Platinum vs. White Gold

[aprilcait]

Hi, everyone! I am brand new to this site and I have a question for you. In terms of upkeep and maintenance, is platinum or white gold better? Basically, is platinum worth the extra cost (i.e.: is it more durable than white gold or does it require more/less maintenance)?

Thanks!

 

[mrssalvo]

Hi April and welcome.

there are pros and cons to both metals as well as personal preference. if you enter white gold vs. platinum, or different variations of the words into the search box a ton of old threads will come up for you. here's one that might be of some help.

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/why-do-b-m-jewelers-discourage-platinum.38716/

WG is a harder metal, Plat. is more dense. WG can discolor to yellowish and may need to be replated. Plat. will develop a patina look to it and will need repolishing if you don't like the patina, plat. scratches easier.

 

[aprilcait]

Wow! Thank you for the quick response! I really appreciate it. I will definitely take your advice and search the old threads.

Thanks, again!

If anyone else has any personal insight into the platinum vs. white gold issue, please offer me your feedback.

Also, I''ve heard that white gold needs to be re-dipped every few years and that platinum needs to be polished every year or so. However, I have also heard that polishing care wear away at the platinum and that platinum should only be polished for special occasions. Now, does re-dipping tend to cost more than polishing, or visa versa, or are they about the same price?

 

[gailrmv]

Polishing plat costs more than redipping. White gold turns less white over time if you don''t re-dip - the time varies by person and by metal alloy. Plat will stay white forever but develops patina (rather quickly in my experience). If you don''t like the patina you do have to get it polished. to my knowledge there is no limit to how often you can get it polished, just personal preference (and budget - near me it is about $75 per ring!) My wedding set it plat and I love the weight of it. I have other jewelry in white gold and I like it too. I had one ring that i had to get redipped every few months, but most of my WG jewelry can go 1-2 years.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

A jeweler recently told me that if I can find 90%platinum/10%iridium, it is much better than 95% which scratches easily because it is softer. Therefore, I decided to try the 18k white gold. I figured if I turned out not to like it, I would lose little money. Whereas if I tried the 95% plat and didn''t like it, I''d lose a lot of money! If I see that my rings stay in nice condition and rarely need replating, then I will leave them as is. I am pretty careful with my rings and do not give them a lot of abuse, so that should help.

Here''s some more general info on wg vs platinum:

http://www.goodoldgold.com/SettingSearch/Platinum_WhiteGold/

 

[jaz464]

Date: 10/17/2006 8:27:29 PM
Author: diamondseeker2006
A jeweler recently told me that if I can find 90%platinum/10%iridium, it is much better than 95% which scratches easily because it is softer. Therefore, I decided to try the 18k white gold. I figured if I turned out not to like it, I would lose little money. Whereas if I tried the 95% plat and didn't like it, I'd lose a lot of money! If I see that my rings stay in nice condition and rarely need replating, then I will leave them as is. I am pretty careful with my rings and do not give them a lot of abuse, so that should help.

Here's some more general info on wg vs platinum:

http://www.goodoldgold.com/SettingSearch/Platinum_WhiteGold/

I do agree that 90% platinum and 10% iridium is a good alloy, better than 5% iridium. Personally, I like 90% plat, 5% ruthenium. I like platinum because it is heavy and doesn't yellow. My ring is basically diamond studded with a 3 sided diamond shank so I don't have to worry about scratches, as there is no empty platinum. With a setting like that, I think platinum is a great choice.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Date: 10/17/2006 9:22:54 PM
Author: jazmine
I do agree that 90% platinum and 10% iridium is a good alloy, better than 5% iridium. Personally, I like 90% plat, 5% ruthenium. I like platinum because it is heavy and doesn''t yellow. My ring is basically diamond studded with a 3 sided diamond shank so I don''t have to worry about scratches, as there is no empty platinum. With a setting like that, I think platinum is a great choice.

Oh, great points, Jazmine! That was the other thing my jeweler said...if the platinum has pave or engraving, then you don''t have the scratching and patina problem. He prefers the 18k for shiny smooth finishes and plat when there is engraving or pave (but he likes the stronger alloy combos like you mentioned).

