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Platinum vs. White Gold

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Treasure43

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BF and I have found beautiful intricate settings with matching wedding bands in both plat. and white gold. We were told that the plat. is a bit duller but is better quality and works better with hand engraved settings. Both settings are hand engraved and the price difference isn''t an issue as much. Any thoughts on which one might be the better choice?
 

beach

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This is a toss up. Plat is easier to engrave but I have seen some plat rings smear over time and the engraving looks terrrible after a few years. Especially if the engraving rubs against another ring. Personally, I like plat better than white gold but when it comes to engraving, I have mixed feelings. I tend to avoid heavily engraved pieces so I don't have to worry about repair down the road. Hopefully, others will have different experiences and more info! Good luck!
 

stone-cold11

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Date: 3/28/2009 3:59:53 PM
Author: beach
This is a toss up. Plat is easier to engrave but I have seen some plat rings smear over time and the engraving looks terrrible after a few years. Especially if the engraving rubs against another ring. Personally, I like plat better than white gold but when it comes to engraving, I have mixed feelings. I tend to avoid heavily engraved pieces so I don''t have to worry about repair down the road. Hopefully, others will have different experiences and more info! Good luck!

Agreed. Smearing might be an issue with Pt. Pt is non-allergenic, so no chance of causing an allergic reaction from long contact but some people are allergic to WG or at least certain type of WG alloy. Pt prongs are safer and more secure for holding diamonds especially for paved type settings.
 

raz91

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also w WG you will have to replate with rhodium periodically (not expensive) but I wonder how that process will do with any of the engravings.

I prefer platinum because as others have mentioned it is more durable and hypo-allergenic. also when new it actually has the same shine as WG. It does acquire a grey patina over time but a WG will also start to get scratches and nicks as well that will dull the rhodium.
 

Camille

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I do prefer Platinum, don't mind sending to be polished to get rid of patina. As for white gold I love white gold [14 or 18k] with palladium alloy= heavy/durable/hypo-allergic/haven't rhodium plated my ring in two years, and I wear it daily, still crisp white.
 

diamondseeker2006

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I''d want platinum with ruthenium alloy or 18k white gold with palladium alloy. My personal preference is the platinum. My rings are over a year old and are not gray at all.
 

Treasure43

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Hmmm...perhaps we will go with platinum. The white gold setting is beautiful but so is the platinum...
 

atroop711

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Date: 3/28/2009 5:39:49 PM
Author: raz91
also w WG you will have to replate with rhodium periodically (not expensive) but I wonder how that process will do with any of the engravings.

I prefer platinum because as others have mentioned it is more durable and hypo-allergenic. also when new it actually has the same shine as WG. It does acquire a grey patina over time but a WG will also start to get scratches and nicks as well that will dull the rhodium.
raz yes some ppl need to replate but not all. All of my rings are WG and never had to replate any. My first e-ring was platinum and it looked horrible after a while. The scratches annoyed the heck out of me. My new setting was made WG and after 5 yrs still looks brand new. No replating needed.
 

DiamondFlame

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I''d go with platinum for intricately designed engravings. Would make for a nice family heirloom...
 

Treasure43

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I guess my only dissapointment was that the White gold set had tiny diamond chips in the side and micropave on the sides, where as the platinum did not. However the platinum was beautiful also.
 

Itgirl76

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I would go with PLAT...I became allergic to white gold...
7.gif

If money isn''t an issue I would go with the PLAT...also if you are hard on your rings/jewelry it is more durable.
 

Treasure43

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I heard plat. dings/scratches more easily and it can only be cleaned once a year. Is this true?
 

MMT

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I love the finish of my white gold rings but it looks like I''m in the minority
35.gif
 

grapegravity

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plat dents and white gold scratches.... and that''s why plat looks "smear" over time...

I would suggest 19kt white gold....
 

beach

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Date: 3/30/2009 7:28:19 AM
Author: Treasure43
I heard plat. dings/scratches more easily and it can only be cleaned once a year. Is this true?
You really don't ever need to clean platinum. Some people like the patina. I have never heard it can only be cleaned once a year though. Depends on your definition of cleaning. Plat does scratch easier and displaces/smears the metal. So you never actually lose platinum. If you get it polished, the platinum gets pushed back into place. However, when gold gets dents and scratches, the gold content is lost. It flakes away. Because platinum displaces easier, the intricate engravings will displace and smear easier too. Thus, not look so great over time.
 

