White gold vs. platinum

[aristocatz]

Is it true that platinum ring settings are better and longer lasting than white gold settings? Will white gold turn yellow/. can you garuntee a longer lasting setting with platinum?

I am trying to find a straight answer, but I keep getting mixed reviews.

***ALSO: Is one easier to resize over the other or does it not matter?

Thanks!

 

[dakcp2001]

White gold has to be redipped when it wears down.If it is a ring you always wear, you will prob need to dip once a year. Platinum does not. I prefer Platinum.

 

[Art 1]

Plat is much stronger and heavier than WG.

 

[tinatark]

Platinum is much stronger and will not need rhodium dips - every few (3-4) years. Because it is so strong, it's hard to "buff out" dings, scratches, etc. - a professional would have to do it. Platinum is much more expensive to size.

A very common resolution to the trade offs for each: Platinum prongs with a white gold setting.

 

[Art 1]

Platinum is much stronger and will not need rhodium dips - every few (3-4) years. Because it is so strong, it's hard to "buff out" dings, scratches, etc. - a professional would have to do it. Platinum is much more expensive to size.

A very common resolution to the trade offs for each: Platinum prongs with a white gold setting.

Yes, the plat prongs are usually used. Not all WG is rhodium plated. Rolex WG watches are not plated and never need re-done.

 

[aristocatz]

Thanks!!

Do you still need to redip once a year if you have a white gold setting with platinum prongs? The 18K white gold setting i am referring to, btw, is coated in rhodium if that makes a difference!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

My wedding band is white gold and does eventually require replating. They call it rhodium plating, not sure what that means.

In any case--my anniversary ring is platinum and it is just as "whitish metal" as it was when we got it. My preference is for platinum if you are trying to avoid yellow gold b/c over time--my wedding band has had the white gold fade.

But that is my layperson opinion.

 

[aristocatz]

My wedding band is white gold and does eventually require replating. They call it rhodium plating, not sure what that means.

In any case--my anniversary ring is platinum and it is just as "whitish metal" as it was when we got it. My preference is for platinum if you are trying to avoid yellow gold b/c over time--my wedding band has had the white gold fade.

But that is my layperson opinion.

the only thing i am nervous about is that I am in process of losing weight. If i go with platinum & I need to go down a size, would it be easier to do with white gold?

 

[KathyTX]

the only thing i am nervous about is that I am in process of losing weight. If i go with platinum & I need to go down a size, would it be easier to do with white gold?

Yes.

Rhodium is a metal in the platinum family. It gives a very bright, shiny finish to white gold jewelry. Getting pieces replated is not a big deal.

Platinum is heavier, significantly more expensive, harder to work with, and does get a bit of a brushed patina over time.

White gold pieces would be a lot easier to have re-sized than platinum pieces.

 

[Aimeedyan]

I'll be honest - my e-ring is platinum, my wedding bad is white gold. They nestle together like a set and you cannot tell the difference unless you look closely at the band part.

We've been married almost 8 years - my white gold has yet to be redipped or anything like that. I've heard that often depends on your own skin (ph balance or whatever). But, my diamonds cover the entire top of my finger so it's not like I'd easily notice if it was yellowing anyways.

I have gained and lost a lot of weight over the years and never did anything about the size. When it got a little loose, I bought the ring things from Claires that kept it tight (those plastic things). Since I have yet to be successful at keeping weight off longterm, I wasn't about to do a permanent resizing.

If we had the financial means, both rings would have been platinum (as would his band). I like the finish and weight better.

 

[aristocatz]

Thank you!! I think I will stick with the 18K white gold setting, especially for the resizing purpose! We are ordering from Blue Nile, which is pretty reputable with quality so I think this will be a great choice.

 

[N.Bailey]

It doesn't get any better than platinum, but it comes with a hefty price tag attached.

It has a melting point of over 3000 degrees F, so it's great for a lot of industrial uses too.

What's funny is, when the Spaniards first discovered it while mining for silver, they were really annoyed with it. They thought it was an impurity in their silver and because of it's high melting point, couldn't get it to melt with the silver. So what did they do? They threw it away!

