Platinum is more durable than gold. Over time, platinum simply doesn't wear away anywhere near as fast as white gold or other gold alloys, despite the fact that the actual surface hardness and stiffness of the white gold may seem much higher.

• Platinum costs more than gold or white gold

• Platinum requires special skills and tools to work with. The image above shows a platinum wedding band just after pre-polishing work was done on a lathe. The ring is already so polished it shows a reflection of the photographer taking the picture, even though it is spinning around at thousands of rpm.

• Platinum has an extremely high melting temperature. In its purest form it melts at 3214 degrees F, almost twice the temperature needed to melt 14 karat gold.

• All the platinum ever mined would produce a cube 17 feet on each side, less than 5000 cubic feet.

• It takes up to 10 tons of ore to produce one ounce of platinum, more than twice as much ore that is typically needed for an ounce of gold.

• Platinum is not susceptible to problems like stress corrosion or stress cracking as can be the case with white gold. (This problem mainly applies to prong settings etc. Don't worry, your white gold wedding band will not suffer this problem).

• Because working with it requires different tools and skills, and normally a greater degree of skill and workmanship than gold, a platinum jewelry design will take longer to make than a gold one.

• Platinum will not oxidize or change color over time like gold.

• Platinum family consists of some other metals namely palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, iridium and osmium. These six metals are used along with platinum to make jewelry. These metals are mixed together with pure platinum to make stunning designs and long lasting jewelry pieces.

• Silvery soft metal ‘palladium’ is often alloyed with yellow gold to produce white gold. ‘Rhodium’, another white metal is used as a plating finish for platinum jewelry and ‘ruthenium’, a grayish metal with a high resistance to wear and is alloyed for various pieces of jewelry.

• Platinum is a rare precious metal used to create fine jewelry.

• Durability and sturdiness make platinum a metal that is desirable for constant use. Platinum is stronger, wears better and durable and requires less service.

• Platinum also has benefits of holding fine gemstones firmly in place and makes the jewelry long lasting.

• Platinum can be used with gold for bringing up a rich color variation and good with diamonds as its natural white luster provides a rich backdrop for diamonds.

• Platinum is just as elegant when made alone to create a piece of jewelry.

• Most platinum jewelry is 95% pure and it does not cause allergic reactions. Its purity makes it the perfect jewelry option for people with sensitive skin. People who suffer from allergic reactions with gold jewelry can wear platinum with ease.

• Platinum is rarely mixed with other alloys to create jewelry and is more pure than gold.

There are some myths about platinum that it is difficult to work with but the reality is that anyone with a little experience can learn to work in platinum, while it is true that working in platinum require extra time in the finishing process. Another misconception is that platinum jewelry must be plated with rhodium normally while platinum by itself is white enough so rhodium plating is not necessary.

No. White gold and platinum have their own properties which make them unique. The following white gold information and platinum information show you the difference between the two metals. Platinum is a white metal, but unlike gold it is used in jewelry in almost its pure form (approximately 95% pure). Platinum is extremely long wearing and is very white, so it does not need to be Rhodium plated like white gold. Platinum is very dense (heavy), so a platinum ring will feel heavier than an 18kt gold ring. Platinum is, however, very expensive. A platinum ring will be approximately twice the price of an 18kt white gold ring (excluding gemstone costs). Platinum is significantly more costly than the exact same ring style crafted in White Gold...

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Platinum is a popular choice for fine jewelry settings. Then the early 20th century garland-style jewelry set predominantly with diamonds and Pearls brought platinum to the forefront. Jewelers discovered platinum could be worked very finely without losing shape, allowing the fabrication of incredibly delicate and durable jewels. At last, platinum had achieved the recognition it deserved as a precious metal, a distinction no one questions today.

Platinum is a very popular choice for a wedding ring. Platinum Wedding Rings are the modern choice for couples exchanging vows. Platinum is a perfect choice in metal for wedding rings for these reasons: Platinum is the rarest of the precious metals. It is the top of the market for wedding rings. Platinum has a rich, clean color. The color is similar to white gold but with a purer light color, as a good platinum wedding ring is not a mix of metals but pure platinum.

The Origin of Platinum

In nature it is generally found as part of the so-called Platinum Group Metals (PGMs) and together with other metals such as gold, nickel or copper. The PGMs are Platinum (Pt), Palladium (Pd), Rhodium (Rh), Ruthenium (Ru), Iridium (Ir) and Osmium (Os). Platinum and Palladium are the most important of the PGMs. Platinum is known as the environmental metal. As a matter of fact, approximately 20% of the goods manufactured in the world contain platinum or are produced using platinum.

The word platinum sometimes enjoys a cache higher even than gold, as platinum albums and platinum credit cards attest. However, widespread knowledge of the white metal stretches back only a few hundred years, versus thousands for gold. Despite being worked with some skill by South American Indians over 1,000 years ago, it was not until after the Spanish conquest of the New World during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries that news reached Europe of a new white metal with unusual properties.

History of Platinum

Platinum appeared on a casket made by ancient Egyptians a few millennia ago, but small amounts of platinum are found with almost all native gold so this appearance could have been accidental. The Pre-Colombian Incas of Ecuador also used platinum, but their fabricating techniques mysteriously disappeared when the Spanish Conquistadores arrived. In ancient Egypt where the remarkable metalsmiths of that time became extremely skilled in the art of working with platinum. A 2500 year old coffin of an Egyptian High Priestess was discovered, decorated with platinum hieroglyphs. Their polish and luster were still perfect, giving dramatic proof of...

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Platinum Prices
Platinum is a more expensive metal than gold as it’s a more rare metal and there are difficulties involved with mining it, which also adds to its price. Platinum is also used in a much higher concentrations in jewelry than the proportion of gold used in jewelry. The platinum alloy used in jewelry consists of 85% to 95% platinum, that’s 850 to 950 parts platinum for every thousand parts. Gold jewelry conversely generally uses a maximum of 75% or 750 parts gold per thousand parts for 18ct jewelry, or less gold for 14ct, 10ct or 9ct jewelry. While traditionally platinum was mixed with an alloy of gold, it is now combined with another member of the platinum family such as palladium or iridium which helps to retain its whiteness. Palladium is also more expensive than gold and it has a metal price more comparable with platinum than gold. This change in alloy mix has also contributed to raising the price of platinum...

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Shopping and Caring for Your Platinum Jewelry

When shopping for platinum jewelry, it is important to know how much platinum is in the particular piece. The amount of pure platinum in any piece of jewelry per thousand parts implies the amount of platinum content. The jewelry piece that has 950 parts per thousand of pure platinum is labeled as platinum. Platinum is a good choice for buying, as it is very strong and long lasting. Platinum is an excellent setting for diamonds and other precious stones. Also, platinum is more pure than any other precious metal like gold and it is hypoallergenic. Platinum jewelry should be kept in separate jewelry box away from other metals. Platinum can be maintained in the same way as gold and can be cleaned with a soft brush to get off any dirt. It is better to avoid wearing jewelry during manual work as this may damage the precious ones. It also has long lasting qualities and keeps up its luster longer making it a good option for buying.

Back to 'All About Platinum' Summary
Platinum, is more precious, and more enduring than gold. Platinum is a completely different metal, which is found naturally in the earth. It is relatively rare, about 35 times rarer than gold. Platinum jewelry is made from very pure platinum. The word platinum sometimes enjoys a cache higher even than gold, as platinum albums and platinum credit cards attest. However, widespread knowledge of the white metal stretches back only a few hundred years, versus thousands for gold...

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