Inanna

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Date: 3/30/2009 8:58:41 AM
Author: MMT
I love the finish of my white gold rings but it looks like I''m in the minority
35.gif

You''re not alone MMT. I prefer white gold to platinum, specifically 18k white gold with palladium alloy.

It''s really all a matter of personal preference. Platinum is stronger, but I really don''t like the patina platinum gets over time (some people love the patina though). I like my rings shiny! I also rhodium plate my WG rings every 6 months, which is more than necessary, but I like that "new" look.
 

John P

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Date: 3/30/2009 7:28:19 AM
Author: Treasure43
I heard plat. dings/scratches more easily and it can only be cleaned once a year. Is this true?
No. You can have platinum polished to its original appearance as often as you like with negligible loss of material due to its density.

Assuming the ring is well-made, a person's individual body chemistry and wear habits determine how often rhodium-plated WG will need replating. Wear habits also influence how fast platinum or palladium develop a patina (the patina is just microscopic nicks and scratches which can be polished out).

There are WG solutions which don't require rhodium-plating such as palladium-WG and the Stuller X-1 alloy. These are not as "white" as rhodium but are beautiful alternative WG options.

Some info and photos:
http://journal.pricescope.com/Articles/47/1/An-Overview-Of-Common-Alloys-Used-In-Jewelry.aspx
 

glitterata

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Even if you aren''t allergic to the nickel in white gold, you can develop an allergy. My best friend wore a white gold ring every day years, an heirloom from a favorite aunt. After a couple of decades of no problem at all, she developed a violent rash on her finger. Now if she handles anything with nickel in it--including paper clips--the rash comes back.

Since you''ll probably wear your wedding and engagement rings every day, I would recommend avoiding anything with nickel in it. You might not develop an allergy, but if you do you''ll hate it.

Engraving may smear on platinum over time, but it wears away on white gold. There are nickel-free white gold alloys, but I prefer the heft and look of platinum.
 

DiamondFlame

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Date: 3/30/2009 11:09:09 AM
Author: glitterata
..but I prefer the heft and look of platinum.
I'm with glitterata on this one. Platinum feels more 'substantial' and conveys a sense of security...something I would want for my diamond setting.

Btw out of curiosity, has anyone here had a diamond pop out of a platinum setting?
 

Mary K

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Date: 3/30/2009 10:39:27 AM
Author: John Pollard


Date: 3/30/2009 7:28:19 AM
Author: Treasure43
I heard plat. dings/scratches more easily and it can only be cleaned once a year. Is this true?
No. You can have platinum polished to its original appearance as often as you like with negligible loss of material due to its density.

Assuming the ring is well-made, a person''s individual body chemistry and wear habits determine how often rhodium-plated WG will need replating. Wear habits also influence how fast platinum or palladium develop a patina (the patina is just microscopic nicks and scratches which can be polished out).

There are WG solutions which don''t require rhodium-plating such as palladium-WG and the Stuller X-1 alloy. These are not as ''white'' as rhodium but are beautiful alternative WG options.

Some info and photos:
http://journal.pricescope.com/Articles/47/1/An-Overview-Of-Common-Alloys-Used-In-Jewelry.aspx
This was very helpful info in your link. I have been wondering a lot lately about White Gold and Rhodium plating. I know several people who''s rings start to turn yellowish after a year so they have them replated, but my Mom''s and Grandmother''s WG rings have never turned yellow after 40 or 50+ years.

My sister wears my Grandmother''s ring and last year she had some work done on the prongs--that new work has turned yellow, but the rest of the original ring has not. I guess the alloys used nowadays must be different than what was used in years past.
 

John P

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Date: 4/9/2009 10:27:23 AM
Author: Mary K


Date: 3/30/2009 10:39:27 AM
Author: John Pollard




Date: 3/30/2009 7:28:19 AM
Author: Treasure43
I heard plat. dings/scratches more easily and it can only be cleaned once a year. Is this true?
No. You can have platinum polished to its original appearance as often as you like with negligible loss of material due to its density.

Assuming the ring is well-made, a person's individual body chemistry and wear habits determine how often rhodium-plated WG will need replating. Wear habits also influence how fast platinum or palladium develop a patina (the patina is just microscopic nicks and scratches which can be polished out).

There are WG solutions which don't require rhodium-plating such as palladium-WG and the Stuller X-1 alloy. These are not as 'white' as rhodium but are beautiful alternative WG options.

