In a way this is true, but not exactly correct. If the gold content meets their strict requirements, they stamp it with the corresponding hallmarking symbol. What Type of Engagement Ring Is Best? Well, that’s what we’re here to explain to you, and what the pros and cons are of each. So, if you have a ring made of 18K white gold and an identical sized one made of platinum, the platinum ring will be almost one and half times heavier than the white gold ring. January's Birthstone Meaning. Over time platinum develops a natural patina, which many people find just as attractive as a polished finish. For diamond engagement rings or wedding rings, the popularity of platinum and white gold has increased dramatically in recent years. Hardness and Malleability. White gold alloys can be used for different purposes; while a gold-nickel alloy is hard, strong and therefore good for rings and pins, white gold-palladium alloys are soft, pliable and good for white gold gemstone settings. White gold consists more of a mixture of durable metals like nickel, zinc and copper while platinum is more pure with 95-98% platinum composition. White gold is whiter and brighter than platinum, which has a more opaque color. The gold carat weights most commonly seen in jewellery are 9K, 14K and 18K: In the UK, all gold jewellery items above 1 gram in weight must be hallmarked. Effectively your net platinum weight will not change over time, due to scratching. Read our comprehensive Hallmarking article if you’d like to learn more. In addition, white gold pieces are often covered with a thin plating of rhodium, a platinum group metal, for strengthening and a whiter appearance. Platinum is 60% more dense than Gold. Platinum is rare. Gold is quite expensive ($1,623 per oz on Jul 28, 2012). This process is called "flotation" or "mineral beneficialness". The main difference between platinum and white gold is on how they are formed; platinum is a pure metal while white gold is an alloy. 1. It tells you how much gold is in your jewellery. 9K Gold VS 18K Gold - What is the difference between 9K and 18K gold? Measured in parts per thousand, platinum jewelry is typically 850-999 parts pure platinum (85%-99.9%), with the remainder made up of other metals. While the key differences between these two precious metals are composition and price, they look nearly identical to the naked eye. However, unlike gold, platinum is very heavy, up to one third heavier than 18 karat gold. Platinum is the original luxury precious metal of choice. Why not follow us on Facebook and Instagram? Differences Between White Gold and Platinum. Visit TheDiamondStore.co.uk to view beautiful platinum and white gold jewellery. Platinum is also denser and therefore more heavy than the same size ring in gold. This “ridging” is natural, as the metal gets pushed to one side and another while the jewellery’s owner wears it. It’s platinum’s rarity that makes it generally more valuable than white gold, hence the higher price tag. White gold is made by alloying yellow gold with metals like nickel, palladium etc in different proportions. Because of its hardness, platinum can be used in a purer form than gold. The "clever and beautiful" diamond jewellery setting, The 10 Engagement Rings of the British Royal Family, How Many Sapphire Colours Are There? The more that is added, the more the price will increase. The highest quality white gold is usually at least 17 karat, and made up of gold and palladium, sometimes with trace levels of platinum for weight and durability. Pros: Palladium is slightly harder than platinum on the Mohs scale and is slightly more scratch resistant than platinum. What diamond cut is best for my engagement ring? You may have heard the term “carat”, abbreviated with the letter ‘K’. And even when you think you have some sort of idea about the differences between these two metals, choosing one over the other can seem quite impossible. White gold is usually coated with rhodium, which gives it a nice shine. Platinum does not lose metal when scratched, the metal is only displaced. Platinum is a natural white metal, while white gold is given its color artificially by alloying gold with silver or palladium and by adding rhodium plating to it. COLOR. Platinum has a natural white color with a tinge of bluish hue. Ten tons of platinum ore is required to process a single ounce of pure platinum. This measurement is used to describe the purity of gold. White gold is chosen by many people due to its silver color, although it is sometimes more expensive when it is mixed with platinum or titanium. If pure gold was used on its own in jewellery, it would bend out of shape very quickly. The main advantage of white gold over platinum is that it is much more affordable. Read on to … < >. What actually happens is that while platinum doesn’t actually scratch (in the sense of losing particles), its surface can develop little bumps and ridges. SHOP engagement rings https://brls.uk/2s76K7iPlatinum or white gold engagement ring? 10 FACTS: Revisiting Kate Middleton’s Engagement Ring. It is highly reflective and is not subject to tarnish. Platinum and white gold are two altogether different metals. In Great Britain, all hallmarking is carried out by Government Assay Offices. White gold isn't as pure or durable. Platinum is somewhat whiter, somewhat stronger, and definitely more expensive than white gold. So if 18-karat yellow gold is made with 75% gold and 25% other metals like cooper and zinc, 18- white gold is made of 75% gold mixed with 25% of whiter metals, like silver and palladium. For this reason, both yellow gold and white gold have to be mixed with harder alloy metals, to make them more rigid and durable in jewellery. Platinum and white gold resemble each other aesthetically, but differ in composition, density, hardness and other properties. Platinum jewellery, on the other hand, is initially more expensive than white gold, which can be limiting if you’re on a low budget. We have often been asked by customers what the differences are between white gold and platinum. What’s the difference, we hear you asking? White gold has the same properties as yellow gold. Most wedding rings or engagement rings Philippines are manufactured from among three metals: platinum, white gold or yellow gold. Platinum is more dense than gold, and by law jewelry that is labeled “platinum” must be at least 95% pure platinum, so a platinum ring will weigh, and therefore cost, more that a gold ring of the same size. Although white gold and platinum look similar, sharing a silvery hue, the two are actually quite different in terms of color, durability, and price. White Gold. However, the disadvantage is that you may need to have your white