What are the important differences between platinum or 18ct white gold for my engagement ring or bridal jewellery?
Equally sought in the creation of lustrous, hard wearing and treasured jewellery, platinum and white gold both have desirable properties which make them a staple metal used by expert jewellers and craftsmen.
When it comes to selecting your engagement and wedding ring combination, you’re seeking a partnership that will, like your love, stand the test of time. It’s important to consider the difference between white gold and platinum to ensure that your ring will be a piece that you can truly cherish.
As explained by our Adelaide Arcade Diamond Expert, Tina, “There really is no right or wrong when it comes to 18 carat white gold versus platinum. It is just a matter of taste.”
“18 carat white gold in Australia is particularly beautiful and of excellent quality. The final Rhodium plate lends itself to showcasing fine quality Diamonds because of its excellent white colour and crisp finish. It suits all ring types.
Platinum, meanwhile, is an intriguing material. It comes out of the ground pretty much as is. It is extremely dense and has a unique constant, for that reason it is used in scientific instrumentation. It is much heavier and difficult to work. Only the most experienced jewellers use it. It is particularly suitable for very fine work, basket settings and intricate designs that are fine and require extra strength.”
“In the 1900’s, platinum used to be used for evening jewellery as opposed to yellow gold for day wear. With time it develops a slightly grey patina which can be polished out by a jeweller.“
What are the main differences between the metals?
Platinum jewellery is made of 95% platinum metal, at a minimum. It is naturally a bright, white colour, and the purity of the metal also makes it hypoallergenic.
18ct gold is an alloy comprised of 75% gold and 25% other metals such as palladium and silver. 100% gold, also known as 24 carat gold is not used to manufacture jewellery in Australia as it is considered too soft a metal for fine jewellery. Gold, as its name suggests, is not actually white in colour. It is the presence of the additional white metals in the alloy that give white gold its colour, along with an electroplated coating of Rhodium. Nickel used to be a common addition to white gold alloy, however, it is now not used anymore as it could cause an allergic reaction.
Which metal costs more?
There has never been a better time to buy platinum! Pure platinum is currently cheaper than pure gold, however, because they are sold by weight, platinum being the heavier metal will mean that the final price of a platinum ring is still more expensive than gold when used to create jewellery.
Like all fine jewellery, both metals will require maintenance over the lifetime of the ring. They both need to be worn with care and removed when undertaking manual work as they can be scratched and dulled over time.
Platinum can be brought back to a lustrous shine with a polish by a jeweller. 18ct white gold jewellery will need to have its rhodium plating re-applied and typically rings will need to be re-plated every 1-3 years.
All Gerard McCabe engagement and wedding rings can be made in either 18ct white gold or platinum.
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