Pure gold is too soft for most jewelry, so it is alloyed with other metals. The alloy sets both the strength and the colour: the karat tells you how much of the metal is gold, and the other metals decide its tone.
Yellow, rose and white
Yellow gold keeps the warm colour most people picture. Adding more copper gives rose gold its blush. White gold is alloyed with whiter metals and is often finished with a bright plating, which may need renewing over time.
Choosing
There is no rule, but many people find warm tones flattering against warm skin and white metals against cool. The simplest test is the piece you reach for without thinking.
A sample article for the Gemelune theme demo. The pieces and collections mentioned are fictional.