 

[jaz464]

Date: 10/17/2006 9:40:45 PM
Author: diamondseeker2006

Date: 10/17/2006 9:22:54 PM
Author: jazmine
I do agree that 90% platinum and 10% iridium is a good alloy, better than 5% iridium. Personally, I like 90% plat, 5% ruthenium. I like platinum because it is heavy and doesn''t yellow. My ring is basically diamond studded with a 3 sided diamond shank so I don''t have to worry about scratches, as there is no empty platinum. With a setting like that, I think platinum is a great choice.

Oh, great points, Jazmine! That was the other thing my jeweler said...if the platinum has pave or engraving, then you don''t have the scratching and patina problem. He prefers the 18k for shiny smooth finishes and plat when there is engraving or pave (but he likes the stronger alloy combos like you mentioned).

Yeah, I think that is really the way to go. Less scratches with the 18k gold for solataires and the like.

 

[musey]

What an eye-opening thread!! Now I have no idea why, but I was under the impression that platinum was harder than WG and therefore didn''t scratch as easily, I guess I thought that was where the price bump came from. Shows what I know!!!

 

[anacgarcia]

personally i preffer scratches than yellowing.. the good thing is both issues can be fixed by maintenance so make your decission based on your prefference and budget.

 

[Stone Hunter]

I also read on PS that pave is better in white gold. Cause it doesn''t bend as easily as plat. Don''t know if it''s true... but I''m going to find out.

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 10/17/2006 7:53:47 PM
Author: aprilcait
Wow! Thank you for the quick response! I really appreciate it. I will definitely take your advice and search the old threads.

Thanks, again!

If anyone else has any personal insight into the platinum vs. white gold issue, please offer me your feedback.

Also, I''ve heard that white gold needs to be re-dipped every few years and that platinum needs to be polished every year or so. However, I have also heard that polishing care wear away at the platinum and that platinum should only be polished for special occasions. Now, does re-dipping tend to cost more than polishing, or visa versa, or are they about the same price?

"needs" redipping is kind of a subjective thing... I mean, if it was never dipped in the first place, it doesn''t need to be redipped I''ve seen 18k white golds, new alloys, that are very white and never need to be dipped in the first place. Sometimes plat is dipped so that it keeps its shiny surface longer, since it scratches and mattes up pretty fast. Saying that white gold "yellows" usually means that the plating is wearing off and the natural color is showing. I don''t know if unplated white gold actually yellows so much as it seems like it yellows because that which has made it appear whiter/greyer has worn away. I hesitate on the "whiter" thing because IMO neither are whiter - one is just yellowish and one is greyish - plat to me is only "white" when it is super shiny, but super shiny white gold is pretty white too.. gold wears away but is very strong... plat doesn''t wear away but it scuffs and can bend.

Ultmately choose whichever you prefer and run with it. Satisfied people on both sides. I''ve not heard many complaining about pave falling out of white gold, but they complain that it doesn''t look like new platinum.

 

[aprilcait]

Thank you so much, everyone, for your great advice and input! I really appreciate it.

I am so glad that I ran across this site! Everyone here seems so nice and knowledgeable.

Again, if anyone else has further input, feel free to share.

 

[crazydogs]

I''m wondering, If Plat is softer and bends easier than WG, why are prongs made out of Plat?

Anyone know? Thanks!

Amy

 

[mrssalvo]

Date: 10/18/2006 9:40:01 AM
Author: crazydogs
I''m wondering, If Plat is softer and bends easier than WG, why are prongs made out of Plat?


Anyone know? Thanks!


Amy

I think it''s because if a prong gets hit it''s more likely to bend still holding onto your stone. A WG prong could break and if it''s a 4 prong setting your stone could go flying

 

[fire&ice]

Though my white gold items are vintage from the 30''s, they are white as my platinum ring. I will never buy anything in platinum again. It dents. It scratches - and just hasn''t worked for me as well as my white gold.