platinum snobs?

[TLS]

Why is it that people are so obsessed with platinum now. It''s so trendy right now. After people see the diamond one of the first questions are "is the setting platinum" and then it''s like you should feel bad or something if it is white gold instead of platinum.

right now I am having a hard time rationalizing the price difference here. I understand platinum is much more durable, long lasting, strong and much rarer and I am sure it is very beautiful, but I have read it gets that patina and looks dull after a while. How often would you have to take it in to get polished? as often as you would have to replace a rhodium finish on white gold?

I just don''t like the pressure that seems to be on women (and their boyfriends) nowadays to get platinum. If you are just getting a basic setting why fork over all the extra money, why not just get a platinum head. I can understand I guess if I found a setting I was in love with, but i am having a hard time finding a setting in platinum that seems that unique (without spending 1500 bucks).

Thoughts?

 

[belle]

i can''t wait to see the responses for this

.....lovin'' my 5yo, still bright, wear everyday, never take it off, never redipped 14kwg.

 

[YoungPapa]

TLS,

Buy white gold and tell everyone to jump off a tall building. My wife has a couple rings she wears and they''re all in white gold. Bracelets, earrings, pendants - all white gold. Platinum is in fashion but fashions change. Take the extra cash you save and sink it into the diamond or the honeymoon or stock in Bluenile. Just don''t cave to pressure for pressures sake.

 

[perry]

Buy 18K yellow gold and confuse the heck out of them.

 

[strmrdr]

I love yellow gold :}
white gold is a contradiction in terms.
There is a yen thing if im going with white it really should be silver or plat. gold is not white.

That said sometimes when buying stuff for others I will break that train of thought and get them white gold if that is what they like.

 

[pearcrazy]

As far as durability of white gold goes, my mother has worn her white gold wedding set almost every day of her life since 1959. It still looks great, she''s never had to have it polished or re-plated. The engagement ring does show some wear from the wedding ring rubbing against it, but to me, that''s just a sentimental sign of a long lasting marriage. I say go for the gold!!

My wedding set is in 14k yellow gold, probably more out of fashion than white gold, but I love it, I''m more of a yellow gold kinda gal anyway. I honestly can''t look at someone''s ring and tell the difference between white gold and platinum unless the two metals are side by side.

 

[belle]

hey strmrdr,
i REALLY like white gold!!

 

[jennalyns]

hi! most of the jewelry i own is white gold, and i love it! my mom''s wedding ring is white gold, never been plated or anything and still gorgeous after 26 years of wearing every day, all the time. several people told me when i started looking at rings that i HAD to go with platinum for the reasons everyone lists, but to me PT and WG look exactly the same, and i couldn''t justify the extra $$ just to be able to say it''s platinum.... i actually like the look of WG better after awhile, since platinum gets that patina that some people like, but i don''t. and, the setting i fell in love with happened to be white gold, and it would''ve cost over $1000 extra to get the same setting in PT. i don''t mind replating every so often, but i haven''t had to replate any of my WG jewelry yet (except for one that they polished the coating off in resizing)- i''ve had a necklace i wear ALL the time, even in the shower, for years, and it''s still bright white. bottom line, if you like platinum go with it, but i think it''s a LOT of extra money for not much visual difference (to me). it depends what you want. i think platinum is supposed to be higher quality, but the markup is not for me.

just like how some people drive porche''s, but i happily drive my mazda! each is good, depending on what you want.

 

[cflutist]

The Platinum Guild is sure doing a wonderful job marketing platinum huh !!!

p.s. all of my jewelry is yellow gold (some of it 24K from Asia) ... white metals just don''t look good on my skin.

 

[TLS]

thanks everyone for your feedback - and Jenn I drive a mazda too
you are all right, I need to not get caught up in this, let people think what they will....

i think they look exactly the same too, i can''t tell the difference, the only way i could tell the difference would be to feel which one is heavier. I am a rational person making an irrational purchase (actually my boyfriend is!) but I am trying to make it as "rational" as possible.

