Known for both its rarity and ideal strength, platinum is a singular choice among wedding ring metals and alloys. Platinum is literally the most durable precious metal available in jewelry today and is nearly 1.70 grams heavier than pure gold. In the 18th century, King Louis XIV proclaimed platinum as one of the finest of all royal metals. Today, this tradition remains as new styles and customized designs further the possibilities of platinum within the wedding ring industry.
History
Platinum was first used by early Ecuadorian natives to create jewelry made of a white gold and platinum alloy. In 1557, humanist John Scalinger discussed the metal as a rare material found in Mexico "which no fire nor any Spanish artifice has yet been able to liquefy."(1) Spanish conquistadors named this new element Platina or "small silver," but disregarded the metal as a mere trifle compared to Aztec gold.
Since the initial discovery of platinum in the Americas, many scientific studies and explorations attempted to purify, market, and understand this unique substance. In 1778, a French chemist named Francois Pierre Chabaneu discovered a method of purification allowing platinum to be stripped of other substances such as: gold, silver, and copper. Today, we can further remove all related members of the platinum family such as palladium and iridium as well. Outside of the jewelry industry, platinum is now used in chemotherapy treatment and is present in all American cars to help reduce fuel emissions.
Physical Characteristics
Platinum, or the chemical element Pt, is a rare and lustrous white metal found among small deposits along the earth's crust. Although sometimes forming individual ores along the coasts of Russia and South Africa, platinum is more often abstracted from nickel and copper deposits. This abstraction process occurs when miners subject the alluvial deposits of nickel and copper to a process called electro-refining. By segregating the properties of these deposits, we can obtain other rare metals such as: silver, palladium, and gold. Pure platinum is extremely rare on the earth, but is a common metal on the surface of the moon and meteors. This is why pure platinum is most often found in places with high meteorite activity.
Several qualities make platinum an ideal metal for jewelry. Its natural whiteness is brighter than both white gold and silver. Like palladium this brilliancy in color helps defray the cost of rhodium plating, or blanching, to the metal. While other materials are easily marred or warped, platinum is particularly resistant to scratches, acidic damage, and tarnishing. It is also naturally hypo-allergenic and incredibly dense in structure. Scientists often melt platinum through a tempering process to further dissolve any irregularities of the metal, to increase strength and durability.
Platinum Wedding Rings
Platinum is a particularly popular metal for alloys because of its heft and vibrant color. This heaviness can add strength to lighter metals such as white gold, palladium, and silver bands. Other metals combined with platinum include: copper, cobalt, and titanium. Because of its rarity in pure form, platinum wedding rings nearly always include some other alloyed members of the platinum family such as: palladium, iridium, rhodium, and ruthenium. Before purchasing, buyers may want to check the level of platinum within the ring. 950 plat or 900pt demonstrates a 90% platinum ring.
Customization: Although platinum is a particularly strong material in its purest form, it can be heated or alloyed to allow for engraving and customization. Platinum rings with higher levels of white gold or palladium are easier to work with, and jewelers often incorporate these metals with the stronger platinum design. Due to its purity and hardness, platinum is not a particularly popular choice for customization.
Benefits in Wedding Rings: Some of the attractive qualities of platinum are in its naturally occurring: color, tarnishing resistance, and hypoallergenic surface. Platinum is furthermore alloyed to a purity above all precious metals in jewelry. One of the common uses of platinum is within diamond set wedding rings. The gray-white color of platinum accentuates the look of white diamonds, and can steadily support most diamond settings.
Rarity: Platinum is significantly rarer and more valuable than gold. Compared to the 1500 tons of gold ores mined each year, platinum sees a mere 160 tons of annual production. The majority of all platinum used each year is found in the automotive and technological industries, and only 1/3 of platinum is made into jewelry. Almost all precious metals such as: gold and silver are held as stockpiled currency or reserves in the global market. Platinum is one of the few metals that do not share in this distinction, because it is used up nearly as quickly as it is mined. Some cultures consider platinum the quintessential metal for wedding rings. For example: Japan purchases nearly 85% of all platinum jewelry used today.
Unfortunately, with all of these rare and unique qualities, platinum can be incredibly expensive, however smaller amounts of platinum can add value, luster, and strength to any wedding ring or band.
