Style guide

Yellow, white or rose? A guide to gold alloys

Pure 24K gold is strictly yellow. Adding other metals lets goldsmiths change both the strength and the colour of the finished piece. The three main colours of gold, yellow, white and rose, each look different and suit different skin undertones.

Yellow gold: the classic standard

Yellow gold is alloyed with copper and silver to keep its natural warm hue while adding strength. It is the most hypoallergenic of the three colours and pairs very well with warm or olive skin tones. For traditionalists, nothing compares to the rich glow of 22K yellow gold.

White gold: modern brilliance

To reach a silvery-white finish, pure gold is alloyed with white metals such as nickel, palladium or zinc, and is often plated with rhodium for a mirror-bright surface. White gold is highly durable and is the preferred choice for diamond settings, because it reflects the stone’s brilliance instead of casting a yellow tint. It looks striking on cooler skin tones.

Rose gold: the romantic alternative

Rose gold gets its pink hue from a higher share of copper in the alloy. The more copper, the redder the gold. It flatters both warm and cool skin tones, and it is the most durable of the three colours thanks to the strength of copper.