In the world of precious metals, two materials reign supreme — gold and platinum. But what’s the difference? At first glance, these two shiny precious metals look virtually identical. They both feature a pretty silvery-white tone with a high sheen that brings a classic yet luxurious look. They both look absolutely amazing with all sorts of gemstones and adornments and complement a wide range of skin tones. In other words, it’s no surprise why they’re two of the most popular metals in the jewelry store.
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When shopping for engagement rings, wedding bands and other pieces of jewelry, you can’t go wrong with either material, but you’ll definitely want to understand the similarities and differences so you get the perfect piece to wear for a lifetime. Here are a few of the ways gold and platinum differ.
- Composition — Although they look similar, platinum and white gold are fundamentally different. To put it simply, platinum is the “purer” metal of the two, as it’s usually made up of about 95 percent platinum and five percent other metal alloys. To achieve the white color tone of white gold, certain alloys are added to yellow gold — usually nickel, silver or palladium. In the case of 18-karat white gold, the composition is something like 75 percent gold and 25 percent alloys. The lower the karat, the lower the percentage of gold.
- Aesthetics — Color, shine and overall visual quality are important to you when shopping for jewelry, so it’s helpful to understand the aesthetic differences between white gold and platinum. Both materials share an attractive silver tone with a shiny finish, but they do differ in one key way. Platinum is naturally silver in tone, whereas white gold starts out as a rich yellow (gold) hue and is mixed with silver-toned alloys and then, usually, coated with a top layer of rhodium. Over time, the rhodium plating may wear away, causing your white gold to turn more yellow.
- Durability — As previously mentioned, white gold comes in a range of different options and purity levels, from 14- to 24-karat gold, and durability depends in large part on the composition of pure gold. The rhodium plating on white gold makes it extra durable and hard-wearing, though it does wear off over time and may need to be replated. However, even the highest karat golds turn out to be less durable than platinum, which is naturally denser and heavier. Because it wears better than gold, platinum is an excellent choice for wedding ring sets and other daily-wear jewelry. Platinum also tends to be lower maintenance than gold because it requires less polishing.
- Feel — Since platinum is a bit heavier than gold, it feels weightier on the finger. This may be a good thing or a bad thing depending on your personal preference and lifestyle. Platinum is naturally hypoallergenic, whereas gold may contain nickel that can irritate your skin if you have a nickel allergy. With that being said, the rhodium plating on most white gold will prevent it from tarnishing so the nickel shouldn’t regularly come into direct contact with your skin. At Verragio, we use Nickel Safe™ alloy for gold which lowers the chances of getting nickel-related irritation.
- Cost — Since it’s more durable and long-lasting, it probably doesn’t surprise you to learn that platinum jewelry currently costs more than gold per ounce. Because platinum is denser, the same ring design will weigh more than if it were in gold. If you compare different pieces, you will find that platinum rings up for about 30 to 50 percent more than gold on the outset. However, it may cost less over time because it likely won’t need to be replaced, repaired or refinished as often as white gold. We often recommend platinum for wedding bands and other once-in-a-lifetime purchases rather than for trendier pieces or fashion jewelry, but the choice is yours!
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Which Should You Choose?
Ultimately, you can rest assured knowing that you are getting a premium, long-lasting material whether you choose platinum or gold. If you want the absolute best and most durable material for something you know you’re going to wear every day, platinum is a great choice. If you want premium quality but don’t want to spend top-dollar, white gold is an excellent alternative as well. Both of these are investment-grade materials that should stay with you for a lifetime, especially if you buy from a trusted jewelry maker like Verragio.