Goodbye, Gold Jewelry? Budget-Friendly Silver Is Now ‘Cooler, Sharper and More Fashion-Forward.’

Bold cuffs in organic shapes feel elevated and modern. Annika Inez Spinning Ellipse Ring, $315; AGMES Cuffs (From Top), $1,300 and $1,140; AZUR Plissé Satin Silk Tank Top, about $353

Call it the opposite-of-gold rush. You might say it started in 2022, when the debut of Bottega Veneta’s bulbous silver-drop earrings spawned countless dupes, leading many women to ardently seek out argent accessories. Over the past few seasons, silver has arguably overtaken gold as the metal de rigueur.

What’s behind the shift?

Industry insiders point to the rising price of gold, trending oversize designs and a new attitude among stylish women, which has transformed the metal into a grown-up, luxurious option.

Grown-up, yes, but not geriatric. Personal stylist Yara Svalek, 52, who’s based in Martin, Slovakia, considers silver’s glacial hue “more youthful and less precious than gold.” While both metals play a role in her minimal-leaning wardrobe, silver looks “cooler, sharper and more fashion-forward,” she said.

Silver is lighter than gold, meaning even extra-large studs won’t pull on your piercings. Mejuri Dôme Figure Cuff, $348; Nina Runsdorf Dome Earring with Brown Topaz Emerald Cuts; $650; Pleats Please Issey Miyake Blue Twinkle Top, $485

Jewelry novices once graduated from budget-friendly silver to glimmering gold status symbols as their paychecks increased. With the price of gold jumping approximately 65% between January 2024 and June 2025, the cost of large pieces in solid gold has proven prohibitive for many shoppers, says Ryan Kleman, fine jewelry and accessories director at online retailer Moda Operandi. “Silver has really built momentum,” he added.

“Chunky, sculptural styles are driving demand,” said Rachel Glicksberg, the women’s fashion and new initiatives lead at the luxury reseller the RealReal, citing Tiffany & Co.’s iconic Elsa Peretti bone cuff (designed in 1970 and inspired by Peretti’s love of Antoni Gaudí’s architecture) as a top seller. On the Tiffany & Co. website, the small version of the cuff retails for $1,800 in silver. In 18-karat gold? $21,000.

These days, “younger clients ask themselves, am I a gold or silver person?” said Copenhagen-based Amalie Moosgaard Nielsen, the co-founder of buzzy jewelry brand Lié Studio. “There’s this new attitude that solid silver can be a forever piece that you pass down,” Kleman added.

The TikTok-driven resurgence of color analysis, the notion that one looks best in “warm” or “cool” colors depending on skin undertones, has also fed into some women’s decisions about jewelry hues.

An argent hair clip makes for a chic scrunchie alternative. Annika Inez Spinning Ellipse Ring, $315; Ariana Boussard-Reifel Obi Hair Comb, $695; Rue Sophie Piquenique Pintuck Shirt, $178

Gold can “add warmth,” said Svalek, but since it can also “skew yellow,” it doesn’t look great on everyone, especially with age. “As we get older, our hair and skin lighten.” That’s when icy tones are more complimentary.

Influencer Danielle Oreoluwa Jinadu, 29, says she built her entire wardrobe around the stark, cool color palette she feels works best with her complexion. “The contrast of silver against my skin is much more flattering [than gold].”

Less precious than costly karats, silver also gives women permission to play and experiment, says Grimanesa Amorós, a Peruvian visual artist in her 60s.

To bring a flash of contrast to black pantsuits, Amorós slips on cartoonishly large dome and cuboid rings gleaned from her travels. “I work with a lot of stainless steel,” she said. “When I saw these dome rings, they [felt] like part of my work.”

Svalek likes to wear identical silver cuffs on her wrists, Tiffany dupes from the Spanish brand Moncollier. “The icy shine of silver adds a contrast you can’t get with gold.” So adorned, she’ll roll up her shirt sleeves or dress down in simple jeans and tees. “Silver is easy to incorporate into everyday styling,” Svalek said. “It’s less intimidating.”

Don’t restrict yourself to jewelry either, says Moosgaard Nielsen, adding that small, unexpected touches of silver can add up in unboring ways. It’s when “the silver hardware on your bag matches the silver pin in your hair, that you look put together.”

Let an eye-catching silver necklace stand out against a simple top. Louis Abel Ovu Cord Necklace, $270; Massimo Dutti Linen Blouse with Seam Details, $90

If you’re not flush enough to invest in new hair accessories, too, follow Jinadu’s lead: “I bend my [silver] Mejuri bracelet around my bun,” said the Londoner, who clamps the bangle around a chignon, taking advantage of the metal’s malleability.

Argent does have drawbacks. Maintaining silver’s luster “is the biggest asterisk in a consumer’s mind,” said Kleman. “Gold will patina and tarnish, but it’s not noticeable. Leave silver out in the light and air, and it’ll blacken,” he warned. His advice: Wear silver pieces every day; your skin’s oils will slow the tarnishing.

If that’s not realistic, Amorós recommends some simple care rules. On gold days, store your silver pieces in inexpensive anti-tarnishing cloths. When polishing, apply silver polish gently with a soft toothbrush and rinse with lukewarm water. (In a pinch, a nonabrasive toothpaste will also do the job.)

Toothbrush sessions not your style? For a more permanent solution to protect your silver, Kleman suggests paying a jeweler to plate your favorites with rhodium, a rare, silvery-white metal. With a simple coating (on average under $100), your “silver collection will be on rotation for years.”

Styling by Caitie Kelly; Talent is Hilda Dias Pimentel/Muse