platinum vs. gold head

[Hara]

Hi guys,

I finally gopt my ring and it''s gorgous. We ordered it to be made with a platinum head and prongs for durability.

I was thinking of getting the diamond reset a tad bit higher and I went to see another jewler for a consultation(as I am out of town and can''t go to my own jewler). What they told me is that platinum is actually softer than 19k gold and more likely to bend and lose shape than gold and thus, it''s more likely i''ll lose my diamond with platinum prongs than with gold prongs. They also told me that the platinum used may not have been pure and that ill never know what the percentage of the other alloys is so its safer to redo in gold...

I have always read that platinum is stronger than gold, and that regardless, 14k gold would be stronger than 19k gold anyday... why are they suggesting i get the prongs redone in 19k gold? any advice?

 

[TheDoctor]

Whoever this jeweller is, listen to them, they speak the truth.
Vicker''s Hardness of cast 950 platinum/ruthenium..130
Vicker''s Hardness of 19 karat white gold produced by either of the 2 North American refiners producing it...

238

 

[stone-cold11]

There is a difference between hardness and toughness.

Gold alloy might be harder, but Pt are less likely to snap.

 

[Hara]

i dont know the difference between hardness and toughess... when it comes to prongs holding up a diamond, which material is the least likely to give/break/bend?
and how is 19k gold stronger than platinum? i always thought the purer the gold, the softer and more malleable it is?

 

[stone-cold11]

Depends on the alloying metals and conditions used, the properties will be different. So even some Pt alloy can be harder than some gold alloy.

Pt prongs are less likely to break/snap off, but it will bend.

 

[Richard Sherwood]

A platinum prong will "give" but not usually break when suddenly stressed.

A white gold prong tends to be more brittle, and more likely to "snap" when suddenly stressed.

In my experience, stone loss is less likely with a platinum setting than a white gold setting, 19 karat or otherwise.

Basically what Stone Cold said.

(Not to malign gold. It is a more than adequate metal under most circumstances. I just consider platinum superior.)

 

[tallchickbarbara]

Date: 7/17/2009 10:32:55 PM
Author: Richard Sherwood
A platinum prong will ''give'' but not usually break when suddenly stressed.

A white gold prong tends to be more brittle, and more likely to ''snap'' when suddenly stressed.

In my experience, stone loss is less likely with a platinum setting than a white gold setting, 19 karat or otherwise.

Basically what Stone Cold said.

(Not to malign gold. It is a more than adequate metal under most circumstances. I just consider platinum superior.)

Big time thritto.