Kidding, i think diamonds are beautiful and I have found researching them extremely interesting, (though painful at times).... but sometimes I remind myself that I am going to put something on my finger that probably costs more than what my car is worth right now! and that is scary.

Thanks

 

[belle]

hey t, maybe you could buy another car. one that costs more than your ring, then you won''t feel so bad!!!

............(i can''t believe my ring might cost more than my car!

)

 

[windowshopper]

i am and have been a platinum snob my whole life --but not b/c its trendy:
its much whiter than white gold
it has an insane luster than white gold can never have
some high end jewelers like cartier in fact rhodium plate their white gold watches....as the allloys in the gold are never pure white and the gold can start to show the yellow tint
a well done execution will be beautiful no matter which metal but platinum is platinum

and platinum has been the primary choice of the legendary jewelers since it was "discovered"

 

[PhillipSchmidt]

I agree with two of you and can relate to those who like yellow gold.

White gold is the cheaper alternative. If your buying your ring to look good, then buy white gold because once it is rhodium plated nobody can tell.

It does get a better luster and it is harder. What you buy now will last longer, especially compared with the alloys used in WG these days.

Gold is gold, silver is silver, grass is green and never the twain should meet.

You get better value with platinum. It costs considerably more then gold to buy and takes a lot longer to fashion, so the higher cost is not markup or hype, in fact, it is more likely reduced to compete with white gold prices.

Platinum is %95 pure
WG is between %585 - %75 pure and often mixed with the pretty cheap alloys

If you want a good diamond shouldn''t you set it in a preciuos metal.

I am like my only two friends on this thread

I am a pourist with metals and I can''t wait to see low carat mixes and gold that is white, go out of fashion. I still make jewellery in white gold, because some 18k alloys today are a good metal. I rate metals by their durabilty, workabilty, and just how well the alloys mix, because I rate them from behind the bench. On the philosophical level though, I can''t see how a yellow metal discuised as white can ever stand up to a more precious, rare and intrinsically better suited to diamonds platinum.

I have an easier time making money from rings made in white gold then plat, so my view is not as biased at it seems.

Plat Plat Plat oi oi oi

 

[belle]

we''re all your friends, platinumsmith!!

even those of us who happen to own wg.
you don''t really want wg to go out of fashion.....platinum is one of the reasons it''s in fashion! there won''t be a time when you can only choose yellow gold or platinum, we''ll still have the "other" bright silvery choice.

 

[Jolie]

Platinum is better for people with allergies (a rhodium or other plating can wear down - not that it WILL wear down in any set period of time, but its a possibility). My mother had developed a bad allergy from a gold ring, and I didn''t want to take the chance that it runs in the family. Platinum won''t become brittle when exposed to clorine (such as in swimming pools or cleaners) like gold can. So there is a practical reason why some people prefer platinum. Also, some people may prefer to feel the "weight" of the platinum, which is a personal preference. Platinum is rarer than gold, and maybe there''s a psychological satisfaction in having it, such as people who pay for flawless or VVS1 because they have something rare. So it''s a personal choice, worth the extra money to some and not to others. But I wouldn''t call it "snobbery" per se (so says a platinum owner).

And I own a Mazda too. It''s getting on in years (''79 RX-7) but it''s still my sentimental favorite.

 

[Patty]

I went with a platinum head on my yellow gold ring because I didn''t want the prongs to ever yellow and I obviously will not have the yellow gold ring rhodium plated.

My three stone ring is 18k white gold with a palladium mix. It should not yellow and if it does, I''ll get it rhodium plated. I was looking at a ring during a conference at school yesterday and I thought, "Wow, that would be a pretty ring if the metal weren''t so dull looking." I''m sure it was platinum.

In an eternity ring, I think platinum is fine because there is not that much metal to get dull. But in a band, I prefer the white shiny gold.

 

[Jennifer5973]

Who cares what's "trendy"? Buy what you like.

