Jewelry gemmed with multi-colored stones exude warmth and vibrancy that are often missing from single-toned pieces. Fortunately for gem-lovers, there is a vast reserve of colored gems at the disposal of jewelers that can be picked and chosen to customize pieces. But, without a thorough understanding of color compatibility, the choices are as good as non-existent. If you are thinking of a multi-colored bauble for your next purchase, it is imperative that you know which gems work great together and which ones don’t. Although it’s not advisable to go with formulaic combinations, exercising creativity is recommended only for those who are past the grasping part.
Colors That Compliment and Balance Each Other
There are some colors in the color wheel that are diametrically different from one another, but are strangely complimentary. For instance, orange and green might not sound like the shades you want to put together in one piece of jewelry, but if you do, you will realize how well they flatter one another. Neither of them offsets nor subdues the other. Resultantly, they strike a balance which is aesthetically uplifting.
Colors That Are Analogous to One Another
Analogous shades are those that are visibly different from one another, but have some things in common. They appear adjacently in the color wheel and thereby easy to identify. Red and orange is a classic example of an analogous pair. Similarly, green and blue is another combination that works pretty well together. Rubies and citrines for the former and emerald and sapphire for the latter bring out the right color play.
Monochromatic Shades
If you are not too much into polar opposite shades, then a monochromatic combination might work for you. Monochromatic hues are different shades of a particular color. If you are thinking blue, then make an assemblage with blue sapphire, blue topaz, aquamarine and tanzanite. They each bear a distinctly different shade of blue that come together to create a fine combination. For purples, gems like amethyst and tanzanite work great, whereas emeralds and peridots make the right picks for greens.
Split Complimentary Hues
There are some colors that despite being different, create a warm combination of tones. For instance, if you bring together pink tourmaline and sapphire in a yellow gold frame, it whips up a beautiful montage of pink, yellow and blue, colors that are strikingly opposite, but very harmonious together. The shades somehow cancel out the conflicts and bring a certain fluidity to the suite.
