Reusing Platinum- Cross posted

[rosieredrocket]

Does anyone know if there are rules against this? I spoke to a jeweller and he said that he would buy my ring for scrap but have to sell me new platinum? Is this true?

Thanks

Hi, I also posted this in another forum on this site and read all the previous posts.

What i am concerned about it that the jewler who would be doing the remake was the one that made my ring in the first place.. Surely he would guarantee that my platinum wasn''t corrupted????

Help.. eeek...

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

If the ring was handmade it can easily become corupted. If any of the processes involved forging (usually done while the metal is very hot) then platinum carbides get formed from the carbon in steel tools.

Generally speaking we re-refine platinum in our workshop, which is an expensive process.

Handworking usually means you have 3 times more filings in the tray than the weight of the finished piece.

And if casting is involved, using your metal is impossible - you generally need 100-200 times the weight of 1 ring to cast a flask.

 

[niceice]

The concept of the platinum being corrupted might not have been the best explanation... It''s more accurately a matter of (possibly) not knowing the specific mix of the other alloys present in the platinum mix used to create the ring in the first place. Jewelers don''t always buy their platinum casting shot from the same vendor due to variances in the current price of precious metals, specials being offered by vendors, etc. and platinum doesn''t mix with other alloys as simply as gold tends to. It makes reusing platinum a real nightmare and it really is best not to attempt to reuse your platinum jewelry to make another piece, we never try, we always scrap it and start fresh. Garry''s insight is totally valid, you''ll need a lot more platinum than just what is needed to create the new ring and this adds to the potential for disaster.

 

[rosieredrocket]

A huge thank your for clearing this up for me.