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Your Ring and Jewelry Properties

Should you purchase a platinum or gold wedding ring? To answer this question you should first know the differences between platinum and white gold metals and know what each of the metals are.

Platinum Metals

Platinum is a white metal. Platinum is used as an almost pure metal, which is approximately 95% pure, whereas white gold is only 75% pure in 18ct and only 58.5% pure in 14ct.

Since it is a white metal, platinum does not need to have the rhodium treatment, because it is already white and will always stay white.

Platinum is heavier (denser) than gold. You can feel a noticeable difference in weight between the same item made in platinum and gold.

Platinum’s best property as far as jewelry is concerned is its resistance to wear. Platinum wedding rings will still be in great condition many years after the equivalent gold item is worn away. This is amazing when you consider that platinum is relatively soft and bends easier than gold.

White Gold Metals

White gold is an alloy, or combination, of gold and white metals. White metals such as silver, nickel, palladium and platinum change the color of gold to a white color.

The properties of the white gold wedding ring or jewelry piece will depend upon which metals were mixed and the amount used. This means that white gold alloys can be custom made for specific purposes, for example, alloys using nickel are denser and stronger and can be used for wedding rings and pins. White alloys using palladium are less dense, more pliable, and can be used in creating settings to hold gemstones.

White gold is not literally white; it is a grayish steel-like color which is electroplated with rhodium. Rhodium plating makes the finished white gold jewelry piece look white, but it wears off and the plating should be replaced annually.

Platinum’s Properties

• natural white color
• looks better than white gold when it is old and scratched
• feels heavier than gold
• will wear better and last longer than gold
• is very expensive

White Gold’s Properties

• stronger than platinum yet lighter in weight
• more rigid than platinum
• half the price of platinum

So now that you know the difference between platium and white gold you can make a better informed decision when going to purchase that special piece of jewelry or wedding ring.