I spent years thinking I was a gold person, and then a chunky silver earring changed my mind. Silver looks cooler and a little more modern, and it's lovely with gray, navy, black and even camel. Mixing metals is fine, by the way. A silver cuff with a gold watch looks relaxed rather than wrong, as long as one metal clearly leads.

The pieces I like best have some shape to them, the kind you'd notice from across the table. Khaite's Visage earrings are silver-tone faces, a little strange and very good. Sophie Buhai's Medium Nouveau hoops are clean circles in sterling silver. Ann Demeulemeester's Mimmu earrings are long silver leaves that move when you turn your head.

For smaller shapes, Khaite's Small Empire earrings are neat little squares, and Cult Gaia's Serena earring is an open circle in antique silver at $168. Completedworks' Flower ear cuff is a flower shape in silver plate.

If you want to spend less, Jenny Bird's Rue earrings are $119, rounded and puffy, and the Gio ear cuff is $98. With earrings this sculptural, skip the necklace and pull your hair back.

A silver cuff is the piece I'd buy if I could only buy one. It works with a sweater pushed up the arm, a white shirt, or a bare wrist in summer. It also sits nicely over a fitted knit sleeve, which keeps it from sliding around.

Khaite's Cyclone bracelet in antique silver is stacked and ridged, and the Keefe bracelet is a smooth, wide shape at $1,280. Sophie Buhai's Katia 2 cuff is sterling silver with a line cut down the middle. Ann Demeulemeester's Dagvin cuff is thin with a leaf at one end, and Completedworks' silver-toned cuff looks like melted metal.

At the lower end, Jenny Bird's Yaya arm cuff is $130 and made to sit higher up the arm. The Dhani bracelet is a fine chain at $128. Gucci's Horsebit bracelet is a chunky chain with the brand's horsebit links.

Wear one cuff with a sweater, or stack two thin pieces on the same wrist. Anything more starts to clank.

Necklaces and rings are where silver gets quieter. A simple pendant or one strong ring is usually enough.

Khaite's Small Lotus pendant hangs on a fine chain, and Agmes's Marta pendant is sterling silver on a black cord at $370. Jenny Bird's Small Sundra pendant is a softer, cheaper take at $138. For something bolder, Jenny Bird's Nico collar is a chain of silver swirls, and Simkhai's Calla choker is a slim collar with a braided front at $125.

For rings, Lié Studio's Sofie ring is three bands looped together, and Cult Gaia's Rue mini ring and Celeste ring are both in antique silver, the Celeste shaped like a leaf.

Longer pendants sit nicely on a crewneck sweater, while a collar works best with an open neckline or a shirt unbuttoned a little.

Wear one bold piece and keep the rest simple. A statement collar with small earrings looks better than two big pieces fighting for attention.