 

[EMom]

Hmmm....I have my great aunt's and great grandmother's wedding rings. Both are from looooong ago, since Great Granny's last wedding would have been in the 40s, most likely. My great aunt's set is probably from the 1940s-50s. I have no idea if they are white gold or platinum. Both are still pretty bright white, even after all these years.

 

[tar heel]

I will celebrate my 28th anniversary next month. My white gold wedding band has never been dipped/plated/etc. nor has my husband's, and both are bright bright and shiny.

 

[Evi]

Unless you really know jewelry you probably won't be able to tell the difference. That's not meant as an insult I worked in jewelry I've seen finely polished platinum and until you really pick it up its almost the same as white gold the color is just a little different a little darker there is more of a grey to the metal. If you look carefully platinum has more of a metallic patina and over time it wears beautifully its more solid its harder then gold and it weighs alot more. I'd buy based on your income and how hard you are on your jewelry. I don't think white gold needs to be re dipped maybe just a good steam and polish. Regardless of what you choose definitely get platinum prongs. Personally I prefer platinum if I want a white metal and I like higher grades of gold 18k and up though its softer it also wears differently and I like the depth of the color with higher grades of gold. I will say if you get higher grades of gold in rings and you wear them often plan to also spend to have gold added to the bottom of the band they do wear. Also remember to have your prongs checked every year and if your paying alot for your stone ensure that its engraved and never leave it alone with a jeweler you don't trust.

 

[aristocatz]

Unless you really know jewelry you probably won't be able to tell the difference. That's not meant as an insult I worked in jewelry I've seen finely polished platinum and until you really pick it up its almost the same as white gold the color is just a little different a little darker there is more of a grey to the metal. If you look carefully platinum has more of a metallic patina and over time it wears beautifully its more solid its harder then gold and it weighs alot more. I'd buy based on your income and how hard you are on your jewelry. I don't think white gold needs to be re dipped maybe just a good steam and polish. Regardless of what you choose definitely get platinum prongs. Personally I prefer platinum if I want a white metal and I like higher grades of gold 18k and up though its softer it also wears differently and I like the depth of the color with higher grades of gold. I will say if you get higher grades of gold in rings and you wear them often plan to also spend to have gold added to the bottom of the band they do wear. Also remember to have your prongs checked every year and if your paying alot for your stone ensure that its engraved and never leave it alone with a jeweler you don't trust.

Thank you-this was a really helpful post.

What do you mean by "ensure that the stone is engraved"??

 

[Evi]

Thank you-this was a really helpful post.

What do you mean by "ensure that the stone is engraved"??

If your paying alot for your stone and I know this is relative but when you get the gia cert you can also request they laser inscribe it for security I know they charge for this service but depending on how much your investing it could be worth it. Its one way to ensure your stone doesn't end up in a pawn shop if you ever loose it or it gets stolen because when they look at the stone they can see the inscription. So if there is ever a question about if its your stone its also less likely to get swamped at a jeweler. I know people don't think these things happen but they do. I think its best to try and prevent it if you can.

Hrm not to put a hitch in your plans but you know diamonds aren't worth anything right lol I know alot of people have never heard this before but debeers has so many diamonds in vaults that if they were to release them for sale all at once the finest diamonds would cost only a few dollars a piece. There just to many diamonds out there. They keep them locked up and only release a little at a time to maintain the value on the market place. Just something to think about when you go shopping honestly the most valuable stones are alexandrite its a bit of purple/green stone kinda changes color.

Just food for thought go with whatever stone you love and if its a diamond so be it.

Congratulations on your engagement I'm sure you'll love your ring regardless of what stone/setting you choose.

