What touches the skin in gold over silver is the gold exterior, not the silver base, and the base itself is sterling, one of the more inert alloys used in jewelry, so both layers work in favor of skin compatibility.
A Storied Heritage
Renaissance Italian jewelers built settings that showcased the gem from multiple planes: prongs, collets, and sculptural metalwork that positioned the stone within the piece rather than resting it on top. This technique established a three-dimensional relationship between metal and gem that redefined what a setting could do.
Industry Insight
If you've ever looked at the back of a necklace and wondered what that small claw-shaped piece of hardware is, it's the lobster clasp, an oblong body with a hinged, spring-tensioned gate on one side. It serves as the standard closure on most fine jewelry today.