Wedding Rings in Platinum or Gold?
| By Jonathan ~ January 19th, 2009 ~ Wedding Jewelry | 4 Comments |
Platinum Rings
Whichever design of ring you prefer, you’re likely to have the option of choosing that ring in platinum, white gold, or yellow gold. In the past few years, platinum has become increasingly popular here in the US. (In Europe, this is less true). Platinum is marketed as a more pure and more rare eternal. As the ads say, “Your love has just gone platinum.”
It’s true that platinum is a heavier metal than gold and is substantially stronger. If you hold a platinum ring in one hand and a gold ring in the other, the difference is obvious. Its simply a more dense metal. Now, there’s no reason to worry about a gold ring becoming soft and its prongs loosening its hold on a diamond. However, there is less of a chance of that happening with platinum. In many cases, we will use platinum “heads” (that’s the top part of the ring that actually holds the diamond) even on a gold ring.
Between white and yellow, it’s a matter of personal taste. If you want yellow, your option is only gold. But if you like that white luster look, let me dispel a myth for you about white gold. There’s no such thing as natural white gold. It’s yellow gold mixed with nickel alloys and then given a rhodium plating. There’s nothing wrong with that, but you should know that after a few year of normal wear, the yellow gold will begin to shine through. Every few years, it’s advisable to take your white gold back to the jeweler to re-plate it with rhodium. This will restore its original white shine.
At the present cost of platinum, it’s a bit more expensive than gold, however if you consider the ongoing maintenance costs (maybe $75 per visit) then the costs are about the same.
Another thing to realize about platinum is that it’s not all the same. Even a platinum ring is not 100% platinum. It can be anywhere from 55% to 95% platinum. So if you’re comparing prices at different jewelers, make sure to compare apples to apples. The higher percentage of platinum, the more costly the ring will be.
mainfr4me
1/19/09
There are some jewelers who are offering guarantees on their merchandise. The one I just bought an engagement ring from’s guarantee covers replating or anything else at no cost. My bud who got married a bit over a year ago has had his wife’s ring replated 2x at no cost, no questions.
Keely
1/19/09
I worked at a jewelry store for several years and I thought I should mention that repairs on platinum pieces are up to 4 times more costly than repairs on gold. Also, the natural state of platinum is a dull finish (called patina). In the US we polish it to a high shine, but many couples would come in to the store a few months after the wedding and complain that their rings weren’t shiney anymore. As you mentioned, although platinum is very dense it is softer than gold, thus leaving it more susceptible to nicks and scratches. Just another piece of information to consider when picking a ring!
ck
1/19/09
I’ve heard that its better to get white gold because it will retain its value longer…is this true?
Aylee
1/24/09
Thank you Jon, this is a very helpful post. And thank you Keely for the additional info!
From Aylee’s own blog: Find wedding ideas and inspirations at no cost