Ritani for Forevermark Setting, which metal?

[mike884]

Alright we are looking at this setting http://www.ritani.com/diamond_engagement_rings/item/1354/in_collection/20
It has to be ordered by a jeweler in columbus, as they are one of the few Forevermark suppliers in the area/state. The ring can be had in 950 palladium, 14k palladium WG, 18k palladium WG and platinum. The jump to platinum is significant, about $1,000 over the other options, with palladium about $150 less than 14k WG. The store ( diamond cellar ) dosen't recommend palladium at all, they didn't say much other then customers, etc have had "issues". I spoke with a Ritani rep and they stated that the WG is rhodium plated, however due to the alloy with palladium it will significantly less yellow when it wears off. Girlfriend is in med school and store suggested platinum all the way due to the durability, as they figure the rhodium plating will trashed fast and we will get tired of having it replated all the time, which is free by the way. The setting is extremely petite and she likes the durability of platinum, but she dosen't like the greying, matte finish that platinum develops. She really wants that "shiny" look. Can anyone chime in? Definitely having a hard time deciding. thanks

-mike

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Do the platinum and have it polished from time to time. I think it is worth it in the long run. I just like the color of it better than rhodium. I do think $1k more for the platinum is excessive, though.

That is a beautiful ring! Does it have a matching wedding band by any chance? It might not be the easiest ring to match up with a wedding band.

 

[mike884]

As of right now there is no matching band, so yes I was trying to work that into the choice, in case we have to find something to match to it, or even get something custom done.

 

[Miss Sparkly]

If you can swing it I would do platinum and stay far far away from palladium. Palladium is not a valuable metal, has next to no scrap value, and is a PITA to find somebody to work on it. When you do, it is often the same cost as platinum because it takes special care not to use the wrong gas mixture and turn the metal brittle.

 

[mike884]

yea platinum seems to be the consensus with all parties right now, with palladium being a no go. Is polishing platinum much more time consuming than replating WG?

 

[diamondseeker2006]

No, it is not time consuming. It just lasts longer than the rhodium in most cases. If you can find out what platinum alloy they use, it would be helpful. 90plat/10iridium and 95plat/5ruthenium are harder and more scratch resistant than 95plat/5iridium, so they will need polishing less often. I have had my platinum ring for 5 years and it was polished once, and that was only because I went to NYC and happened to visit the maker of my ring and he checked and polished it for me even though it really didn't need it at the time.

It is important to take care of fine jewelry, though. The rings shouldn't be worn 24/7. I take mine off when I am about to cook or do anything that could potentially scratch them. I don't put them on until I am dressed and ready in the morning and take them off before bed (but usually before that if I cook, unload the dishwasher, etc.). People take them off to work out, at the beach, do yard work, etc.

 

[mike884]

According to Ritani its a 950 Platinum with cobalt.

 

[ame]

Wait...you're looking at Palladium or Palladium White Gold? If you don't want Platinum, get the Palladium WG. It won't yellow like "regular" white gold, and usually does not have as much an allergy issue as regular WG would. I still cannot wear it bec I cannot wear gold at all but if I could that would be a really good option.

 

[emeraldmurphy]

According to Ritani its a 950 Platinum with cobalt.

this link - https://www.pricescope.com/journal/overview_common_alloys_used_jewelry is helpful as was this link
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/what-is-your-favorite-platinum-mix.156032/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/what-is-your-favorite-platinum-mix.156032/[/URL]

this reading prompted me to make a special request for 90/10 iridium (avoids patina, high polish, good hardness) which was not the normal allow for Vatche, but something they were able to accommodate. Ritani might be able to meet a special request also (once you select an option from the options above)

 

[mike884]

They offer palladium, but from the beginning I have not heard good things. So really it was between the white golds and platinum. Both the 14k & 18k white golds are palladium white gold with rhodium plating. Ritani stated there is no nickel in their white gold, so allergy issues or yellowing would be significantly lower than the average white gold . I know my gf does not really like the matte patina look of plat, but it can be polished, but I guess it really comes down to durability of the ring itself and the rhodium plating and the extra $900 or so for platinum.

