Platinum vs. White Gold??

[anna_g.]

I’m trying to find a website which will help me decide if I want my engagement ring in platinum or white gold? Can anyone recommend a good website?

 

[yssie]

https://www.pricescope.com/journal/overv ... d_jewelry/

 

[HollyS]

Platinum. If I had know how often I would have to have my 18K WG wedding ring replated to maintain its white appearance, I would have bought platinum. My e-ring is platinum and it shows almost no wear after 4 years.

 

[radiantquest]

I thought that platinum scratched and made a patina that made it appear not shiny and white and that is why some people chose WG. I could very well be wrong and just misunderstood the information I was given. I hope that more people chime in.

 

[anna_g.]

That's is why i wanted to go with platinum instead of white gold because i did not want to deal with having it replated every year. But the setting that I like is $4K in white gold and $8K in platinum, which I think is way too much. So, trying to decide if I want to go with a different setting or get the one I like in white gold.

 

[anna_g.]

Thank you, this is exactly what I was looking for!!!

 

[anna_g.]

From what I noticed, platinum does not look as shiny as white gold over time.

And from what I've seen platinum does seem to show more scratches than white gold, but i think it's suppose to be a much harder metal.

 

[RaiKai]

Can they do the white gold with a palladium alloy, or perhaps one of the very white alloys (like Stuller X1)?

My rings are white gold (with a platinum head), as I do not like platinum and how it wears, but I have them alloyed with palladium - they are not plated and they do not need plating. They are very white (slightly more "gray" than the platinum head if I look very close to compare - plated white gold is very, very white - more so than platinum) with high luster and very scratch resistant, it seems.

It's really a personal preference thing. I prefer white gold. Even the white gold I have had that needed plating, I only *had* to plate it every 2-3 years. As it wore it just was a creamier yellow-white in spots. It is not like it turned bright yellow overnight. Yssie has a ring that is unplated nickel white gold and it is a lovely creamy-yellow-white colour - she has some comparison shots in SMTB.

 

[yssie]

From what I noticed, platinum does not look as shiny as white gold over time.

And from what I've seen platinum does seem to show more scratches than white gold, but i think it's suppose to be a much harder metal.

Platinum is not "harder" than gold. Platinum has less 'metal memory' and is less brittle than alloyed gold so if bent (say impact to the prongs) it will stay bent and cradle the stone instead of trying to go back to its pre-impact configuration and possibly snapping right off in the process.


Plat. will scratch easily, and the ring will develop a patina no matter how much you baby it, but you can have it repolished with negligible metal loss.

Gold will not scratch as easily, but it will eventually be scratched, and more metal will be lost during a polishing.

So it's a toss-up between plating and repolishing, if you want a constantly bright white shiny ring.


I've had both gold and platinum. I hated platinum - the patina drove me nuts. I'm thrilled with my current unplated wg set.

 

[anna_g.]

I'm going to check if they can do white gold with a palladium alloy.

I want to see the comparison shots you were referring to ... what is "SMTB" (sorry, i'm new to this website)

 

[radiantquest]

SMTB=Show me the Bling. If you go to the top and hover your mouse over Forum it is the third one down.

 

[anna_g.]

Thank you!!

 

[Gypsy]

I am wondering about the setting, unless is it a unique designer setting, that sounds really high. If you would share with us your ring we can tell you if it's something that would do better with platinum or white gold. Some designs are just better in platinum. And others can be done in either.

I personally had a WG setting originally and when I changed my setting out I went for platinum. Honestly, the polishing it needs (I have a lot metal showing so it needs to be polished ideally every 6 months with regular wear) cancels out the plating for me. 6 of one, half dozen of another.

 

[anna_g.]

This is the setting that i like, which the jewerly quoted at $8K in platinum:

http://www.vannak.com/18RM55569DCZ-Enga ... mond-Rings

This one is my second favorite, which is more reasonable in price:

http://www.robbinsbrothers.com/Engageme ... 22521.ring

Let me know your thoughts on platinum vs white gold for these settings.

 

[TheDoctor]

Platinum is generally about as hard as 18 karat yellow gold. Thin areas with pave' settings are "perforated", and we all know about perforations...weakened ares that stretch, tear, bend...and the rule applies to diamond-set rings. White gold is harder, but most North American manufacturers rhodium plate their white gold alloys as a rule, due to the beige colour, so you have to put up with the regular re-plating or give up altogether as the ring shows it's true colour.
Long answer to a simple question, sorry. Get on the rhodium treadmill or put up with the downside of platinum..the denting, displacement, bending, and smearing of bead settings. If you aren't buying from a local jeweller, who is going to perform the regular rhodium re-plating, or tighten settings and restore a shine to the platinum settings? This is an important consideration.
If the vendor offers a lengthy service guarantee for either of the mounts you are interested in, that's good. if you're on your own after the sale, run away.

 

[TheDoctor]

Oh, and I noticed your second selection is palladium, not white gold. Palladium is less expensive than white gold but it's as soft as platinum, with those vulgar side-effects I mentioned before. At least that mount appears to be thicker which means it won't bend as easily, but the settings will get "smeary" over time with wear.

 

[megumic]

I chose platinum over WG because I did not want my diamond removed and put back into the setting, thus weakening the prongs holding in the diamond, every time I had it dipped. I love my plat and I am glad I didn't choose WG. Also, I like the scratches - it shows the love and everything it has been through.

 

[anna_g.]

I also heard that 14K gold is harder than 18K gold, is that true?

When you say “smearing of bead settings” what do you mean?

I am buying from sort of a local jeweler, but I’m not sure if they will perform the maintenance, unless I was to pay for it each time.

So, would you recommend the settings in white gold or platinum if I was to do the maintenance on my own?

 

[anna_g.]

Yes, the second setting is in palladium, but the lady at Robbins Brothers told us that we should get it in white gold because she said it “shifts” and “warps” over time. Although, she was not able to clearly explain how that happens and why it does not happen to platinum if its in the same family.

 

[yssie]

I chose platinum over WG because I did not want my diamond removed and put back into the setting, thus weakening the prongs holding in the diamond, every time I had it dipped. I love my plat and I am glad I didn't choose WG. Also, I like the scratches - it shows the love and everything it has been through.

They don't remove diamonds when rhodium plating.

 

[anna_g.]

Wow, I didn’t know they removed the diamond every time they dipped the setting .. I guess, that makes sense, I just didn’t think of it, so I would need to make sure that my stone would not get switched.

Megumic – Don’t they plate the platinum rings with rhodium as well, it just doesn’t show when it wears out?

 

[yssie]

...

 

[TheDoctor]

Stones aren't removed during rhodium plating. Nope. Doesn't happen. Diamonds are impervious to most chemicals, even very strong acids.
Platinum is seldom plated unless the manufacturer is trying to hide ugly solder joints. Platinum is often soldered with gold-based alloys, which show colour. The best manufacturers use platinum welds which are invisible. Laser welds are invisible and don't involve any solder.

 

[anna_g.]

Got it, thank you!

Also, what you guys think about this setting?