White Gold vs. Platinum: 5 Reasons Why Platinum is Better
Looking to buy a precious, white ring metal for your wedding but torn between white gold and platinum? Well, don’t beat yourself up. Both white gold and platinum are equally stellar options for this significant occasion.
However, you will, at the end of the day, need to make a choice. Fortunately, you happen to be in great company, because below is a side to side comparison of white gold and platinum, and why it’d be a sound choice to buy platinum ring.
Appearance
Although both are white metal rings, they have a slightly different appearance. White gold usually has a silvery tone within its white hue. This is essential because it is made by alloying yellow gold with white metals such as silver, nickel, palladium or zinc and a rhodium plating which further enhances its white appearance.
The presence of alloys and the plating in white gold means that over time, it may lose its white lustre and fade to a yellowish tinge, which is no surprise considering its main ingredient is yellow gold. The bright side is you can always re-polish it and have it white again.
Platinum, on the other hand, has a naturally greyish-white hue and contains at least 90-95% platinum metal. This makes it more resistant to fading. However, it does eventually fade to a natural patina hue which is also not bad, as it makes the ring look more antique, and in turn, causes the diamond on the ring to appear more sparkly. But, you can also re-polish to restore its original lustre. This makes platinum a better choice as it looks good, whether faded or not.
Durability
Again, both white gold and platinum are durable options. Platinum is, however more durable and heavier than gold. It takes the title for being the densest of all precious metals. It sustains little metal loss and if properly cared for, will last a lifetime without wearing out. It has been termed as eternal and is, therefore, the perfect choice for wedding rings as it symbolizes the strength of your love and marriage.
Note, however, although durable, platinum is softer than white gold. This means it scratches easy. This is nevertheless not a problem because unlike white gold, it turns into the patina finish as mentioned earlier finish.
Comfortable
If you prefer light-weight jewellery, then you may find white gold a better choice as it’s lighter than platinum. However, if your skin tends to react to metals, you should buy platinum rings as it’s purer, and therefore, hypoallergenic.
Rarity
Other than being eternal, platinum is incredibly rare. In fact, it’s 30 times harder to find than gold. Therefore, it’s a much better way to say “I do” than white gold.
Cost
When it comes to costs, you may have to cash out a little more to buy platinum rings. However, every cent you spend on platinum rings will be worth your while because as noted, platinum contains 95% pure platinum while white gold contains between 58% and 75% gold. This means unlike white gold, platinum maintains its lustre longer, and when it does fade, it fades to a finish which allows the diamond to sparkle even more. Also, platinum is denser, hence durable, is hypoallergenic.
Note, we have nothing against white gold because as mentioned earlier, both white gold and platinum are equally stellar options. White gold is particularly an excellent choice if you adore white ring metals, but your budget is tight as it’s pretty affordable in comparison to platinum. However, the perks of having a platinum ring on your finger outweigh those of white gold which is why you should buy platinum rings for your wedding from Sunny Diamonds.