“Plain” yellow gold has gone the way of the mood ring and the rotary telephone, as the taste for stylish finishes and eye-catching surface textures grows into a full-blown trend. From mirror polish to painstaking granulation to soft, satiny surfaces, yellow gold can accommodate a range of looks and assume a variety of personas. It can be punk or prim, daring or delicate. It can mimic the sparkle of diamonds (for a fraction of the price) or take a hammered look that gives jewelry an authentic “Old World” charm.

But gold’s favorite finishes are the ones that have become traditions: high polish that pumps up the glam and satiny brushstrokes that invite touching. Yellow gold is “in” again, and these fascinating finishes give it a fresh take this time around the fashion cycle.