a white metal, then you can choose silver, white gold or, if you have the skills, platinum.
Traditionally, warm-colored stones (red, yellow, and orange) have been set in a warm-colored metal: yellow gold. Cool-colored stones (blue and purple) are set in a white metal. The one exception to this rule is a green stone, which, although a cool color, looks better in yellow metal. This is why emeralds in a white gold or platinum ring are often set with yellow gold prongs or bezels. Diamonds, considered most valuable when they have no discernable color, are most often set in white gold or platinum prongs or bezels, even if the rest of the piece is yellow gold. Historically, before the invention of white gold or the development of tools and techniques for working with platinum, diamonds were usually set in silver to enhance the whiteness of their body color, even if mounted in a yellow gold piece of jewelry.
Let’s say that you have decided that your design would be best executed in a white metal. While other factors, such as cost, strength, and market value, will have to be taken into consideration, there is also a definite color difference among silver, white gold, and platinum. Both white gold and platinum are cool-toned, grayish metals, while silver is a warm white metal, especially when free of fire scale. (I have to confess a personal dislike of both white gold and platinum because of the cold gray color; I prefer not to work with them unless a client insists.) In the end, if all other factors are equal, your choice will probably come down to personal taste as far as the color of the metal is concerned.
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