"Grant Erwin" wrote: (clip) I'm looking for a
clean joint that isn't obtrusive looking, so bright silver solder is out.
(clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^
Jewelers use solders which match various shades of gold. Since you say you
are "lousy" at soldering, you could probably get it done for you by a
jeweler, maybe for less than the cost of a length of the appropriate solder.
The ability to make a solder joint that does not "stick out" depends not
only on a color match, but on a minimum amount of solder, cleanly flowed
into the joint, and nowhere else. This requires the right technique and
torch.