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Germantown, TN 38138
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1) Is platinum the same as white gold? 2) White gold is cheaper and the same color as platinum. What's the difference? 3) Why is platinum's purity important to me? 4) Why does platinum cost so much more? 5) Does platinum scratch? 6) I've heard platinum is harder to work with. Can a ring be sized? 7) If platinum is so rare, will I be able to acquire more pieces down the road? 8) What do the marks inside my platinum jewelry stand for? 9) Are there other metals related to platinum? 10) How should I clean my platinum jewelry? 11) You said platinum is used in many forms. What are some other uses for platinum? 1) Is platinum the same as white gold? Not at all. White gold is yellow gold alloyed with nickel. It still has a yellowish tint until it is plated with a rhodium finish. It doesn't have the same purity, strength, durability, or rarity. Platinum stays in its natural white form from the ground. Platinum is approximately 60 times more rare than gold. 2) White gold is cheaper and the same color as platinum. What's the difference? They're both white, but quite different. While the white gold often has a faint yellow tinge, platinum is whiter. And its luminescence makes all the difference. Now feel it. 90% Platinum weighs 60% more than 14k gold. You can tell the difference even with a small wedding band. 3) Why is platinum's purity important to me? Platinum is hypoallergenic and resists tarnish, making it easy for sensitive people to wear. It is also impervious to acids. Platinum's purity makes it one of the strongest, most durable metals in the world. Platinum is malleable (easy to form) and ductile (capable of being hammered thin), making it almost as workable as gold. 4) Why does platinum cost so much more? Platinum costs more for several reasons, but the most obvious is that it is the ultimate precious metal. It is more pure than gold. Platinum is more rare. It takes more effort to get it out of the ground and to refine it. For example, in order to extract a single ounce of platinum, about 10 tons of ore need to be mined. After that, the refining process takes a full five months. To make a single small ring of approximately 3 grams requires approximately 1 ton of raw ore. The annual worldwide production of platinum amounts to some 160 tons, compared to about 1,500 tons of gold. 5) Does platinum scratch? Like all precious metals platinum does scratch though its tremendous density provides a strong barrier. With highly polished pieces, it may be easier to spot a scratch, because the contrast of the polish and the scratch is greater. Unlike most precious metals, platinum loses virtually no metal when scratched. It is merely displaced on the surface. Instead, platinum separates and makes way for the scratch. Over time, a natural patina develops, a matte luster many prefer to the "just polished" look. 6) I've heard platinum is harder to work with. Can a ring be sized? Platinum is different to work with, but not more difficult. Platinum requires a higher temperature than gold. It also takes multiple steps in simply refinishing an item. Like other metals, platinum can be sized and adjusted by a qualified bench jeweler. 7) If platinum is so rare, will I be able to acquire more pieces down the road? Platinum is quite rare, and while that does influence its price, a close eye is kept on supply and demand. The international mining producers will continue to mine and refine precious platinum. Demand for platinum is only increasing with time because of its many uses, not just in jewelry. 8) What do the marks inside my platinum jewelry stand for? You're familiar with the gold standard, where 24k = 100%. The platinum standard is based on parts per thousand, where 1000 parts = 100%. All platinum alloys are derived from this standard. 100-99% Platinum: This alloy is 999 parts per 1000 and 1 part other metal. Common quality marks are: Platinum, Plat, Pt999 95% Platinum: This alloy is 950 parts per 1000 and 50 parts other metals. Common quality marks are: Platinum, Pt, Pt950, 950Pt, 950Plat and Plat950. 90% Platinum: This alloy is 900 parts per 1000 and 100 parts other metals. Common quality marks are: Platinum, 900Pt, Pt900, and 900Plat. Notice “Platinum” appears in all of the lists. Government regulations only require the “Platinum” mark to be a minimum of 90%. 9) Are there other metals related to platinum? Six metals make up the platinum group metals family: 10) How should I clean my platinum jewelry? With the same care you clean other fine jewelry. Use a pre-packed jewelry cleaner or have your jeweler do it. As with all precious jewelry, store with care, separating pieces with soft cloth. Do not wear platinum jewelry during rough work or when handling harsh chemicals. Store it in a fabric-lined box away from other pieces so it does not get scratched. 11) You said platinum is used in many forms. What are some other uses for platinum? You probably don't even realize that your everday life is affected by platinum. Just a few of the uses you will find: |
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