For wedding rings I prefer platinum because I really love the extra weight--that's it. That's why I like it--not becasue I think it's "better" or more "in" than YG. I also like the patina it gets--some people don't. When we got engaged, yellow gold was THE rage--no one was getting platinum erings....my original set was in gold.

I love yellow gold and diamonds. Go with what you like and what looks good on you--that's my motto! I buy a lot of things that may be "in" or "out" or who knows--I buy them becasue I like them for me.

 

[windowshopper]

hurray jennifer5973

 

[PhillipSchmidt]

I really really want white gold to go out of fashion so that there can''t be any more debates like this, so I won''t get stressed about other people who barrack for the other team

Shame about that

Nah, 18w is a good metal. The old fashioned palladium and platinum mixes really have a lot going for them, and there is plenty of good metal around.

As a purist, I have to go with plat, but that is me, a purist - all my furniture is solid wood all my paintings are real and trends don''t conceren me at all. Things that are old, things that are real, and things that last, have more meaning for me. Same thing with diamonds.

 

[jennalyns]

TLS and Jolie- my poor mazda is a 94 and is not doing too well!

i only paid $900 for it (in japan!) so my ring will definitely be more expensive than my car. priorities, i guess.

my fiance is a car nut, he drives expensive cars, but no amount of his "educating" me on their better performance can convince me to spend over 30K on something i will undoubtedly use to hit many curbs with!

however, i do own a clarinet that cost more than my ring and car combined

(i'm a music teacher). so different strokes for different folks... go with the ring that sings to you when you put it on, and to heck with what anyone else thinks, whether it's white gold, platinum, yellow gold, steel, titanium, whatever!

no one really *needs* a diamond, so go with what makes you happy and don't feel pressured because of what people may think. my fiance gave me room for a much more expensive ring/bigger diamond, but because of my style and the ring that felt right, i went with one that, even with a drop-dead-gorgeous new diamond from whiteflash (which is being set by them as we speak, the anticipation is killing me!!!), cost less than $2K. it's perfect for me, it looks gorgeous, and i love it, because it's my style and my fiance gave it to me from his heart. on the flip side, if you have $50K to spend on a ring and that's what you really want, then go for it and be happy! IMHO, whether you spend $100 or $100,000, your ring will be perfect because of what it means to you.

-edited to add- if the ring i found had been set in platinum, i would've gone with it- i was looking for the style, didn't care what metal as long as it was white... i know the merits of platinum and i don't dislike it except for the patina that comes with wear, but i don't think there's anything wrong with white gold if you know what you're getting. i'm obviously not an expert, that's just my opinion.

 

[PhillipSchmidt]

Isn''t it crazy

 

[Aurora Borealis]

I undrestand why many PSers would prefer platinum...but that is because everyone on here is very educted on their diamonds and their precious metals and choose based on durability, color, weight, etc.

I can totally agree with the original poster about "platinum snobs" though. I think he/she''s referring to the fact that the general public doesn''t necessarily choose platinum for its merits but rather for its prestige, and sometimes think less of a ring if it is done instead in white gold.

 

[Christmas Eve Proposer]

Date: 12/1/2004 8:17:42 PM
Author:TLS
Why is it that people are so obsessed with platinum now. It's so trendy right now. After people see the diamond one of the first questions are 'is the setting platinum' and then it's like you should feel bad or something if it is white gold instead of platinum.


right now I am having a hard time rationalizing the price difference here. I understand platinum is much more durable, long lasting, strong and much rarer and I am sure it is very beautiful, but I have read it gets that patina and looks dull after a while. How often would you have to take it in to get polished? as often as you would have to replace a rhodium finish on white gold?


I just don't like the pressure that seems to be on women (and their boyfriends) nowadays to get platinum. If you are just getting a basic setting why fork over all the extra money, why not just get a platinum head. I can understand I guess if I found a setting I was in love with, but i am having a hard time finding a setting in platinum that seems that unique (without spending 1500 bucks).


Thoughts?

