Style guide / metal selection
How to Choose Jewelry for Your Skin Tone
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The secret is your skin's undertone, not its surface color. A cool undertone (blue or purple veins) pairs best with bright white metals like sterling silver, titanium, and platinum. A warm undertone (green or olive veins) suits yellow and rose gold. A neutral undertone can wear both.
Skin color vs. skin undertone
Surface skin color (fair, medium, tan, dark) changes with sun and season. Undertone is the subtle hue beneath the surface, and it stays constant whether you are pale or deeply tanned. The three categories are cool, warm, and neutral.
Three ways to find your undertone
1. The vein test
Look at the veins on the inside of your wrist in natural light. Blue or purple veins suggest a cool undertone; green or olive veins suggest warm (blue veins seen through yellow-toned skin read green); a mix suggests neutral.
2. The sun test
Cool undertones tend to burn or turn pink in the sun; warm undertones tan easily to a golden tone; neutral may burn slightly before tanning.
3. The white-paper test
Hold a piece of plain white paper next to your bare face in natural light. Cool skin looks slightly pink or rosy against it; warm skin looks yellow, golden, or peachy.
Matching metals and gemstones to your undertone
| Undertone | Best metals | Flattering gemstones |
|---|---|---|
| Cool | Silver, titanium, platinum, white gold | Amethyst, blue topaz, sapphire, rainbow moonstone |
| Warm | Yellow gold, rose gold | Citrine, garnet, Imperial topaz, peridot |
| Neutral | Any metal, including mixed metals | Diamond, emerald, labradorite, clear quartz |
Styling by undertone
Cool undertones
White metals bring out the pink and blue tones in cool skin and look fresh and bright, while yellow gold can make cool skin look washed out. Stick with cool-colored stones such as blue topaz, amethyst, and the icy blue flash of rainbow moonstone.
Warm undertones
Yellow and rose gold highlight golden and peachy undertones for a sun-kissed glow, while bright silver can sometimes look grey against warm skin. Warm stones like garnet, citrine, and tiger's eye are a natural fit.
Neutral undertones
A neutral undertone can wear any metal without clashing, which also makes it ideal for the mixed-metals look — silver rings alongside a gold watch, for example.
Notes on the less-common metals
Brass and copper are sometimes suggested for warm undertones, and they can look striking, but they oxidize and can turn skin green, and brass may contain nickel that irritates sensitive skin. If you like that warm tone, rose gold gives a similar look without the same drawbacks.
Frequently asked questions
Can I wear gold if I have a cool undertone?
Yes, but place it away from your face. Gold necklaces and earrings sit directly against your complexion, so for a cool undertone it is usually better to keep gold on rings or bracelets instead.
Does hair or eye color matter for jewelry?
Undertone matters most, but hair and eye color can be a secondary guide. High-contrast coloring (dark hair, bright eyes) often suits bright silver, while golden or auburn hair with brown eyes often leans warm toward gold.
Is rose gold cool or warm?
Rose gold is generally considered warm because of its copper content, which flatters warm undertones. Its pinkish hue also lets it bridge toward cool undertones surprisingly well.
Updated: 2026-08-18. See the GemVerity editorial method for how we verify material claims.