Untraditional white gold, yellow gold, rose gold pieces in tourmalines, sapphires and diamonds

Don't risk it: How to choose the perfect metal colour for your surprise engagement ring

When it comes to creating your partner’s engagement ring, the metal you choose is almost as important as the design. Here are five actionable ways to determine what colour your partner imagines their dream engagement ring to be (and still keep your proposal a secret).

White gold and rose gold wedding rings

Why is metal colour important?

There is no objective right and wrong when it comes to jewellery. But there can certainly be "right and wrong for me".

While jewellery can look amazing in yellow gold, white gold, rose gold and platinum, metal colour is an incredibly personal choice for someone who will be wearing a ring for life.

When you choose the "right" colour, you can avoid any disappointment resulting from:

The ring not matching their personal style: While it may be beautiful, the wrong colour can make a piece feel less thoughtful and it may not be worn as proudly or as often.
The ring not complementing their skin tone: Your partner may have a colour that they feel looks best on them. While this can be subjective, colour theory suggests that certain metal colours enhance skin overtones and undertones in different ways.

There's nothing better than that moment when your partner sees their ring for the first time. This is the split second you know - from the way their eyes light up - that you've absolutely hit the nail on the head with its design.

Let's help you achieve that.

The low-down on precious metal colours

There are three main colour groups that the precious metals sit under.

White metals: White gold and platinum are the most commonly used white metals in engagement rings. They’re classic, easy to match and hold up to everyday wear and tear much better than sterling silver does.

Yellow gold: Yellow gold has a warm, rich colour and is beautiful with champagne-toned stones and bright bold gems. Its popularity has waned since the 80s (your mum might have had a yellow gold engagement ring), but it's now making a comeback and has become the metal of choice in many unique, untraditional pieces.

Rose gold: Rose gold, otherwise known as red or pink gold, has a feminine, peachy hue. Currently very popular, its soft pink colour makes it highly complementary to a wide range of skin tones.

Platinum and yellow gold three stone diamond ring

How to find your partner's perfect metal colour

It’s time to get sneaky. Here are five ways to work out the perfect metal colour for their engagement ring.

1. Gather intel

First and foremost, check in with friends. Your partner’s bestie may be able to tell you straight out and save you a bunch of stress, time and uncertainty.

2. Raid the jewellery box

Sneak a peek at your partner’s collection when they’re not home to see which metal types are most popular. They may prefer to have the engagement ring match these pieces so they can be worn together. If your partner is the kind who mixes and matches their jewellery, give greater weight to the colours they wear most often.

Tip for the bold: If your partner likes to mix metals (wears white gold with rose gold for example) you might want to consider a two-tone design. It’s a stylish way to add a modern touch to their engagement ring.

Australian teal trilliant sapphire ring in platinum and rose gold

3. Go window shopping

Head to the shops together and walk past a few jewellery store windows. Notice which pieces catch your partner’s eye. If you can, take a look inside and try on a few pieces together.

4. Play the spy game

This is a great one if you can gain access to your partner’s Pinterest account. There might be an inspiration board that reveals their preferences. If you manage to sneak a peek at the Pinterest account while it’s logged in, scroll down past the public boards to the “Secret boards”. If there's a jewellery-related board there, you may have just hit the jackpot.

5. Go by their skin tone

This one is a little more technical. Colour analysis is big these days. Take note of the veins on the underside of your partner’s arm. Someone with a cool skin tone will have blue veins. Someone with a warm skin tone will have green veins. Another way to tell is by how their skin reacts to the sun. People with cool skin tones tend to burn and turn pink. People with warm skin tones tend to tan first. Warm skin tones look great in yellow gold, rose gold and any of the white metals. Cool skin tones are well suited to white gold, platinum and rose gold.

Australian oval teal sapphire with opal and diamonds

Got questions?

If it all seems like too much to take in, don’t worry. You don’t have to work this all out by yourself.

Send an email or book a chat where you can ask all your burning questions about the process of designing an engagement ring.

Don’t be afraid to write an email that goes something like this:

Subject: HELP!

Text: I have no idea what I want!

This happens more often than you might think. Get in touch and we’ll walk you through the process of designing an engagement ring that gets you that “yes”!

Hexagon salt and pepper diamond engagement ring

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