gold item recoated in rhodium every so often. Web. ($45,236 per kg and $1,407 per oz on Jul 28, 2012). Unlike white gold, both platinum and palladium are not rhodium plated since they are naturally a bright white color. Nickel used to be a very popular metal used to create white gold, but is no longer used as much since there were studies [1] showing its adverse effects. Platinum is 30 times rarer than gold. Your Wedding and Engagement Ring On Which Finger? This is. Compared to platinum, palladium jewelry is generally less expensive (about 0.6-0.8 times) and more in line with the cost of gold jewelry. What Is a Promise Ring and When Should You Give One? The rhodium in both white gold and platinum eventually wears off giving a dull grey look, but the shine can be replaced by re-plating the rhodium. Gold and platinum are the two most commonly used metals for engagement and wedding rings. Platinum is almost 3 times the rate of white gold. Platinum is not measured on a karat scale, but … This is also one reason which makes white gold cheaper than platinum. The main distinguishing physical characteristic between gold and platinum is color. 3 Best Ring Types. It’s made from yellow gold mixed with white metal alloys like palladium or silver. The difference in color between palladium and platinum is very minimal. Platinum: Density Platinum is a very dense metal and much heavier than gold. Platinum is used in jewellery, laboratory equipment, electrical contacts, dentistry, and automobile emissions control devices. At first glance, platinum, silver and white gold look virtually interchangeable. Platinum is a naturally occurring white metal. Nickel used to be a very popular metal used to create white gold, but is no longer used as much since there were studies [1] showing its adverse effects. Platinum is between 90 - 99% pure whereas 14K white gold is only 58.33% pure gold with the rest being alloys. Made by alloying naturally occuring yellow gold with other metals. Platinum is itself a white metal. This surface ridging in platinum jewellery is called “the patina of age”. White gold starts out as gold. Platinum is also more durable than gold, particularly when it is blended with a small percentage of Iridium or ruthenium to toughen it up, which is one of the reasons it is a popular choice for engagement rings. There are many precious metals such as gold, silver, diamond, platinum, and so on. Air is then blown through the mixture, enabling the grains of metal minerals to be separated from the rest of the mixture. White gold is created as an alloy of the naturally occurring gold with white metals like silver and palladium to get a white hue. Afterwards, it’s given a beautiful coating with a rare, silvery-white metal called rhodium. The reason why white gold is combined with alloys is because gold, as a metal, is extremely soft. When a piece of jewellery arrives at an Assay office, they examine it in their laboratory. As mentioned above, platinum will always stay white but white gold needs to be re-polished and re-plated occasionally to avoid a yellow hue. Any prices quoted in this article are meant as guidelines, not offers, and may change any time after the publishing. White gold became popular in the 1920's as an inexpensive alternative for platinum. He said you cannot tell the difference by looking at it. On the other hand, when Gold is micro-scratched, the Gold metal is actually removed. Platinum is denser, heavier and stronger than white gold. Being a Jeweler would he not be able to tell the difference between white gold and Platinum. Platinum is heavier (specific gravity: 21.4) than gold (specific gravity: 19.3). The two main differences between platinum and white gold are the composition and price. The greatest contrasts among platinum and white gold are that platinum is a normally white metal and is more thick and sturdy. White gold is has very high reflectivity and therefore shines much brighter and whiter when new. Guide to Buying Aquamarine Jewellery - 10 Facts, What is an Illusion Setting? This video discusses the differences between platinum and white gold: What factors have created this difference? Hardness is essentially the metal’s resistance to scratching and denting. However, when it comes to shopping for an engagement ring or wedding band, the differences between these similar-looking precious metals become quite pronounced, both in terms of quality and of price. Many people believe platinum is “scratch-proof”. Finally, both gold and platinum in their pure state can be scratched even with the nails; however, platinum is heavier and unlike gold, it is white by nature. Thank You Arlene Belk. So, two brand new, unworn rings, one platinum and one 18ct white gold would look very similar, indeed, many people would find it difficult to choose between them. The difference between platinum rings and white gold rings is that these so-called micro-scratches do not remove platinum from the ring. Platinum is also usually heavier than white gold. White Gold vs. Platinum rings are generally about 1 shade whiter than palladium, but there truly is a very small difference. Platinum is a naturally occurring white metal. White gold is also white because of the rhodium plating. However, it can be argued that platinum is better than white gold because it is more cost-effective in the long run (no need for recoating) and has better investment value in the long term. In its pure form, platinum is a soft metal and hence is very malleable, similar to gold. This article explains: Not everybody knows it, but white gold doesn’t exist naturally. White gold isn't rare since its base (yellow gold) isn't very rare. Nikhil Says: January 30th, 2014 at 1:28 pm. To renew the luster of a white gold ring, a small amount of metal is often added during polishing to replace the gold lost to scratching. Hence, the main difference between white gold and platinum is that platinum is a metal while white gold is an alloy. In order to obtain pure platinum, the ore is crushed, made into a slurry, and then mixed with a detergent containing 'collector' molecules. Platinum jewelry contains 90% to 95% of platinum and the remaining 10% to 5% is mixed with an alloy such as iridium or ruthenium. This means that knowing that platinum is one of the best precious metals is not enough. This is inconvenient and the cost can add up over the years. There are 3 primary factors to consider: Color, Weight, and Cost. It is viewed as something desirable. Platinum does not micro-scratch the same as Gold, but actually “furrows” instead. Both platinum and white gold have to be periodically re-plated to maintain the shine, although platinum can go longer without being replaced or re-plated.