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Thoughts on metal choices? 18kt WG or Platinum?

dogmama

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Mar 1, 2008
Messages
247
18 kt white gold is a more cost effective option, but I know that it will yellow with a persons body chemistry over time. Plus I know I'd have to get them rhodiumed at least every year.

However, I love how white platinum stays but it's expensive and soft. I worry that a stone will fall out of it far easier than white gold.

What do you guys think about the two choices? What is the better choice? Personal and professional experiences are encouraged!

Thanks in advance!!
 

nfowife

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Mar 15, 2011
Messages
544
Most white gold rings will still have a platinum head, so that's telling you something right there in terms of stone security.
Personally, I prefer platinum. I've had my wedding band for 10 years now and just a few months ago had it polished for the first time. It has 5 .17 stones in a shared prong type setting and I never had one come loose or fall out with daily wear for all 10 years. I don't mind the patina on platinum, but I do prefer how it stays white looking. Plus my setting has mostly sidestones showing and not as much metal to show the patina anyhow.
I say if you can afford to do platinum, do it if you prefer the whiteness of it.
 

Sundial

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Mar 14, 2005
Messages
5,532
I own both 18 kt. white gold rings and platinum rings. Each has advantages and disadvantages as I'm sure you have read on this forum. I love the heft of platinum, but it does show scratches and is more malleable. I have lost two stones from a wide three row platinum and diamond band. I finally figured out that I was pressing it against the steering wheel when I was driving. White gold does develop a yellowish cast although it depends upon your body chemistry and the composition of your white gold as to how quickly that happens. It is lighter and more brittle. I am actually okay with either one. Ultimately it is a personal choice. Both metals are beautiful in their own way and neither is perfect.
 

yssie

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
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Messages
27,242
It's largely preference - as Sundial says, both have pros and cons.

Having had both, I personally prefer gold. I can't stand the plat. patina, and my plat rings (cast 950/ir, 950/ru cut and machined from a single piece) have patina'd within a year of use. The 950/ir was my old Ering, I posted a monthly patina journal here). The other I still have - I don't take any care with it though, I wear them to do dishes and chores, so if you baby your platinum I'm sure the polish would last longer!

I don't like the idea of having to replate, either, though, so choosing unplated WG was my best option. Your best choice will depending on the style of ring you've chosen, whether it has lots of filigree or engraving work, whether it's cast or handforged...


Edited - both my "home" rings are 950/ru, I don't have 900/ir
 

ecf8503

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Feb 14, 2005
Messages
4,091
I have both as well. My WG has yellowed a little, but only on the bottom (palm part of my hand). The head and shank are still very white, and it has been years since I had it replated.

My platinum is actually my great-great grandmother's, and it is still in great condition. It has some pave on the band, and no stones have been lost even after all these years. It does have a patina, but it is less noticeable with the pave and milgraining on the band; it only shows on the palm part of the shank.

I recently reset a stone, and chose platinum. It is a very delicate, thin setting, so patina won't show as much (I'm hoping). And surprisingly with the price of gold going up the difference in cost between WG and platinum was only $300 (for a setting of about 2K).
 

dogmama

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Mar 1, 2008
Messages
247
ecf8503|1313455380|2991582 said:
I have both as well. My WG has yellowed a little, but only on the bottom (palm part of my hand). The head and shank are still very white, and it has been years since I had it replated.

My platinum is actually my great-great grandmother's, and it is still in great condition. It has some pave on the band, and no stones have been lost even after all these years. It does have a patina, but it is less noticeable with the pave and milgraining on the band; it only shows on the palm part of the shank.

I recently reset a stone, and chose platinum. It is a very delicate, thin setting, so patina won't show as much (I'm hoping). And surprisingly with the price of gold going up the difference in cost between WG and platinum was only $300 (for a setting of about 2K).


Yes, thats another reason why I'm starting to lean towards plat! It's only a 3 hundred more than WG for the setting I'm eyeballing.
 

dogmama

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Mar 1, 2008
Messages
247
Yssie|1313455331|2991579 said:
It's largely preference - as Sundial says, both have pros and cons.

Having had both, I personally prefer gold. I can't stand the plat. patina, and my plat rings (cast 950/ir, 950/ru cut and machined from a single piece) have patina'd within a year of use. The 950/ir was my old Ering, I posted a monthly patina journal here). The other I still have - I don't take any care with it though, I wear them to do dishes and chores, so if you baby your platinum I'm sure the polish would last longer!

