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The best platinum alloy

tripleX

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jul 16, 2020
Messages
82
Hi there,

I’m doing lots of research on the best platinum alloy for a custom engagement ring and wedding band.

All the discussions on the forum seem to me 10+ years old. I thought I’d bring this up again in 2020 and see what everyone’s thoughts are?

After all my reading, I am leading to the play 90/irid 10 combo. The 95/5Ru also seems a decent option though.

I’m based in Australia and I have called all the main casting houses. This is what they have told me. I also asked about palladium as I wasn’t sure between palladium and platinum, but I think I’ve decided on platinum.

Any advice/opinions/recent updates would be appreciated. THANK YOU!

The alloys (plus any comments lol):

Apecs - PT950 - 95%plat/5%cobalt

Tok Jewellers - PT950 - 95plat/5irid

Chemgold - Pt950 - 95%plat/2%gold/3% mixture (secret)

Rapid casting
Pt950-5% iridium/copper (for hardness)
Pd950 - copper (for hardness)

Morris and Watson
95% plat/5% copper
97plat - 3%copper
Palladium 95%/copper/gallium

Pw Beck
Pt950 - 95%plat/5%palladium or 5%ruthenium
Pd950 - 95%palladium/5%silver

Palloys - shit customer service
Pt950 - 95%plat/2.5%irid/2.5% copper
Pt950 - 90%plat/10%irid

Pure casting
Pt950 - 95%plat/5%copper and iridium
Pd950 - 95%palladium/5%Copper and cobalt
 

Karl_K

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Aug 4, 2008
Messages
14,632
imho stick with 950ru or 900ir they both have a good balance of properties and most good benchpeople know how to work with them.
Stay 500miles away from plat cobalt.
 
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MWM

Rough_Rock
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Aug 5, 2019
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57
imho stick with 950ru or 900ir they both have a good balance of properties and most good benchpeople know how to work with them.
Stay 500miles away from plat cobalt.

That bears repeating. I tried a bunch of platinum alloys before I finally chose 90/10 platinum iridium.You should think about future service needs. With regard to bench work, some of those other alloys will ruin your whole day.
 

PintoBean

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jul 27, 2011
Messages
6,589
If you can swing it, I'd go handforged with these guys since you're in Australia
 

LightBright

Brilliant_Rock
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Mar 11, 2013
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1,563
These are only my opinions:

My vote is for the classic platinum alloy PT900 (90% platinum, 10% iridium). To me as a wearer, it is lighter color, with a liquidy, satiny “softer” almost buttery feel. This alloy was used from the beginning of platinum use, 100 years plus ago.

In comparison, PT950 (95% platinum, 5% ruthenium) is also a very smooth feel. But comparatively it is darker grey in color, feels very smooth but seems brittler, harder and colder to me as a wearer.

Platinum mixed with ruthenium has been the alloy primarily selected only in the last decade or so because iridium is much more expensive than ruthenium. So all the major jewelry makers (Tiffanies, Tacori, Vatche, etc. have switched to Ruthenium alloy). I’m sad.

The jewelery artists that I know about who can do and are willing to do PT900 (plat/irid) are (in no particular order): Victor Canera, Mark Morrell, Steven Kirsch (last time I asked he said yes he can do it) and David Klass.

Search for Mark Morrell pieces on Pricescope to see what I mean by PT900 is like “liquid metal“. The polish is superlative.

An example of a Victor Canera piece done for Elysian which shows the smooth, buttery, liquidy qualities of PT900 can be seen here (scroll all the way down the page to her Tu et Moi ring)

All antique Platinum pieces would be 10% iridium. Most platinum vintage pieces would be PT900. If you dont see the 10% iridium mark, or don’t see any maker’s mark on a platinum piece, it is likely not antique or vintage.

There are my opinions.
 
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MollyMalone

Ideal_Rock
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Joined
Jun 2, 2013
Messages
3,413
I've posted this link to Mark Morrell's page re alloys in the past here on PS because I think it's really informative, but here it is again if you've not already seen it:

My hunch is that your jewelsmith there in Australia will have his/her own decided preference for which platinum alloy(s) s/he likes to work with -- and the choice is apt to be driven by whether the piece is going to be cast, hand-forged, or a combination of the two. ( Designs can be better suited to one fabrication MO over another.)

Assuming you have vetted the jeweler you have decided upon, feel comfortable that they have previously executed with finesse rings like the one you are envisioning, may I suggest that you leave the choice of alloy in their capable hands. The Popes didn't dictate to Michelangelo the paints he should use in the Sistine Chapel ;))

(And I'm almost positive I wouldn't want the learning curve of developing familiarity with an alloy that's new to them to be part of my commission of the piece.)
 

yssie

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Aug 14, 2009
Messages
27,242
I've posted this link to Mark Morrell's page re alloys in the past here on PS because I think it's really informative, but here it is again if you've not already seen it:

My hunch is that your jewelsmith there in Australia will have his/her own decided preference for which platinum alloy(s) s/he likes to work with -- and the choice is apt to be driven by whether the piece is going to be cast, hand-forged, or a combination of the two. ( Designs can be better suited to one fabrication MO over another.)

Assuming you have vetted the jeweler you have decided upon, feel comfortable that they have previously executed with finesse rings like the one you are envisioning, may I suggest that you leave the choice of alloy in their capable hands. The Popes didn't dictate to Michelangelo the paints he should use in the Sistine Chapel ;))

(And I'm almost positive I wouldn't want the learning curve of developing familiarity with an alloy that's new to them to be part of my commission of the piece.)

This.
The best alloy is whatever alloy your trusted jeweller does his best work in ::)
 

finerthings

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Mar 4, 2004
Messages
598
Mark Morrell did my (almost) 30th anniversary upgrade
engagement ring (the 2ct cushion cut diamond in my avatar) many years ago, wow that was 2006!!! I love this ring so much! I recently had the ring appraised and the appraiser was so impressed with the workmanship that she asked me who did my ring! This ring has stood up to the test of time and although the platinum could use a polishing, the platinum is substantial and holds my diamond securely. - Sue

1596415940209.png
 
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