Platinum Ring

Platinum is one of the most popular and valuable metals in engagement and wedding rings. There are many reasons for this.

· Platinum has been a popular and sought-after jewelry metal for centuries and is pretty rare.

· Platinum is a quite durable and long-lasting metal, much more durable than many competitors such as gold, silver or palladium.

· Platinum is also hypoallergenic, which is a great advantage in jewelry making because many people are allergic to copper or nickel, which are often part of the different gold alloys used in jewelry.

Add to this its beautiful off-white color, long-lasting shine and strength, and it is obvious why platinum is so popular.

In this guide, let's delve deeper into the properties of this metal to see if platinum is the right material for your future engagement or wedding ring.

Platinum Alloy used in Jewelry

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Polished, reflective platinum wedding band by Mingtai. See it here.

Like most other metals, platinum used in jewelry is not 100% pure. Instead, several different metals are added to the platinum base to make it more malleable and machinable. This is because pure platinum is difficult to mold into complex designs because it is not feasible.

However, platinum alloys contain higher purity than gold alloys. Anything less than 80% platinum is not considered "platinum" in jewelry, and most alloys are between 85% and 95% pure. By comparison, 14k gold is only 58% pure gold or 18k gold is only 75% pure gold.

The other metals that make up the remaining 5% to 15% of platinum alloys are usually palladium, ruthenium, copper, rhodium, titanium or iridium. Among them, palladium and ruthenium tend to be the most popular, as they are the most effective at softening platinum and also complement its color.

Attention: Although platinum is hypoallergenic, copper can cause reactions in copper-sensitive people. Platinum alloys with large amounts of copper may still cause skin irritation and allergic reactions. However, this is highly unlikely, as the copper content is usually quite low, as too much copper can interfere with the color of platinum.

Platinum Engagement and Wedding Rings

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As one of the most popular choices, platinum rings come in many designs and styles to suit all tastes. The metal's workability means it can be designed to have a variety of finishes and pairs well with other gemstones and metals.

In terms of wedding ring finishes, some popular styles include brushed, matte, textured, hammered and satin to name a few. 

For engagement rings, platinum is a great choice if you are looking for a white metal. It is durable, suitable for everyday use and complements the center stone.

Platinum Color

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When it comes to color, one of platinum's defining features is its attractive white color. Platinum's off-white color has grown in popularity over the past few decades as a modern and popular choice and has steadily pushed yellow gold and rose gold further into the "vintage" and "classic" categories.

Both men and women tend to choose platinum because its modern color and feel suits many stylish styles. Platinum's shine is also pretty rich and long-lasting and requires minimal maintenance.

Durability and Service Life

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Platinum's hardness and durability are one of its biggest advantages over alternatives. Harder and more durable than gold, palladium, silver, and more malleable than titanium and tungsten, platinum exists in the perfect zone for excellent robustness and durability while still not having unrealistic hardness.

This means platinum has scratch resistant but can still be easily polished or resized. One of the best qualities of platinum is that it doesn't actually lose any volume when it's scratched. When most other metals are scratched, tiny pieces of them fall off. By contrast, platinum dents when scratched but retains its mass.

Platinum is also resistant to corrosion, and although it may develop a patina over time, it can also be fixed with a quick polish if the wearer doesn't like it.

Platinum's impressive durability makes it a pretty durable material, ideal for engagement and wedding rings. Not only can you rest assured that your platinum engagement ring will last "until death do you part," but it will also remain of high quality as a family heirloom for the next generation.

Care and Maintenance

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Of course, with its amazing durability, platinum is easier to work with than most other metals. While you'll need to take off your silver and gold rings almost every time you have to do some chores or lift something, you can be more carefree with a platinum ring.

Note that the ring design plays an important role here. For example, a shiny polished platinum ring will show more scratches than a ring with a matte or brushed finish. If the ring does look scratched or worn, you can take it to a professional to be polished and remove the small dents that make up the patina.

Still, even platinum can get scratched every once in a while, so it's wise to take it off when you're about to engage in manual labor or sports.

As far as storage is concerned, please list most other types of jewelry and it is best to keep platinum in a separate container or cloth bag. However, unlike most other metals and gemstones, this should primarily be to protect your jewelry from platinum jewelry. If gold rings or precious stones are accidentally struck by platinum rings, they can easily be scratched.

Cleaning platinum rings is also easier than cleaning other jewelry materials because of its durability and lack of artificial coating. Warm soapy water is usually sufficient, so there's no reason to risk using a strong detergent.

Platinum Rings vs. other popular White Metals

With platinum's popularity, more and more materials are being used as substitutes. This is understandable given platinum's high price and low supply. However, no metal is equal and there are significant differences between platinum and the most common alternatives. Let's take a look at some of the more popular:

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1- Platinum Ring and White Gold Ring

White gold is an alloy of natural gold with metals such as silver, palladium, manganese and nickel. It is much softer than platinum and usually has a thin rhodium plating that gives it a silvery white colour.

White gold is less durable, less hypoallergenic, requires more care, and more frequent rhodium plating maintenance. All white gold comes at a discount to platinum.

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2- Platinum Ring and Silver Ring

Silver is much cheaper than platinum, although it is also considered a precious metal. It is softer and less durable than platinum, and it tends to discolor and darken over time. It can also last for decades with proper care, but care is far more troublesome than platinum.

Silver is hypoallergenic, similar to platinum, but its alloys often contain zinc or nickel because these are meant to give it hardness and durability. Unfortunately, both zinc and nickel can cause skin irritation and allergic reactions.

Should you buy a Platinum Ring?

 There are many opinions about platinum, focusing on its durability, patina and price. In our opinion, if budget is an issue, we recommend sticking with white gold as it is cheaper than platinum. But if you're after the most prestigious metal and don't mind patina over time, go for platinum.


Post time: Oct-25-2022