Platinum or White Gold, the age old question!

 

 

You’ve decided on your ring style and diamond shape, now it’s time to pick your metal!

If you are a white metal wearer, chances are you’re going to select either platinum or white gold for the setting of your ring. While similar in appearance, the two metals are quite distinct materials with very different properties and wearability.

Which to choose though? Here we dive into the pro’s and con’s of each metal:

White Gold

Surprisingly, white gold does not naturally exist – gold only comes out of the ground in the standard yellow colour. To achieve the white colour, the gold is mixed with alloys (other metals) such as palladium and silver, then to further improve the lustrous white shine, it is plated with a liquid metal known as rhodium. Overtime, rhodium plating will wear off (usually within 12-18 months) and your setting will reveal a very dull yellowish tinge. As the plating is not a permanent solution, white gold does require a bit of TLC through maintenance and upkeep to ensure your metal is always looking its best!

 

Platinum

Platinum is a natural occurring white metal and is a beautiful option if you want something with a nice weight and durability to it! Platinum is an incredibly hardy material, and instead of losing metal particle when scratched, the metal is moved and bruised, which is known as patina. Platinum is the way to go if you live a busy life and are quite hard wearing on your jewellery. While still requiring a touch up here and there (think every 5 or 10 years) all that is needed with platinum is a nice buffer and polish to achieve the natural lustre and bring vibrance back to the metal

 

A quick comparison:

	Platinum	White Gold
Purity	95% pure platinum (Pl.950 hallmark)	18ct Gold, or 75% pure gold (750 hallmark)
Colour	White, with a slightly darker almost charcoal undertone (when compared next to White Gold)	Naturally a very dull yellow tinge, combated by rhodium to achieve the beautiful shiny silver colour
Maintenance	Little – polish is usually all that is required	Frequent – every 12-18months the plating needs to be reapplied
Cost	$$$ Slightly higher upfront cost, with little to no maintenance required	$$ Lesser upfront cost but does need re-rhodium plating which is costly and time consuming

 

Keep in mind, whichever you decide to go with for the engagement ring is also what you should stick to for the wedding band (of course, if the engagement ring is 18ct White Gold, you could also mix it up and go 18ct Rose or Yellow Gold too) but best not to do one ring in platinum and the other gold as they do wear differently. While platinum is a more expensive metal than gold, it is also the better investment, especially as there are no ongoing maintenance costs.

 

Engagement ring designs available in Platinum and White Gold

Whilst we are on the topic of white gold and platinum engagement rings here are three of our favourite engagement rings designs that are available online of in both our Melbourne and Brisbane showrooms.

 

1. The stunning Alyssa is not just a favourite of ours, but also a hugely popular choice that our customers select. The Alyssa can be made to accommodate a range of different stone shapes including round, oval, cushion and marquise. This engagement ring styles is such as great combination of classic and contemporary.
2. Kaiya, a true classic in every sense of the word, the stunning Kaiya Solitaire engagement ring is a timeless design that will always look great. This beautiful engagement ring can be made in either made in platinum or white gold

 

 

3. The Milena engagement ring design is a real showstopper featuring a halo set around the centre stone to showcase that extra level of bling and sparkle. This engagement ring designs look fantastic in a white metal such as platinum or white.

 

 

Hopefully this has helped you decide which metal is best for your lifestyle.

If you have any questions about and engagement, wedding ring or jewellery piece then please do not hesitate to get in contact with our team who would love to be able to assist you further!