For me, the choice of platinum came down to the fact that going from white gold to platinum was only an extra 5% of the overall cost of the ring.

My budget is 10,000.00. About 8500.00 on the stone and 1500.00 on the setting (Platinum). I suppose I could have saved 500 bucks (5%) by going with white gold, but what's an extra 500 bucks when I'm spending 10 grand??

Plus...I thik it's cool because it weighs more.

 

[PhillipSchmidt]

You did well

 

[denverappraiser]

I have to confess, I like platinum.

Mostly it''s because of my taste for high quality craftsmanship. I really enjoy pieces where the skills of the designer and the craftsman are apparent. There are simply jobs that can be made in platinum that cannot be properly done in any other material and when jewelers really want to push the limits of their art, they tend to prefer working in platinum. Part of that is inherent in the nature of the material and part of that is in the perception of value and the way people price things. It’s difficult for a jeweler to charge (and get) $1000 in labor to make a silver ring, even if they do a fantastic job. There is a lot less resistance with platinum. The result is that the jewelers who do the best work and are trying to make a living doing it, make their finest pieces out of platinum.
Neil Beaty, GG ISA
Independent Appraisals in Denver

 

[fire&ice]

Of all the settings I have, my platinum one is my least favorite & the shows the most signs of abuse. Platinum - not again!

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 12/2/2004 10:55:17 AM
Author: fire&ice
Of all the settings I have, my platinum one is my least favorite & the shows the most signs of abuse. Platinum - not again!

Your eng/wedding (3 ct. ring) right? Do you wear any other non platinum rings as frequently?

 

[appletini]

I think this is a funny thread. In my research I discovered that platinum was the metal back in the days when the vintage/antinque rings were new. Platinum went off the market in WWII (could have been I, but I think II), b/c the govt needed it to make things for the war, thus gold by default became the metal used. But these days we have options. I''m a platinum girl and very hard on jewelry b/c I wear my favorite pieces everyday.

 

[Mara]

I don't think platinum is necessarily trendy, it was around wayyy back when as more popular for rings than gold but then the war changed all of that and they had to start getting creative with gold. Platinum has seemingly finally made it's comeback.

That said, I personally like white metals rather than golden, so I like silvers, white gold, platinums. I like the way *some* gold jewelry looks (mostly rose gold), but I don't like it on my skin, it blends too much. I tend to gravitate towards platinum overall, because I have had a few white gold rings and they seemed to bend and wear more easily than the platinum items I have and one got these really weird deep dents and scratches in it and I have no idea how. BUT platinum of course is not invincible, I would no way buy a plain platinum ring because of how easily it scuffs and scratches. However, my rings are eternity prong set melee with relatively little metal showing to be scratched, so I could use the additional strength of platinum to hold my stones safely. But a plain setting...I don't know that I would choose platinum. Or a plain setting for that matter just because it seems hard to find a metal that WON'T show that daily wear and tear over the years?

It IS funny that people do consider platinum to be the coolest thing around. One of our vendors was telling us this week that he got engaged and he was describing the ring and noted it was a 'diamond with a good cut in a nice ring. Platinum.' I was more interested in having him elaborate on the 'good cut'.....

 

[fire&ice]

Date: 12/2/2004 12:51

2 PM
Author: MichelleCarmen

Date: 12/2/2004 10:55:17 AM
Author: fire&ice
Of all the settings I have, my platinum one is my least favorite & the shows the most signs of abuse. Platinum - not again!

Your eng/wedding (3 ct. ring) right? Do you wear any other non platinum rings as frequently?

Yes, I wore my yellow gold solitaire for about 10 years. I wore my family ring (white gold) for 10 years. I''ve worn my 18k gold diamond wedding band for 20 years. After 3 years, my anniv. (yeah 3c) platinum ring looks the worse for the wear. And, I probably need to tend to it as somehow is got pitted.

This is just my experience. I don''t know why. I''m unsure I would buy another platinum setting. But, I do like diamonds set in white metal.