less than 950 isn''t really Platinum??

[diamondlove]

Hi Guys,

I''ve been reading old threads on Platinum + alloy %s so I emailed Locke''s asking what percentage they use and they said 95% platinum and 5% iridium. From the threads I have read, it sounded like that mixture would be less durable causing it to scratch easier than other %s such as 10% iridium and 90% platinum.

Their response is this:

[ This would not make it Platinum.
By law, for this to be Platinum it must be 95%.
I will not be able to change the %''s.

Platinum''s legal percentages
and stamp are 950. This means
that it is 95% pure. ]


I have read on these old threads that other designers/manufacturers have used 10% irdium and still call it ''Platinum'' so I wanted to check with you experts out there and see if I''m receiving wrong information.

It''s honestly not a huge deal to me bc I''d prefer for them to use whatever mixture they are comfortable with and I haven''t researched extensively enough for me to feel comfortable in pushing a different formula when they are an established company who has been making their signature settings a certain way.

However, this is more for my personal knowledge and any other PSers out there. Are the statements above in fact true?

Thanks!!
DL

 

[belle]

less than 950 can''t be marked ''plat950'' that doesn''t mean it isn''t platinum. 800 parts per thousand of pure platinum is still platinum but it must be marked ''plat800''.

 

[pricescope]

Diamondlove, neither Pt950 nor Pt900 are pure platinum: both are alloys (there are no absolutely pure elements in nature).

Iridium is a noble metal of platinum group - very hard, brittle and has very high melting point. Higher content of Iridium will make the alloy harder and more difficult to work with and polish.

I would love to have a pure Ir ring. It would have bright-silver shine and very resistant to scratches but nobody found the way to produce it

 

[diamondlove]

Thanks guys. So then what are your thoughts regarding what they said about the ''legal percentage'' of Platinum is 950 -- it''s implying that anything less than 95% is not officially a ''platinum ring''. Actually by saying ''This would not make it Platinum,'' they are outright saying that anything below 95% isn''t a ''platinum'' ring. That''s what I find confusing especially because they are not a inexperienced vendor.

Am I reading what they wrote wrong? That was copied word for word by the way-- it was an email response.


Much appreciated,
DL

 

[belle]

Date: 6/16/2006 12:50:35 PM
Author: diamondlove
Thanks guys. So then what are your thoughts regarding what they said about the ''legal percentage'' of Platinum is 950 -- it''s implying that anything less than 95% is not officially a ''platinum ring''. Actually by saying ''This would not make it Platinum,'' they are outright saying that anything below 95% isn''t a ''platinum'' ring. That''s what I find confusing especially because they are not a inexperienced vendor.

Am I reading what they wrote wrong? That was copied word for word by the way-- it was an email response.


Much appreciated,
DL

you are not reading it wrong. it sounds like they are just ill informed.

 

[pricescope]

Here is a good summary on Pt alloys.

Pt900/Ir
Platinum 900/100 Iridium has been used in the United States and other countries for a long time. It used to be called Indio/Platinum and would be stamped IRIDPLAT in the U.S. Today it is stamped 900Pt, 900 Plat or Pt900. It is an excellent general purpose alloy.

....

Pt950/Ir
Platinum Iridium 950 is used in the U.S., Germany and Japan. It is a very good alloy for hand fabrication. Because of its low hardness, 80 HV, it is not really too suitable for casting. Cast pieces will scratch rapidly and tend to deform. Cast prongs can be easily bent and thus can loosen stones in the settings.

Also in this article:

P/lr 900/100
has been the "work-horse" of alloys in the U.S. It is a very good alloy, representing 100% PGM of which 900 is Platinum. It is also used in Germany and Japan.

To most jewelers, this alloy is a dream come true. It can be welded with the torch, it can be cast, machined and stamped. As it does not markedly oxidize no flux or pickle is required. It is ductile and malleable and an overall great alloy.
...
Pt/lr 950/50
In recent month, casters in the U.S. trying to comply with the world standard of 950/ 1000 platinum are using Pt/lr 950. This system has a Vickers hardness of about 80, and that can lead to castings that are quite soft. As a fabricating alloy, however, 95/5 Pt/lr can be made reasonably hard through cold-working.

 

[FireGoddess]

That''s like saying 10 or 14K gold isn''t gold.

Sure, can''t mark 10K gold as 14K gold, but like belle said, the marking is indicative of the % alloy mix, it''s still platinum anyway!

 

[diamondlove]

So I guess in Locke''s situation, the softness is not as big of a deal because they are hand making the setting rather than casting.

Thanks for the clarification on the issue.

 

[denverappraiser]

He’s right. Sort of. Unqualified use of the word 'platinum' must be 95% or greater.

Here’s the law he’s referring to. It’s the FTC Guidelines for the jewelry industry.
§ 23.7 Misuse of the words "platinum," "iridium," "palladium," "ruthenium," "rhodium," and "osmium."
(a) It is unfair or deceptive to use the words "platinum," "iridium," "palladium," "ruthenium," "rhodium," and "osmium," or any abbreviation to mark or describe all or part of an industry product if such marking or description misrepresents the product’s true composition. The Platinum Group Metals (PGM) are Platinum, Iridium, Palladium, Ruthenium, Rhodium, and Osmium.
(b) The following are examples of markings or descriptions that may be misleading:
(1) Use of the word "Platinum" or any abbreviation, without qualification, to describe all or part of an industry product that is not composed throughout of 950 parts per thousand pure Platinum.
(2) Use of the word "Platinum" or any abbreviation accompanied by a number indicating the parts per thousand of pure Platinum contained in the product without mention of the number of parts per thousand of other PGM contained in the product, to describe all or part of an industry product that is not composed throughout of at least 850 parts per thousand pure platinum, for example,"600Plat."
(3) Use of the word "Platinum" or any abbreviation thereof, to mark or describe any product that is not composed throughout of at least 500 parts per thousand pure Platinum

Belle, you are also right. If the number is attached, it can be as little as 50% by weight and still contain the word platinum or a related abbreviation in the description.

Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ISA NAJA
Professional Appraisals in Denver

 

[FireGoddess]

Right....so you can''t just stamp ''plat'' or ''platinum'' unless it''s 950, but you can have something that''s only 60% platinum and stamp it ''plat600''...that''s my interpretation, correct?

 

[diamondlove]

Thank you DA!
That helped a lot in that I feel better Locke''s wasn''t just giving out misinformation. I just don''t like it when a vendor gives out information if they are not certain of the facts themselves thereby misleading the average consumer who does NOT know to come to PS for verification.

So now I know that Locke''s was not making things up from thin air and that there is this requirement. I understand what they are saying now.

DL

 

[denverappraiser]

Firegoddes,

That's approximately my reading of it although for numbers less than 850 you must also indicate what the other metal is. One of the funny items about that rule is all of those other listed metals. Has anyone here ever heard of Osmium or Ruthenium being used for jewelry purposes? Why do you suppose they felt the need to specifically mention the marking rules for it? I'm with Leonid that a pure Iridium ring would be very cool. I'ld even be happy with 900Iridium/osmium.

Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ISA NAJA
Professional Appraisals in Denver

 

[Rod]

There was an article in the Tampa Tribune earlier this week about jewelers coming out with much lower levels of platinum mixed with, I believe cobalt and something else (it wasn''t irridium or palladium) and the platinum content would be more like 14 carat gold, as in around 58% platinum and the rest the other alloys. The article had questioned whether it could in fact be called platinum and it was determined it indeed could be called platinum with a lower number. So, be on the lookout for new lines of platinum jewelery coming out with lower levels of platinum.

Thought it was interesting...........