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Facts about platinum jewellery
Useful Jewellery Tips
Remco
7 February 2023
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Platinum. When you mention the name of this precious metal, it is automatically associated with the word "expensive". But why is it so? We would like to tell you more about platinum, its advantages and disadvantages, and how to recognise a platinum jewellery.
What is platinum?
Platinum is a natural grey shiny precious metal and is also known as a very strong metal. Platinum jewellery wears out less quickly and always retains its beautiful white-grey colour and can therefore last a lifetime. Therefore, platinum is very durable. Because the metal is hypoallergenic, virtually eliminating possible allergic reactions when wearing platinum, it is also known as the metal without weaknesses.
How do I recognise platinum jewellery?
To make platinum suitable for processing, another metal is added to it to make an alloy. The purest form of the precious metal is too difficult to process. At DiamondsByMe, we add cobalt to the alloy to make it softer. This makes platinum slightly more pliable, but it is still difficult to process. This is why platinum has a longer delivery time than gold or silver. Since a metal contains a thousand particles, a platinum alloy consists of 950 particles of pure platinum and 50 particles of added metal. Therefore, platinum jewellery has an alloy content of 950. When you see this alloy stamped in a piece of jewellery, you know it is made of platinum.
What colour is platinum?
When you see platinum jewellery, you might recognise the metal as white gold at first glance. Yet there is a difference in colour between these two metals. White gold can be recognised by its silvery luster. Platinum, on the other hand, has a beautiful luster that can best be described as having shades of grey. A beautiful shade that exudes pure luxury and is also considered perhaps the most beautiful colour of precious metal. Moreover, platinum always retains its colour. This is unlike white gold, which regains its original yellowish colour over time due to wear and tear. Therefore, we recommend choosing one type of metal if you want to wear several rings side by side. So platinum rings or white gold rings.
For example, if you wear a platinum engagement ring, choose a platinum stacking ring when you get married.
Platinum versus white gold
In the previous section, we already mentioned some of the differences between platinum and white gold. The differences are as follows:
- White gold has a silvery-white luster, while platinum has a greyish luster.
- With platinum, an allergic reaction is almost impossible. With white gold, the chance of an allergic reaction, while still small, is slightly higher because the amount of nickel allowed in the alloy has been regulated for several years.
- When processed, platinum is soft but more yielding than gold, so that when damaged, the metal does not break as easily but rather bends.
- Platinum always retains its colour. In its natural form, white gold is slightly yellowish. To obtain the beautiful white gold colour, a layer of rhodium is added. Through wear and tear, this layer will eventually wear off and the jewellery will have to be re-rhodinated. Platinum is therefore more maintenance-friendly than white gold.
- Because platinum is a difficult metal to work, it takes the goldsmith longer to make platinum jewellery than white gold jewellery. This also applies to adjustments to a piece of jewellery, such as adjusting the ring size.
- Due to the higher density of platinum, a platinum ring will weigh more than the same ring made of gold.
Why choose platinum over gold?
The differences between the precious metals mentioned above will probably help you choose between gold or platinum. However, besides a personal preference for a particular metal, you may also prefer platinum because of your cultural background. For example, men who follow Islamic customs are not allowed to wear gold. In this case, platinum is a very suitable alternative. Women who follow Islamic customs, on the other hand, are allowed to wear gold. The beauty at DiamondsByMe is that you always have the choice of combining different models and precious metals in a set of Wedding rings. For example, a woman can opt for a gold wedding ring, and a man for a platinum men's ring.
Why is platinum so expensive?
This is not insignificant when considering gold or platinum: platinum is more expensive to process than gold. The factors taken into account when pricing the metal are that platinum is rarer than gold. However, it also has a higher density than gold, and a platinum alloy containing 950 particles is purer than, say, 18-carat gold, which contains 750 particles of pure gold. This means, for example, that to make a set of platinum earrings, 95% of the 1,000 particles will be pure platinum. For the same set of earrings in gold, "only" 75% of the 1,000 particles of pure gold will be processed in 18-carat gold. And of course, the processing of the metal has to be taken into account. Because platinum is a more difficult precious metal to work with, a goldsmith usually needs more time to make platinum jewellery, which means higher labour costs.
How do I care for my platinum jewellery?
A handmade piece of jewellery is meant to shine. At DiamondsByMe, we believe that a piece of jewellery should last at least a lifetime. Therefore, platinum jewellery will need proper maintenance from time to time. You can easily clean platinum jewellery with lukewarm water. For platinum jewellery with precious stones, be aware that detergent and soap residue can potentially get under the stone, which can have a detrimental effect on the shine of the stones. Read this for more tips on how to clean your own jewellery. We also recommend returning the jewellery to us for maintenance every few years. The ring will then be cleaned. If the jewellery contains gemstones, the settings will be checked and, if necessary, the settings will be strengthened or straightened. You can read more about this on our Lifetime Guarantee page.
Platinum jewellery made by the goldsmiths of DiamondsByMe
Now that you know a little more about platinum and the differences between platinum and white gold, you may find it a little easier to choose what suits you best. Whether you choose a platinum ring, platinum earrings or a beautiful platinum engagement ring, each piece of jewellery is crafted with care and love by one of our talented and highly skilled goldsmiths. And it will be a beautiful treasure for life.
