Pictures of platinum "patina"?

[BigToque]

I am pretty sure I''ve decided to get a Gelin Abaci tension set ring (tr-103), but I haven''t decided on whether or not I want the platinum or 18K white gold.

I''m more leaning towards the platinum because I like the weight and the polish and I wouldn''t want to be bothered with getting the gold re-plated every few months, but I''m weary about the "patina" that will form from the scratches on the platinum.

I''d really like to see some pictures of what it looks like so I can make my decision.

I''ve searched the forums and I''ve only found 1 picture so far and it doesn''t really give me a clear idea of what it looks like.

 

[kenny]

Have you decided if you want your platinum plated?
I think most people do to give it a bright mirror-like finish. (Or is that just white gold?)
It will make a big difference in the future patina.

I think brushed and unplated is the most attractive to my eye.
I like the dull industrial look myself.
Also I think it is more likely to remain looking the same after years of wear than any other platinum finish.

 

[BigToque]

You''re refering to getting the platinum plated with rhodium?

I wouldn''t want to get it plated, since that''s one of the reasons I don''t want the white gold.

 

[door knob solitaire]

Big T,

Hi I had the same problem you are having. I visited a jeweler who does nothing but platinum...told him my concerns as you stated were yours, he yelled for his wife and she came out with the attitude, here we go again...stuck out her hand and on it was a platinum ring in all its patina glory!

I said, "ohhhh?"...she said "Honey I love my ring this way...yadda yadda yadda." I opened my change purse and dug through the nickels I had...found one that was well worn...put it up close to her platinum and viola! It matched-finish wise. Well, to my eye it did. If that helps you visualize what some paltinum will look like with well Patina, than it was worth writing.

I realize I am treading on thin ice with this insight (Nickels, Silver and Patinum are not even close to being similar...). There are many great artisians here that work in nothing but Platinum, I should have just watched this subject unfold. But I never got an answer that was satisfactory to me...until the afore mentioned nickel test.

Let the experts

correct me and we will both learn from this.

DKS

PS. I will not consider anything BUT platinum on my soon design. I have been holding my old yellow gold ring I wore for only 7 years...the bottom of the shank is as thin as paper. Had it been platinum...I wouldn''t notice any difference in the shanks thickness for even 70 years to come!

 

[kenny]

So do you have in mind a brushed or polished finish?

 

[ame]

I would strongly advise against plating your platinum. It''s unnecessary for one thing...

I have one ring I have let get the patina going and it''s still shiny even with scratches, the others I keep high polished and they look brand new. Some I have had for a coupla years and they have some wear but every polishing takes the wear right out.

 

[ecf8503]

Date: 10/25/2005 12:17:01 PM
Author:BigToque
I wouldn''t want to be bothered with getting the gold re-plated every few months, but I''m weary about the ''patina'' that will form from the scratches on the platinum.

Not all white gold needs to be replated every few months. There are a lot of variables that factor into that - the alloy of the gold itself (there are some that produce a whiter base metal to start with, such as a palladium alloy, that some people claim NEVER needs to be plated AT ALL), body chemistry, quality of the rhodium plating initally applied by the maker, etc.

This is just my opinion, but I prefer white gold. I don''t like the weight of platinum (and GA tension rings are much bulkier than I ever expected them to be when I tried them on in person, so a lot of platinum there), and I really don''t like the darker, more steely-blue alloys, especially after they get the patina going. To my eye, it just doesn''t do anything for the diamond. Just my opinion.

I don''t know what alloys GA uses for their platinums and white golds, but it may be worth looking into. GA may also recommend one metal over another depending on which style you like, what the stone and ring sizes are, etc.

 

[soulsis]

My thoughts exactly. I have always had white gold and have never needed to have my dipped or plated. I don''t know if it''s because it is all 18kt though??

 

[mrssalvo]

Here''s an old thread with some pictures

 

[BigToque]

Here''s an old thread with some pictures

This is the thread that I saw the pictures in. Are there no others on this or any other website?

