A mixture of white and yellow gold—or, at times, white and pink—is a departure from recent white vs. yellow battles. In an economic climate that’s likely to discourage budget-conscious shoppers from building two separate wardrobes—one in white and one in yellow—two-tone offers a flexible and fashionable option.

Not surprisingly, the combination of metals was popular among suppliers at early shows this season and is a safe bet for the second half of 2002. In the bridal category, two-tone rings offer a customer the freedom to mix and match her white and gold jewelry for a lifetime. For fashion, the mix of warm yellow and cool white makes sense for the diverse palette of colors on tap for fall and winter—from whites to classic black, and red to earth tones.