Platinum has always been known for its strength, beauty, and rarity. Today, it is regarded as one of the best materials for engagement rings, wedding bands, and luxury jewelry. But its path to the elevation of a symbol of elegance has taken centuries and some interesting finds, trends, and remarkable craftsmanship along the way.
The first people who may have known that platinum was something other than silver or gold were native South Americans in the area that is now Colombia. They developed a crudely refined form of platinum about 1500 years before Europeans discovered it. The Spanish conquistadors were unable to appreciate the platinum they found in South America. In fact, they considered it a nuisance because they didn’t know how to melt or work it, and they derogatorily named it platina (little silver).
Platinum came to the attention of European scientists in the mid-1700s. Several people experimented with it, but its high melting point (1772°C) made progress difficult. It wasn’t until the early 1800s that Englishmen William Hyde Wollastan and Smithson Tennant produced the first commercial-grade platinum.
Platinum remained fairly obscure until the 1890s, when French jeweler Louis Cartier began using it. Since Cartier’s clientele included most of the crowned heads of Europe, platinum soon became one of the jewelry world’s greatest status symbols. In 1908, the 516-carat Star of Africa diamond was mounted in platinum on the British royal scepter.
Platinum became even more popular in the 1920s and ‘30s, especially for Art Deco jewelry. It was the preferred metal for engagement and wedding rings. Even though it could display a delicate beauty, platinum was sturdy, it resisted wear, and it held stones securely.
Platinum was immediately popular for
It was unsurpassed in its ability to securely hold gemstones without compromising on the designs that were created.
Platinum’s flourishing reign in jewelry came to an abrupt halt with the outbreak of World War II. The U.S. government declared it a strategic metal and banned its use in all non-military applications, including jewelry. Because of strong consumer preference for platinum’s neutral color, white gold was substituted in platinum’s absence (white gold is created from yellow gold by adding copper, nickel, zinc and sometimes silver or palladium). After the embargo was lifted, platinum did not regain its previous popularity because white gold was less expensive and easier to work with and the public accepted it.
It wasn’t until the early 1990s that platinum began to reemerge as an important jewelry metal in North America. Japanese consumers, however, were already aware of its advantages. About 90% of all wedding and engagement rings sold in Japan were being made of platinum. Platinum had not been banned in jewelry during World War II in Japan. Instead, the Japanese government had considered gold to be a strategic metal.
In 1992, Platinum Guild International USA (PGI) was formed for the purpose of reeducating American consumers about the durability and elegance of platinum. Technical training was offered to jewelers to help them deal with the challenges of working with platinum. PGI’s efforts have paid off. Platinum jewelry is now widely available and large numbers of Americans are enjoying its benefits. Its popularity has even spread to China and India. Platinum has regained its former preeminence in the jewelry market, even though crafting it requires more skill than gold or silver.
If you are interested in a white metal for your jewelry, platinum is a better choice than white gold or silver for the following reasons:
Platinum is naturally white (actually light gray). Since white gold is created with yellow gold, it may be a little yellowish, so it is often plated with rhodium to resemble platinum. Over time the plating can wear off requiring the jewelry to be replated. The rhodium plating also complicates repair work and resizing because the rhodium layer will burn in the heat of the soldering torch, flaking off the jewelry piece and making it impossible for the solder to flow.
Unlike silver, platinum does not tarnish and is not attacked by chemicals such as chlorine. Even though pure gold does not tarnish either, the metals used to make gold alloys can sometimes cause them to tarnish and be attacked and corroded by the chlorine in swimming pools and household cleaning solutions.
Platinum is hypoallergenic whereas some people may have an allergic reaction to the nickel in nickel white gold.
The density of platinum is much higher than that of white gold, As a result, platinum is stronger and therefore more suitable for delicate mountings.
Because of its high malleability, platinum is a much better shock absorber than white gold and can therefore dampen the impact of a hard knock and potentially save a gemstone from chipping.
Platinum jewelry lasts longer and resists abrasion better than gold jewelry. When you scratch or polish gold, part of the metal is worn away whereas platinum is displaced or compressed. If you’d like to create an heirloom jewelry piece, consider making it in platinum.
Working with platinum requires more skill than white gold, which is why it is best to choose a highly qualified jeweler like Dejan Jovanovic. One example of his work is this diamond and emerald platinum ring. The naturally white color complements the colorless accent diamonds and is an attractive contrast to the rich green color of the emerald, and it does not require rhodium plating.
Platinum is a better choice than white gold for the setting because white gold is more brittle and easier to break and more affected by household chemicals such as chlorine, which can cause erosion. In addition, a platinum setting can better protect the emerald from hard knocks since it acts as a shock absorber. This is important for emeralds, which can be susceptible to chipping.
White gold mountings cost less than those made of platinum, but in terms of long-term durability, rhodium-free white color and best protection for the emerald, platinum was the ideal choice for this ring.
By Renée Newman GG, author of the Diamond Ring Buying Guide www.ReneeNewman.com Instagram @reneenewmangg
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