I don't like the idea of having to replate, either, though, so choosing unplated WG was my best option. Your best choice will depending on the style of ring you've chosen, whether it has lots of filigree or engraving work, whether it's cast or handforged...


Edited - both my "home" rings are 950/ru, I don't have 900/ir

Thank you for the help and link! I was just looking at your solitaire reset thread too! : ) I'm in the process of doing the same.
 

dogmama

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Mar 1, 2008
Messages
247
lilythespitfire|1313462516|2991653 said:
Yssie|1313455331|2991579 said:
It's largely preference - as Sundial says, both have pros and cons.

Having had both, I personally prefer gold. I can't stand the plat. patina, and my plat rings (cast 950/ir, 950/ru cut and machined from a single piece) have patina'd within a year of use. The 950/ir was my old Ering, I posted a monthly patina journal here). The other I still have - I don't take any care with it though, I wear them to do dishes and chores, so if you baby your platinum I'm sure the polish would last longer!

I don't like the idea of having to replate, either, though, so choosing unplated WG was my best option. Your best choice will depending on the style of ring you've chosen, whether it has lots of filigree or engraving work, whether it's cast or handforged...


Edited - both my "home" rings are 950/ru, I don't have 900/ir

Thank you for the help and link! I was just looking at your solitaire reset thread too! : ) I'm in the process of doing the same.

Oops! I meant your 3 stone. Lol!
 

yssie

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Aug 14, 2009
Messages
27,242
lilythespitfire|1313462711|2991656 said:
lilythespitfire|1313462516|2991653 said:
Yssie|1313455331|2991579 said:
It's largely preference - as Sundial says, both have pros and cons.

Having had both, I personally prefer gold. I can't stand the plat. patina, and my plat rings (cast 950/ir, 950/ru cut and machined from a single piece) have patina'd within a year of use. The 950/ir was my old Ering, I posted a monthly patina journal here). The other I still have - I don't take any care with it though, I wear them to do dishes and chores, so if you baby your platinum I'm sure the polish would last longer!

I don't like the idea of having to replate, either, though, so choosing unplated WG was my best option. Your best choice will depending on the style of ring you've chosen, whether it has lots of filigree or engraving work, whether it's cast or handforged...


Edited - both my "home" rings are 950/ru, I don't have 900/ir

Thank you for the help and link! I was just looking at your solitaire reset thread too! : ) I'm in the process of doing the same.

Oops! I meant your 3 stone. Lol!

Oh yeah? Careful, I think once you go threestone you can't go back :devil: - I tried on a 3.1 ct solitaire recently (my second time *ever* wearing a solitaire ring!) and I was like "dude where's the rest of it?!"
 

stone-cold11

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Sep 9, 2008
Messages
14,083
Depends. WG is still much less pure than Pt and much less dense, so less Gold is used for a given piece than Pt.
 

hoofbeats95

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Nov 23, 2008
Messages
1,458
Yeah the quantity of platinum used in a ring is much more than WG. So I think it will be a while before a finished Plat piece is cheaper than a finished WG piece.

I just went through the WG vs Plat debate for my upgrade. I chose Plat. The price point wasn't that different unlike in the past. So I felt now was my time to try it. Though "trying" it for my whole wedding set could have been a risk. I've only been married since April but so far I LOVE platinum and wouldn't change a thing. I have a channel set wedding band and channel sides on my solitaire. So there isn't much metal in the view from above. I have scratches on the bottom of the shanks, but I get that with WG too. I have a 950/ru mix from BGD. I don't know about a patina. Whatever is going on with the bottom of my rings is just fine with me. It's still white. That's the biggest issue for me. I hate getting plating done. That being said I just got a 5 stone ring and chose WG. From that vendor the price for Plat was much higher. So I couldn't swing it. I'm still ok with WG, but for my wedding set I am super glad I chose Plat. I went back and forth on the decision and am SO glad I jumped and went with it.
 

ame

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jul 7, 2004
Messages
10,869
I go Platinum, in part because I cannot wear gold. But with Gold being only a few bucks less an ounce than Plat it's almost most cost effective to get platinum. Especially if you have to deal with plating.
 
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