 

[mike884]

Spoke to ritani rep, they are unable to deviate from their 95/5 plat/cobalt.

 

[mrssalvo]

I personally wouldn't worry about the plat. mix in a Ritani ring. Their pieces are very well made and we rarely hear any complaints about the workmanship or quality of Ritani rings. I'd do the platinum if it's in budget.

 

[ame]

ive owned platinum rings in all sorts of mixes and the only one I thought was particularly difficult was the plat/ruthenium blend, and that was simply bec it was WICKED heavy, and slightly greyer than other blends. It wore the best of them all but none of my platinum rings has ever been "dull". I get them polished 3 times a year sometimes more, if need be. But gold will eventually "dull" from wear also.

 

[Imdanny]

I thought the point of palladium white gold was not to plate it.

I'd like to know issues people had with palladium.

Also, it sounds to me like she wouldn't like platinum, specifically patina (I don't like patina but many people do).

I like rhodium (it's a platinum group metal and it's very hard and reflective) but I wouldn't want a plated ring so I ended up choosing none of the above and became a yellow gold fan. Palladium white gold unplanted and unplated white gold intrigue me though.

 

[ame]

i don't let my rings develop a patina.

 

[mrssalvo]

i don't let my rings develop a patina.

me neither. I will say though, none of my platinum rings ever developed a heavy patina. My grandmother's 100 year old plat. filigree ring stayed pretty shiny as well. A once a year polish and prong check was always sufficient.

 

[mike884]

thanks for the input everyone. seems like platinum is the way to go, for the least amount of issues going forward. If we maintain the polish then it dosen't seem like it will be an issue.

 

[ninitan]

I vote for Platinum. the setting is very pretty, I wonder if there are any reputable vendors may have the similar style in a lower price.

 

[mike884]

I have been looking for quite some time for something that is a "swirl" design but with a twist? A lot of the time I get blank stares. Plenty of swirl designs out there, but nothing has really come close to this setting, the details are awesome, especially those peek-a-boo stones that creep up to the center.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

nevermind!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I have been looking for quite some time for something that is a "swirl" design but with a twist? A lot of the time I get blank stares. Plenty of swirl designs out there, but nothing has really come close to this setting, the details are awesome, especially those peek-a-boo stones that creep up to the center.

Definitely stick with the Ritani. It is a great quality setting and imitations rarely live up to the original, even if you could find one. I don't have any experience with the plat/cobalt, but I've never heard any complaints around here about Ritani platinum rings.

 

[CaprineSun]

I personally wouldn't worry about the plat. mix in a Ritani ring. Their pieces are very well made and we rarely hear any complaints about the workmanship or quality of Ritani rings. I'd do the platinum if it's in budget.

ITA. As a matter of fact, after doing so much research on this for yeeeaaars on here. I've come to realize that, for me, Ritani has had the least complaints in terms of issues with their plat settings-- esp pave. Due to this, I plan on requesting Plat/Co for my e-ring.

Plat/Co gets a bad rep here, and I bought into it, until a light bulb went off in my head last week. I haven't found a true & substantiated, legitimate reason for the bad rep. So what it's slightly magnetic? And any oxidation can be easily wiped off during the process. *shrug* It seems to have the highest VH and likely will stay shinier (i.e resist scratches) very well.

And when they call it "brittle," I laugh because WG is waaay more brittle than Plat/co could ever be. And then talks of a "darker" color with the cobalt? Wrong. Wrong. In fact, the Ruthenium mix has been said to have a darker color out of the common alloys.

I'm excited I finally solved my Platinum vs WG indecision.