 

[mrssalvo]

I don't know of any other pictures. why not try going to an estate or antique jeweler to see if they have some rings with patina for you to see in person. pictures aren't really going to show the true look anyway.

 

[kenny]

Does anyone know of websites for good antique jewelry?

I''ll bet you''ll find pleny of examples of platinum patina there.

 

[mrssalvo]

here's a few:


www.faycullen.com
antiquejewelryonline.com
www.estatediamondjewelry.com
www.artofplatinum.com
www.goantiques.com
http://www.dahneandweinstein.com
www.wannabuyawatch.com/
' target="_blank">antiqueengagementrings.com/


nelsonrarities

 

[Kaleigh]

Yes here are some:

www.estatediamondjewelry.com
www.stardustantiques.com
www.nelsonrarities.com
www.antiqueandestate.com
www.rauanatiques.com
www.faycullen.com

 

[Kaleigh]

You are quick mrssalvo!!

 

[mrssalvo]

Date: 10/25/2005 1:51:37 PM
Author: kaleigh
You are quick mrssalvo!!

hehe, you too. i think we were posting at the same time with almost identical info

you know what they say about great minds thinking alike

 

[widget]

Your question inspired me to go out and play with my camera!

Here are super closeups of my plat ring...which is about 8-yrs-old. The bottom of the shank is considerably more "beaten up" than the shoulders...

widget

 

[ame]

If I get time tonight Ill try to snap a photo of t he ring I have a patina on.

 

[widget]

Here are similar shots, taken from a more realistic distance:

 

[widget]

Speaking of antiques...here''s a pic of the shanks of two rings from the ''20s/''30s...to my knowledge they''ve never been sized..

They''re shinier than my contemporary one above! Go figure...

widget

 

[valeria101]

Check this out!

Remember that gold is supposed to take more beating and pure gold is soft.. etc. Down this link is a wide band ring made of gold and platinum strypes fused together (a tricky thing, btw - but this is Niessing). It is pretty worn, and the gold strypes show just a bit more ''wear''.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Date: 10/26/2005 5:05:53 PM
Author: valeria101
Check this out!

Remember that gold is supposed to take more beating and pure gold is soft.. etc. Down this link is a wide band ring made of gold and platinum strypes fused together (a tricky thing, btw - but this is Niessing). It is pretty worn, and the gold strypes show just a bit more ''wear''.

Good example Ana.

I think that image shows that the platinum bruises where as the gold dents.

Pltinum is still not as white as silver -it is a nice stainless steel color, where as nice white gold is the color of nickel coins

 

[movie zombie]

geez, ana, that ring just doesn''t look that much different between the gold and the white!

so why do people keep insisting that high gold just isn''t appropriate for my spess?! is it that most are inexperienced in working with it and/or its more difficult?

and re platinum: reading another thread brought up that not all platinum is created equal...is mixed with different amounts of platinum and a different metal. could that be the reason there is a difference in patina on different rings?

peace, movie zombie

 

[movie zombie]

there''s a pretty good ''dent'' in the platinum band to the right of the gold middle band...or that is one heck of a bruise!

i''m not particularly fond of the ring but i do like the illustration of gold and platinum together and the effects of wear.

peace, movie zombie

 

[tawn]

My new ring is Platinum, and the main reason that I went that direction is that I like to wear my rings 24/7 and I tend to wear the shank of my gold rings through. I haven''t had time to build up any patina on the new set yet! I have an engraved Plat band from 1942, and it''s a beautiful color! But, hard to capture in a photo!

I have had to have the bottom part of the shank replaced in almost every gold ring I''ve ever had. I have 2 really thick gold bands that have stood up to my abuse, but everything else eventually just wears thin at the bottom. My mom''s 18K set (which is one of those stay shiny for 40yrs without ever being replated) is paper thin at the back as well. I guess I just like the fact that plat is going to stay wear it is, patina, scratches, and dents withstanding! It''s not going to wear away like my gold seems to do!