5 Tips for Wearing Mixed Jewelry Metals

Gold jewelry was considered a sign of wealth for many cultures dating back to ancient societies, such as Egypt or Persia. Wearing a gold chain for men remains an important status symbol today. While the style and type of jewelry worn follow the trends of the time, the basic materials remain the same.

Conventionally, metallic accessories should match to create a cohesive look. However, modern fashion icons are all about breaking the rules, and mixed metal jewelry has become a fast way to inject a little character into any outfit. To work this trend into your wardrobe, a few simple tips can ensure your look is sophisticated and not sloppy.

Types of Jewelry Metals

Jewelers have used various precious metals throughout history to create their beautiful designs. These metals have unique properties, one of the more noticeable being color.

Gold

Gold is a malleable yellow metal that has been used for centuries in jewelry manufacturing. It never tarnishes, making it an ideal metal for jewelry. However, it is quite soft in its pure form, leading to scratches or deformities in jewelry worn frequently or in high-impact areas, such as rings or bracelets. The gold used in jewelry today is a mix of gold with stronger metals, such as copper or silver, to create a long-lasting product.

Rose Gold

Pink gold results from the combination of copper with gold to create a stable alloy. The amount of copper alters the color of the rose gold, with more copper deepening the red color of the metal.

White Gold

Another popular colored gold alloy. This white metal is made by mixing gold with nickel, copper, tin, and occasionally palladium, and then plating it with rhodium. It was developed to imitate platinum, and it contains about 75% gold.

Platinum

The rarity of this metal makes it more expensive than gold. Platinum is incredibly strong and durable. This makes it challenging to work with but creates long-lasting jewelry that doesn’t tarnish. It is considered a white or silver metal.

Silver

Silver is valued as a raw material for jewelry because of its outstanding luster. Since silver is abundantly available, it is much less expensive than platinum or gold. This white metal is prone to tarnishing, which led to the development of sterling silver.

The New Rules of Jewelry

The rules your grandfather and even your father played by when it comes to jewelry no longer hold true. While it used to be considered tacky to mix gold and silver jewelry, these days you have the freedom to express yourself and play with mixing multiple metals.

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It’s also okay to wear more than one piece of jewelry, abandoning the old less-is-more mentality. When you invest in quality jewelry made from real metal and gemstones, you can and should wear multiple pieces to add a layer of sophistication to your outfit.

Just because the rules of the past no longer apply doesn’t mean there aren’t guidelines to follow to create a look that appears stylish and cohesive. If you want to wear mixed jewelry metals well, here are some tips to follow:

Start with a Combo Piece

A combo piece is a perfect way to start mixing the metals in your jewelry. It is also known as a bridge piece. Choose a classic piece such as a watch or chain necklace that combines two to three different metals. Use this piece as the inspiration for all the other jewelry you’ll wear.

It’s essential to match your other jewelry to the metals in the combo piece. If you are wearing a gold and silver watch, wear other gold and silver pieces. Don’t be tempted to throw a new metal like rose gold into the look. This can take your look from coordinated to chaotic. The only exception is your wedding band if you wear one.

Play with the Central Jewelry Regions

Both men and women have four places where jewelry is typically worn. Your fingers, neck, wrists, and ears are considered the four central jewelry regions. When wearing mixed jewelry, metals play with these four regions.

This doesn’t mean you have to wear a piece in each location. However, use each location to play with size and texture while staying united under a similar theme. This creates a stylish look while mixing precious metals.

Layer for Visual Intrigue

Layering similar pieces in different metal shades creates a cohesive look while adding a layer of visual interest. You can layer multiple necklaces or wear rings on multiple fingers.

When layering necklaces, choose similar styles with different lengths. A 26″ gold Figaro chain for men would pair well with a 22″ or 30″ silver chain. When mixing metals and rings, try to vary the thickness and texture—for example, a gold signet ring pairs well with a studded silver pinky ring.

Adjust for Balance

There is a reason that the advice for years was to not mix metals in the jewelry you wear. Without balance, the look won’t pull together, and you’ll be left with one or two pieces that feel out of place.

You don’t have to achieve the perfect balance to still have a stylish mixed metal look. Adjust your look so you are wearing approximately the same number of each metal. This might mean you wear one gold bracelet, one silver bracelet, and one gold necklace. You could also mix multiple necklaces made from different metals paired with a complementary watch and a ring that is a different material from the watch.

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Complement Your Skin Tone

Metals that look good with your skin also look good when mixed in various jewelry pieces. Certain metals and textures complement the undertones of your skin. You can try different metals to see which one looks best with your skin tone.

As a general rule, cool skin tones are highlighted by light metals. If you have a cool skin tone, mix white gold, silver, and platinum jewelry for a subtle yet polished way to wear mixed jewelry metals. Individuals with warm skin tones look great wearing yellow metals. Those individuals can mix rose gold, brass, and yellow gold to accentuate their complexion while creating a sleek look.

Wear Jewelry with Confidence

If you aren’t sure that your combination pieces look awesome, you’ll likely lack the self-assurance to give others a good first impression of your look. By following these simple tips for how to wear mixed jewelry metals, from layering pieces to matching your skin tone, you’ll be able to wear your jewelry with confidence.