If Ritani stands by the Plat/Co, OP, I would have great confidence in it.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I actually don't think it has a bad reputation because I rarely ever have seen a ring made of that alloy here! I usually request the two I prefer due to Leon and Tiffany using one (which is the hardest) and Mark Morrell and Maytal Hannah (and many antique rings) using the other. I agree that Ritani rings are very well made. I have seen their pave with a microscope and it is perfectly set with little beads or prongs. So I would be fine with a Ritani platinum ring.

 

[mike884]

didn't know I start a firestorm over platinum! All this passion, it must be a good ring!

 

[CaprineSun]

I actually don't think it has a bad reputation because I rarely ever have seen a ring made of that alloy here! I usually request the two I prefer due to Leon and Tiffany using one (which is the hardest) and Mark Morrell and Maytal Hannah (and many antique rings) using the other. I agree that Ritani rings are very well made. I have seen their pave with a microscope and it is perfectly set with little beads or prongs. So I would be fine with a Ritani platinum ring.

VH is essentially a measure of scratch-resistance.
Plat/Ru VH = 130 and Plat/Co is slightly harder at 135. This link here at PS is one of many, many sources I read on the topic. https://www.pricescope.com/journal/overview_common_alloys_used_jewelry/

And, I have read and searched through many threads saying to avoid Plat/Co or that it is less desirable. I have seen one platinumsmith on PS (don't think he posts here anymore) say he uses it more than the other alloys in Australia.

Platinum cobalt does not seem to be particularly desirable for hand-forged settings for a platinumsmith during the creation process (totally understandable on their end), but as a customer, I don't care about that. I care about how it will wear after the creation.

And DS, I sure do love your ring! Why are you changing it? It's beautiful!

 

[CaprineSun]

didn't know I start a firestorm over platinum! All this passion, it must be a good ring!

No firestorm here!
It's just a total coincidence that within the past few days I've been researching Plat/Co endlessly all over PS and the web, and then, I see this topic come up! So all of this has been on the tip of my tongue-- so to speak. I initially told myself yesterday, I would refrain from making a thread about it, but I couldn't resist this posting--- as if it fell right into my lap.

 

[mike884]

bah ...why refrain... this thread has been great so far! I appreciate all the insight.

 

[MissStepcut]

I personally hate platinum and the patina it develops. Just because they can rhodium plate doesn't mean they have to!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I actually don't think it has a bad reputation because I rarely ever have seen a ring made of that alloy here! I usually request the two I prefer due to Leon and Tiffany using one (which is the hardest) and Mark Morrell and Maytal Hannah (and many antique rings) using the other. I agree that Ritani rings are very well made. I have seen their pave with a microscope and it is perfectly set with little beads or prongs. So I would be fine with a Ritani platinum ring.

VH is essentially a measure of scratch-resistance.
Plat/Ru VH = 130 and Plat/Co is slightly harder at 135. This link here at PS is one of many, many sources I read on the topic. https://www.pricescope.com/journal/overview_common_alloys_used_jewelry/

And, I have read and searched through many threads saying to avoid Plat/Co or that it is less desirable. I have seen one platinumsmith on PS (don't think he posts here anymore) say he uses it more than the other alloys in Australia.

Platinum cobalt does not seem to be particularly desirable for hand-forged settings for a platinumsmith during the creation process (totally understandable on their end), but as a customer, I don't care about that. I care about how it will wear after the creation.

And DS, I sure do love your ring! Why are you changing it? It's beautiful!

Aww, thank you! I do love it, but I was never quite happy with it being set so very low. I debated at the time whether to get the Tiffany repro, and once I learned that Vatche was making a really nice one, I decided to go for that since I wear a Legacy wedding band.

You know what? I do now recall where some of the anti-cobalt sentiment came from. It has been a long time since I read this, but I do remember it now. I still think the plat/cobalt is FINE for Ritani since they are fine quality cast settings, so I am not trying to discourage Mike AT ALL! I am just posting this to clarify where the negative posts may have come from:

http://www.mwmjewelry.com/platinum_purity.htm

Since MM does handmade settings, I think that is why he is biased against it.

 

[mike884]

I actually read that article prior to the post, which did get me concerned....