Not only can you. It's a look Chrissie Douglas actively recommends.
"Don't be concerned about having to match everything," she says. "A very cool look is to have mismatching things: gold and white metal, be it silver or white gold or platinum, and pearls."
Invert the question
Chrissie's instinct is to flip the question entirely. Rather than asking whether pearl earrings work with a gold necklace, ask whether a gold necklace works with pearl earrings.
"The pearl earrings will enhance you. They will make you look gorgeous. They will add to your glow. So when people say to you 'gosh, you're glowing today,' it's because they're reading the glow of your pearls and the glow of your skin in the same reading."
The pearl is doing the work. The gold necklace is supporting it.
The tired face test
There's a simple way to see this for yourself, and Chrissie suggests trying it on a morning when you need convincing.
"If you're feeling really tired and you need to go to work, put your pearls on. Make sure they're real: cultured or natural pearls. Don't try it with imitations, because imitations will just look blingy. If you put your pearls on a tired face, you will see that you look much better. Even though you're looking at yourself in the mirror, you're fooling your own eye into thinking you're looking better than you would otherwise without your pearls on."
It's a test that works precisely because a well-matched pearl responds to the skin beside it, not just the outfit around it.
Related: Pearl Colours: Which is Best for My Skin Tone?
One rule worth keeping
Mixing metals and pearls is encouraged. That said, mixing a metal necklace with a pearl necklace is not.
"Don't mix a metal necklace with a pearl necklace," says Chrissie. "Pearls are quite soft. Although they're very structurally sound, they can scratch easily. And a metal is much harder than the pearl surface."
This applies to pearl storage as well as wearing. Pearl necklaces should be kept away from metal chains, hard gemstones and anything that could graze the nacre surface. A soft pouch or silk-lined box is ideal.
So:
- Pearl earrings with a gold necklace – yes, absolutely.
- Pearl necklace layered against a metal chain – best avoided.
Finding your pearl earrings
The effect Chrissie describes (that particular glow) depends on the pearl being the right one for you. The right colour matched to your complexion makes all the difference between a pearl that flatters and one that simply sits there.
Fortunately, Coleman Douglas Pearls offers personal consultations with Chrissie to find exactly that. Book yours today to take the first step towards finding pearls that makes you glow.