Some info and photos:
http://journal.pricescope.com/Articles/47/1/An-Overview-Of-Common-Alloys-Used-In-Jewelry.aspx
This was very helpful info in your link. I have been wondering a lot lately about White Gold and Rhodium plating. I know several people who's rings start to turn yellowish after a year so they have them replated, but my Mom's and Grandmother's WG rings have never turned yellow after 40 or 50+ years.

My sister wears my Grandmother's ring and last year she had some work done on the prongs--that new work has turned yellow, but the rest of the original ring has not. I guess the alloys used nowadays must be different than what was used in years past.
Glad to help. It may not be the WG alloy that is the problem. If the ring was dipped in weak or unclean solution that could be the issue since what you're seeing is the metal under that recent rhodium plating over the new prongs (which has worn away already).
 

Gailey

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Date: 3/30/2009 10:27:21 AM
Author: Inanna

Date: 3/30/2009 8:58:41 AM
Author: MMT
I love the finish of my white gold rings but it looks like I''m in the minority
35.gif

You''re not alone MMT. I prefer white gold to platinum, specifically 18k white gold with palladium alloy.

It''s really all a matter of personal preference. Platinum is stronger, but I really don''t like the patina platinum gets over time (some people love the patina though). I like my rings shiny! I also rhodium plate my WG rings every 6 months, which is more than necessary, but I like that ''new'' look.
Inanna

Can you explain why you prefere the 18K white gold with palladium alloy. I don''t mean in preference to platinum, but why that particular mix? over any other type of 18K white?
 

Gailey

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Date: 3/30/2009 10:39:27 AM
Author: John Pollard

Date: 3/30/2009 7:28:19 AM
Author: Treasure43
I heard plat. dings/scratches more easily and it can only be cleaned once a year. Is this true?
No. You can have platinum polished to its original appearance as often as you like with negligible loss of material due to its density.

Assuming the ring is well-made, a person''s individual body chemistry and wear habits determine how often rhodium-plated WG will need replating. Wear habits also influence how fast platinum or palladium develop a patina (the patina is just microscopic nicks and scratches which can be polished out).

There are WG solutions which don''t require rhodium-plating such as palladium-WG and the Stuller X-1 alloy. These are not as ''white'' as rhodium but are beautiful alternative WG options.

Some info and photos:
http://journal.pricescope.com/Articles/47/1/An-Overview-Of-Common-Alloys-Used-In-Jewelry.aspx
John,

I have read your article and it''s very helpful. I have been researching and trying to decide on a white metal alloy for a project. I have recently been ''test driving'' a 19K white gold with nickel alloy to see if I had any sensitivity to it. I didn''t, but didn''t care for the look as much as rhodium plated white gold or platinum. I haven''t personally seen 19K with palladium alloy, is there a visible difference to the 19L/nickel alloy?

I recently asked Wink, other than the cost difference between 14K and 18K rhodium plated white gold, what other visable differences are there? His response was, ''None". Are there other differences, other than perceived prestige, between 14K & 18K? I am struggling to understand why someone would choose a more expensive 18K white to 14K white if ultimately they look and behave the same way.
 

John P

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Date: 4/9/2009 12:37:22 PM
Author: Gailey

John,

I have read your article and it's very helpful. I have been researching and trying to decide on a white metal alloy for a project. I have recently been 'test driving' a 19K white gold with nickel alloy to see if I had any sensitivity to it. I didn't, but didn't care for the look as much as rhodium plated white gold or platinum. I haven't personally seen 19K with palladium alloy, is there a visible difference to the 19L/nickel alloy?
Rhodium plating is closer to absolute white than other alloys. Only pure silver is closer, and those Palladium-WG alloys are less white than the common 900-950 platinum alloys - whether 14, 18 or 19K.

(credit Stuller for the chart)

StullerMetallurgy.jpg


I have not looked for an update but would like to see where Stuller's X-1 would fall here (it won't be as white as rhodium plating either).

I recently asked Wink, other than the cost difference between 14K and 18K rhodium plated white gold, what other visable differences are there? His response was, 'None'. Are there other differences, other than perceived prestige, between 14K & 18K? I am struggling to understand why someone would choose a more expensive 18K white to 14K white if ultimately they look and behave the same way.
He's right. If you're going to plate it anyway there's no visual difference. There is a purity/workability difference but common gold alloys aren't that workable to begin with. For workability one can move to Palladium-WG which is more difficult to cast but better at the bench. Even so, many places rhodium-plate Palladium-WG too.
 
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