 

[It's A Happy Day]

I'm going to add a little more to what previous poster stated.....
I have been working in the jewelry industry for 10+ years

white gold - gold is yellow so there really is no such thing as "white" gold. They basically are adding more white alloys to tint the gold a lighter color. Gold comes in different weights - 10kt, 14kt, 18kt, 24kt. 24kt is pure gold while the others is how many parts gold to parts alloy mixed - 14kt is 14 parts gold/10 parts alloy. White gold jewelry pieces are finished with a chemical called Rhodium - it is was gives white gold pieces the high white polished finish - it is a liquid that adheres to the gold and not the stones. How long that finish lasts depends on the wear of that piece. Rings will wear faster because they get more contact abuse - most of the time the wear shows on the bottom more because you are hitting that spot more. I have found in my experience that most women re-dip or re-rhodium their jewelry about every 6 months to yearly depending on the person (cost is about $35 per dip). Older jewelery had different alloys mixed into it so the white gold pieces stayed white....they do not use the major alloy that they used to use in making white gold pieces because of availability/expense. So if you are speaking about grandma's ring then it probably was made with a different mix of metals than today.

Platinum is a denser metal - it is stronger, however because of that it scratches easier - instead of tinting another color it dulls to a matte gray finish. It is also heavier and roughly 3x the expense of gold settings. Some people just do not like platinum. To refinish a platinum piece it can be buffed back to new condition. If you have allergies - nickel for example - platinum is a great way to go because generally speaking a purer metal - in order to be stamped platinum it has to have a certain % of platinum in it. Some stores do a platinum blend, you have to ask what the percentage of platinum they are using. The pieces we sell in the store I work at are 99% pure platinum. Some stores are as low as 60% I believe. As mentioned previous it is pretty common to do a mix - platinum head (or prongs) and white gold (or even yellow gold) band. If your setting for example only has 4 prongs to hold the diamond in place I would recommend platinum because of it's strength/durability.

As for sizing - platinum must be laser cut because of it's strength. Most jewelers do not have the right equipment on site to properly size/buff these pieces so your turn around time to being back in your possession is longer. Make sure they are using platinum solder when they are making repairs or sizings! Some stores will size with white gold on site but send out to do it right with platinum. White gold is easier to have sized because most jewelers can do on site and quicker turn around time. However make sure they can also re-dip the piece at the same time otherwise you may see a coloring difference where it has been altered.

As for the diamond itself....many diamonds are certified by many different companies - all diamonds are graded not all diamonds are certified. Your most popular are GIA, AGS, EGL but there are many, many companies out there. GIA & AGS are the 2 certification companies that have the strictest standards. What I mean by that is when they grade the diamond - color, clarity, etc. they have a high standard to meet those criteria. Alot of those diamonds are laser inscribed - what that means is there is an actual certification number imprinted on the edge of the diamond (called the girdle). There are a couple of good things about laser inscribed diamonds....One, if you have work done on your ring you can look under a microscope and make sure it is your diamond you are getting back and Two, should something happen to your diamond and it is insured then the insurance company has to replace it with the same thing - there is no doubt that if you had a G colored, VS2 clarity diamond certified by GIA then you will get a replaced diamond that is G colored, VS2 clarity certified by GIA.

Good luck & CONGRATULATIONS

 

[vettechick99]

I have a platinum set. It's heavy and feels very sturdy. It needs to be buffed to keep up the shine.

Where the band meets the main diamond setting, they used white gold because I had it changed from a 6-prong setting to a 4 (apparently you can't do that after it's already been made ). The white gold started to wear down within a month. I have never had it dipped because it's so minor, but it's always annoyed me.

Platinum if you can afford it.

 

[It's A Happy Day]

I have a platinum set. It's heavy and feels very sturdy. It needs to be buffed to keep up the shine.

Where the band meets the main diamond setting, they used white gold because I had it changed from a 6-prong setting to a 4 (apparently you can't do that after it's already been made ). The white gold started to wear down within a month. I have never had it dipped because it's so minor, but it's always annoyed me.

Platinum if you can afford it.

Whomever told you that is incorrect....Some settings need to be re-cast in it's entirety to make head adjustments like that but it can be done. Alot of settings are cast in 2 pieces - head & shank - but there are some that are cast as 1 piece. Either one can be done in entirely 1 metal or a combination of the 2. Those things depend on where the store you are dealing with get their merchandise - are they making it or buying it from a manufacturer. The company I work for makes most of their jewelry so we have much more flexibility over not only styles but adjusting metal to the customers needs/wants.