Platinum has long been revered as a sign of quality and value, and historically more expensive than gold – although that no longer necessarily holds true.
Platinum stands out as being rarer, harder, and purer than gold; additionally it requires more laborious processes for jewellery making.
Rarer
Platinum is an extremely rare metal that far outshines gold’s value. Every year, approximately 1,500 tons of gold is mined while only 160 tons of platinum are extracted from mines.
Platinum differs from gold in that it cannot easily be extracted from Earth’s crust, with only a handful of countries producing platinum as sources, such as South Africa and Russia being major producers.
Price fluctuations of rare metals like platinum are affected by global economic factors; during times of stability, platinum often commands a premium over gold; but in times of recession or uncertainty about popularity issues surrounding its usage can cause its price to decrease dramatically.
Platinum stands out as an investment choice due to its many unique properties. Notably, its high melting point allows it to serve a range of industrial uses including production of fiberglass, medicines, chemicals, computers lasers and gasoline production.
Aluminium is an efficient conductor of electricity and resistant to corrosion, making it an invaluable shield for electrical components. Furthermore, metal plays an integral role in computer chip circuits.
Platinum jewelry is hypoallergenic; only about five percent is composed of actual platinum itself; the rest typically features other materials like iridium, ruthenium or cobalt as part of its composition.
Platinum’s rarity is one of the main factors driving up its price compared to gold, as its denser composition requires more platinum ore to create one ounce of precious metal.
Denser
Platinum is a rare natural element, with South Africa accounting for nearly 80% of global production. Pre-Columbian South American natives first used platinum to craft artifacts and European writers referenced its existence as early as 16th century; however, scientists did not begin studying its properties until Antonio de Ulloa published his report of Colombian platinum discovery in 1748.
Aqua Regia (or aqua regia solution) is a soft white metal that is malleable and ductile, as well as highly resistant to corrosion at high temperatures. Aqua Regia does not oxidize in air or react with common acids like citric or hydrochloric acids – thus dissolving completely in one batch of mixture of 1:3 ratio between nitric and hydrochloric acids.
Chemically speaking, platinum is one of the most stable metals known to man. It does not corrode when mixed with other elements and thus makes an ideal material for jewelry use.
Jewelry-grade platinum is often combined with rhodium or ruthenium to increase purity while strengthening and beautifying its composition. These alloys also give jewelry pieces an appealing visual quality.
As platinum is denser than gold, its rings and necklaces will weigh more. As such, platinum tends to be more costly.
Platinum’s density ensures it outlives gold in terms of longevity; due to its rigid structure, it resists breaking when scratched against hard surfaces.
14kt gold bands may erode at nearly twice the rate of platinum rings when scraped against hard surfaces, due to gold’s harder composition – it leaves behind some trace metal even when scraped against harder surfaces, leaving behind tiny fragments.
Harder
Hardness can have a significant effect on metal’s durability and lifespan. Platinum, an often-used precious metal in high-end jewelry pieces, has long been revered for its strength; yet whether or not platinum actually outshines gold is still debated today.
Mohs scale is used to determine the hardness of metals. Pure gold measures 2.5 on this scale. When alloyed with other materials such as silver or copper, however, its hardness increases substantially and thus its durability increases as well.
14kt white gold has been treated with stronger metal alloys to make it harder and therefore more resistant to scratches and dents than its competitors.
White gold jewelry may leave small bits behind on hard surfaces when hit, which may result in scratches. When platinum hits with similar forces, no particles remain behind and therefore no scratches appear on its surface.
Due to platinum’s density, it can provide better wear resistance than gold for prongs that secure diamonds or micro pave settings.
Platinum is more costly than gold due to the fact that its price fluctuates according to demand – this fluctuation being subject to world politics or economy issues that could impact its price significantly.
Platinum rings may seem less susceptible to breaking than their gold counterparts; nonetheless, regular cleaning and polishing should help to keep them looking their best.
Hypoallergenic
Platinum is more rare and more costly than gold, yet still makes a worthwhile investment for its durability and attractive silvery-white appearance.
Pure platinum is hypoallergenic, meaning that it won’t irritate skin or cause allergic reactions in most individuals. Furthermore, its naturally white hue means it won’t discolor over time like some precious metals do – keeping its beauty even when subject to wear and tear.
Metal jewelry made with aluminum is also more malleable than its golden counterpart, allowing it to be combined with rhodium or palladium to create a highly reflective metal surface – perfect for jewelry that needs to withstand daily wear and tear, such as engagement rings or wedding bands.
Search for jewelry coated in rhodium plating to protect against nickel and other metal allergies. Rhodium, commonly found in sterling silver, works to make any base metal more resistant to allergic reactions and make the piece of jewelry less likely to trigger reactions in you.
Rose gold is another popular option, composed of pure gold and copper alloy. Both materials are hypoallergenic and less likely to irritate skin than metals such as white or yellow gold that contain nickel alloys.
As the best way to assess whether or not jewelry is hypoallergenic, one way of doing this is looking at its purity level – generally between 90%-95% pure is considered hypoallergenic; you can usually find this information on its label or through your jeweler.
Lasts Longer
Platinum jewelry can often be the better option when looking to invest in long-lasting pieces. Being made from much harder metal than gold, it will be less prone to cracking or breaking. Furthermore, its durability far outshines gold’s in terms of handling scratches or wear and tear better; especially true compared to white gold which may become damaged more quickly from surface damage than platinum would.
Platinum can be found all around the world, but is mined most widely in Canada, Colombia, Peru, Russia and South Africa. As it’s rare and costly metal that outstrips gold’s value. Jewelry made of platinum can contain nickel or iridium for extra durability – although oftentimes white in colour it also may contain trace amounts of yellow metal such as gold.
While platinum may be more costly than gold, it makes an excellent long-term investment option for those seeking precious metal investments that maintain their value over time. Furthermore, investing in multiple precious metals provides diversification of assets and builds a more secure future – this strategy is widely practiced today by investors looking for security. Depending on your goals and experience level as an investor, gold may be safer given its long history as both currency and commodity that offers stable markets with potentially valuable returns.