What is the difference between white gold and platinum

You might have heard that platinum is the "best" metal, but is it enough to justify a heftier price tag? We want you to decide for yourself!

There are a lot of different factors that set these two white metals apart from one another. On the surface they may look the same, but they couldn't be more different.

We've identified the five biggest differences between white gold and platinum rings that you'll want to know before you make any sort of jewelry decision:. A common misconception is that white gold and platinum metals will essentially perform the same over time because they look the same at the time of purchase. This couldn't be further from the truth. White gold is a beautiful white metal, and we often recommend it, but any smart consumer should know some of the drawbacks of this metal as it ages.

A white gold piece is not pure gold. When white gold is made, yellow gold is mixed together with white metals such as silver, palladium, or nickel. Once the metals are mixed together, a white gold piece will then be "rhodium plated" to give it a whiter, shinier finish. This is what makes a white gold piece look the same as a platinum piece when they are both in new condition. It's very important to understand, however, that over time the rhodium plating finish will wear down and the jewelry will begin to show its natural yellow color.

When this happens, you'll have to get it rhodium plated again by a jeweler. Depending on how active you are and how often you wear the piece of jewelry, this could start to happen fairly quickly. However, it can be argued that platinum is better than white gold because it is more cost-effective in the long run no need for recoating and has better investment value in the long term. Visit TheDiamondStore. Any prices quoted in this article are meant as guidelines, not offers, and may change any time after the publishing.

White gold VS platinum, what is the difference? This article explains: How white gold is made from yellow gold and other alloys Why platinum is superior in quality and value to white gold The pros and cons of each metal How to decide which is best for your personal taste and pocket See each metal ON VIDEO at the end White gold — What is it? White gold ring coated in rhodium — Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. Pendant made with 9K white gold. Currently Silver is around 2. Key Differences : They are different metals.

Platinum is 30 times rarer than gold. Platinum does not lose metal when scratched, the metal is only displaced. Which is why a platinum ring feels much heavier than the same ring in 14k white gold.

I commend you for this blog post. Although I know most of the details previously already, I still learn a few things from it. The writing is concise and easy to follow. As suggestions to supplement the details in this blog , most people do not know or care about the stamps marking on the jewelry.

Your blog has already alluded to the alloy content eg. The same goes with for 18k , or for 14k , or for sterling silver. It would be a useful piece of advice. Hi Tiddle, thanks for the kind words. Hello, I am allergic to Nickle, so what is best metal for me to wear as I know Gold and Silver and white gold contain Nickle.

Thank you. Hi Nina, thanks for reaching out to us. Having a Nickle allergy is quite common, and you have several options. In a nutshell your main options are: rhodium plating, anti-allergy coatings nail polish , non-nickle white gold alloys like our star white gold , and platinum. Hopefully that helps, and feel free to contact us if you would like to learn more. I am definitely coming to you for our next piece. Hi Chris, thanks for contact us. It can be quite difficult to differentiate white gold and platinum without the proper equipment and experience.

We have gold testing tools that give us a good indication of what a specific part of a ring is made out of. If someone has worked with platinum and white gold extensively, they can generally tell the difference by doing a light file on the piece. If you are close by, we would be happy to test your ring for you.

Just bring it by the shop. Thanks for asking. We should do a full article on the subject to really explain it well. But, for now, we can summarize and say that Gold and Silver and completely different metals. Most silver you see in jewelry is called Sterling Silver which is at least Silver, is a soft metal, and is much softer than 14k white gold.

This causes is to wear sooner. Another difference is that Silver with tarnish over time which may or may not be desirable depending on the person. Like Platinum, Silver is naturally white whereas Gold needs to be alloyed with other metals usually Nickle to make it white.

I would also like to know some more about white gold and platinum rings. What I would want to know is about how these metals are taken care of. How often is one supposed to clean or care for a ring? I would also want to know if these metals have a way of fading out.

Hi Akweley, those are some more good questions. Regarding care and cleaning, the general rule of thumb is to have your daily-wear rings cleaned and checked by a jeweler every 6 months. There are also at home jewelry cleaners that you can use to keep your jewelry looking great in between checkups. Definitely checkout our article on care and cleaning for jewelry to learn more.

This is because most white gold is plated with a metal called Rhodium. Over time, as the plating wears off, you will begin to see the color of the white gold underneath. When you bring your ring in for its regular checkup, your jeweler will replate the white gold to make it look bright white again.

Platinum does not have this issue as it is naturally white and does not require plating. Would you recommend I purchase a platinum ring or a white gold ring? I want to know because I love quality and durable stuff.

And which jeweler would you recommend I buy from? I live in Ghana. I would also want to find out whether one should consider the weather as well when buying a wedding ring. Hi Akweley, those are some good questions. If you love quality and durability, I would say Platinum would be the best choice for you. When you wear a Platinum ring, you feel the extra weight and you know you are wearing a quality piece of jewelry. Platinum is also generally more durable than white gold over time.

Platinum and white gold both hold up very well under almost any whether conditions. You might factor in the weather when deciding on a ring design, however.

If you feel the ring will be exposed to a harsh environment, you may opt for a simpler, more sturdy design something like this as opposed to something more intricate and delicate along these lines. The only other thing to consider with the weather and metals is allergic reactions. If you are allergic to the Nickle in some white gold alloys, sometimes adverse weather conditions can accentuate this, but that is very rare. However, I can always recommend us. Or, you can send us an email service mygemologist.

What process molding, machining is adopted for manufacturing the jewelery of platinum iridium alloy? A ring made from a rod needs special machines or can it be made at home by using simple tools. Jewelry is manufactured in a variety of ways. The most common technique is called lost-wax casting , and it involves carving a wax, filling the area around it with a material called investment, burning out the wax in an oven, and then filling the void left by the wax with liquid metal platinum-iridium in this case.

Casting in platinum is very challenging given the high melting temperature that platinum has. To produce a quality casting, an expensive, oxygen-free vacuum casting apparatus is usually required. That said, there are other ways to produce jewelry. Simple designs can be fabricated directly in the metal using common tools. Platinum is a very soft metal which makes it easier to work with than 14k or 18k gold alloys. Jewelry manufacturing is a complicated subject, and there are many tools and techniques to learn.