I vote for both. (I am no help at all.) I currently own the light beige gold hardware caviar, and i haven't had any color transfer. From what I understand, if color transfer occurs, you can wipe it off with a baby wipe on caviar leather. please check other threads about this issue before trying it as I have not had to do this. The light beige is gorgeous but because of the gold hardware, I tend to mostly wear it with dressy outfits. A beige with silver hardware is more versatile, I think. I am hopeful that I will get a beige bag soon. I am currently on a waiting list for one of the dark beige St. Tropez bags. That one is not caviar, so I will have to be careful about color transfer. I agree with akillian24 that a beige bag goes with everything and is perfect for all seasons. Let us know what you decide. Every piece of C is truly gorgeous, so you cant go wrong.