Yvonne Léon’s Two-Tone Jewels Make Mixing Metals A Breeze

By Brittany Siminitz | January 06, 2023

Have you been noticing an abundance of white gold in your social media feeds lately?

It appears that demand for white metals is picking up, with styles like silver statement pieces gaining ground, but dainty, curation-worthy styles—the ones we’ve been piling on in yellow gold—are cropping up too. If this doesn’t sound like something you’ve noticed, take a look at the high-profile figures you may follow on Instagram. We’re not by any means talking “so long gold, hello silver,” but there certainly seems to be a healthy dose of white metals on display in contrast to the gold rush that’s been dominating the last several years.

Which might bring some consumers a dilemma. After a half decade of collecting everything from charms to stud earrings to chain necklaces and more in yellow gold, how is one supposed to just start wearing white?

The simple answer is: You just do it. Because silly, antiquated rules such as the ones about mixing metals have no place in modern fashion—but old habits can be hard to break. And could it possibly be just human nature that people like all their stuff to match?

To be clear, now is not the time to abandon one’s yellow gold collection. There’s no telling how dominant the demand for white metals might be at this stage, and even if they were to make a full-blown comeback, in time the pendulum would swing back around, as it always does. But for those wanting to get ahead of the curve or to embrace something different from their usual fare, switching up their metals might be just the thing. And jewelry to bridge the contrasting styles offers an excellent first step.

For such a bridge, Parisian jeweler Yvonne Léon has the most beautiful offerings. So compelling are these jewels, in fact, that they might convince even the biggest skeptics of mixing metals to jump in.

The brand’s mixed metal offerings range in style from the contemporary styles of the ’80s (see the deliciously chunky croissant-style ring) to pieces more akin to today’s most popular styles: dainty, stackable, cool. The latter sees chain bracelets and necklaces split down the middle by contrasting metals, like Cruella de Vil in yellow and white. Many are joined at the center with a colored gemstone, an addition that adds oomph to an everyday luxury.

For those just dipping their toes into mixing metals (and for everyone else), these are ideal pieces to show them.