In this article, we will differentiate white gold from platinum. What metal should your engagement ring be made out of? Should it be made out of white gold or should it be made out of platinum?
The option is also to have it made in yellow gold but there’s nothing to discuss because if it was yellow, we would make it in yellow gold but if we are gonna make it in white, the color white which is much more requested color today.
Then the question comes up, should it be made in white gold vs platinum? There are a number of differences that are not necessarily visual which I would like to describe to you as to why you should choose either white gold or platinum.
Differences between white gold and platinum
Intrinsic color
Let’s talk about the intrinsic color of white gold vs platinum and the process called rhodium plating. The intrinsic color of white gold is actually a little grayish and yellowish.
That’s because of the alloys that go in to make white gold because you cannot work with 24 karat gold. The finished process called rhodium plating enables a white gold ring to look equally as shiny and bright as platinum.
Rhodium is a hard shiny tarnish-proof metal that is used to coat through an electrolysis process. The ring is made in white gold, it is also used to finish off a ring in platinum.
So from a visual perspective, both a white gold ring and a platinum ring finished with a rhodium plating process will look the same. However, over time rhodium plating wears away in both white gold and platinum.
The duration depends on the where and the number of years etc but it can be replated to look exactly like it did before. However, when a white gold ring’s rhodium plating wears away you get to see the base color of the white gold which is going to be tinted grayish yellowish.
When a platinum ring which is rhodium plating wears off with the rhodium plating, you will still see a white ring although it will not look as shiny as it did with rhodium plating. So that is one aspect of the difference between white gold vs platinum that should be considered and that is the intrinsic color of the metal.
Weight
Due to the density of white gold vs platinum, a platinum item of jewelry will weigh approximately two times what that item will weigh in white gold and there will be a significant difference in the feel of the ring that will factor into the issues of cost and desirability.
Read: Different platinum collections for men
Cost
As I go to the next difference which is cost, what is the price difference between white gold vs platinum? Let’s see if I can describe the differences in the price of platinum versus gold rings without too much myth.
Of course, the metal used in jewelry for platinum is 95% pure while the purity of the white gold that is used in jewelry is fifty-eight and a half percent pure. About a third less.
If you take the fact that platinum is twice as heavy and you make the difference in the purity you end up today with an intrinsic cost of platinum at about twice the cost of white gold for the same piece of jewelry.
So in the end, if you have just a plain platinum ring versus a plain white gold ring you’ll have a ring that costs about twice as much as it does in white gold vs platinum.
And if you have some diamonds on the accents on the ring the platinum ring will not cost as much as the difference without diamonds because you’re adding other costs into it which levels out a little bit of the difference between white gold and platinum.
Next, I’d like to discuss what it is that you should do in your choice and what my advice is to help you make the right choice.
It depends on your budget. If your budget is more, I suggest that you use 14 carats, of white gold.
Advantages are lower cost, a beautiful ring that looks identical to a ring in platinum that will be finished with rhodium plating, and the ability to put more of your budget into the major diamond of your ring which is not an insignificant amount.
So I strongly recommend white gold because I think in the end the long-term value of your purchase is in the diamond and that’s what you should focus on most.
On the other hand, if you have a more generous budget I would strongly recommend that you use platinum. You have a heavier, better feeling ring on your hand.
Brief
There are a few pros and cons to both platinum and gold. So both are visually going to appear the same. Because of the high content of platinum in the ring that is usually denser, this is why you find that platinum rings always feel heavier compared to white gold.
Platinum is a strong but malleable material. Thus crafters are able to easily shape the material into your ring design. Over time platinum develops a patina finish which gives it a slightly darker and grayer appearance.
This finish can make your jewelry look more antique. People who are usually in contact with harsh chemicals for example hairdressers. Thus it can be less resistant to scratches and dents and is important to do regular prong checks.
Everyone needs to do two years to check if the prongs are knocked out of shape. Moving on to 18k white gold it made its original appearance Pyrrha polishing and replacing it furthermore.
If your engagement ring regardless of whether it’s 18k white gold or platinum is probably taken care of it can last for generations.
One very important thing to take note of is that if you plan to set recommend to have both your rings done in the same material even though platinum and 18k white gold appears identical when they are brand new both were down in different hands.
It is best if both materials are the same such that they oxidize similarly over the years. What if you wish to get something different from two white metals for your engagement ring. While their outer ring is stylish the pinkish rose color gives a slight tinge of warmth and colorless diamonds over the years.
Rose gold rainbow turned ritter and darker giving a vintage feel to one’s engagement ring. If your partner is getting trendy usually a colorless diamond is mounted on a black gold ring setting to create a beautiful contrast appearance.
The classic black-and-white link will be fitting for all occasions. However, you have to take extra caution when handling black hole jewelry as any bump or knock will cause scratches.
If you select a 14-karat white gold ring because of your more limited budget you can always upgrade that to platinum for not that much more money in the future.