Platinum or White Gold for engagement ring and wedding band?
Looking for pros and cons of each. Any feedback greatly appreciated!
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white gold. Platinum gets scratches easily
You really cant beat platinum…. but the cost is obviously it’s drawback.
i think platinum look better than white gold..
either are great, i prefer white gold but that is totally preference, platinum is meant to be tougher but no doubt it will last just as long as white gold!
white gold is also slightly cheaper so you could spend more on the diamond?!?! lol
i have a white gold engagement ring and a white gold wedding band with diamonds encrusted around it, looks soooo expensive and i honestly could not tell the difference when in the shop!
How about the love behind the purchase?? Does it really matter couldn’t it be plastic and as long as its done with love ? Not
platinum doesn’t fade as easily, white gold is spectacular though!!
Platinum is pricey and white gold will fade and have to be dipped later.
I would defiantly go with white/gold
Not white gold. It has to be re-dipped often and looks cheaper. Platinum is soo tough and beautiful at the same time. You can really feel the quality in it. Go for quality!!
White gold
There is nothing wrong with white gold. Like its traditional yellow counterpart, it’s been used for generations and in many cases survives as family heirlooms even today. It’s also not as expensive as platinum, which is certainly a plus.
White Gold should be better. But the choice lies with you.
We had the same debate when we were getting ours…
Platinum
Pros:
Real good quality
Shines beautifully when clean
Cons:
Scratches and tarnishes real easily. You’ll have to take it to be cleaned quite regularly.
Very expensive.
White Gold:
Pros:
Not so expensive
More durable – doesn’t scratch and tarnish as easily
Stronger metal so it would become mis-shapen as easily
Cons:
Not such high quality
Doesn’t ‘shine’ as much as platinum
In the end we went for white gold…combination of the budget thing and the fact we wanted something a bit more durable! Also, no-one will really get close enough to the ring to notice the quality apart from you two!
All metals scratch. Since the quality of today’s white gold is crappy enough that settings have to be rhodium plated to hide that fact ( really good white gold is silvery-gray in color and NEVER yellows-the lesser quality white gold is slightly yellow tinged or off color so they plate it.) I will now only buy unplated older estate pieces in white gold where I can see the actual metal’s color….or platinum.
I also can wear yellow gold and prefer some gems to be set in that rather than a white metal as it sets of the color of the stone better.
Been collecting fine jewelry for many, many years.
So I say platinum.
for him: tungsten carbide. thats what i just got for my hubby, its preactically scratch proof and cant be broken, so its great since hes a contractor. they are super cheap and they make them look real cool now. this is the one i just got:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200363766405&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT
for you, platinum because its the best.
If you buy 18 carat white gold it will be a much whiter tone, as it has more alloyed white metal in it to offset the natural yellow color of gold. White gold will stay more shiny than platinum, although it is softer. That is due to the way that it scratches: microscopic scratches in gold look like a cut, and are harder to see. Scratches in platinum look like moving your finger through peanut butter– a bit of metal gets balled up at the end of each scratch. These are easier to see, and cause platinum to take on a worn, grey look. Some people like that, but I like the shine that stays with white gold. White gold will get scratched up a little, but will still look OK. The argument about needing to have a ring rhodium plated again applies to both, as both metals require it to look like new– but white gold will look better if you don’t replate than platinum. My FMIL complained that her new platinum ring (1 year old) looked grey, which I had warned her would happen, but she didn’t listen to me. Of course, platinum is several times more expensive than even 18k gold also. Platinum is quite strong though, will be able to be saved for many generations, and will hold diamonds in more safely. You can get gold bands with platinum prongs though, so you get the best of both options there– a shiny band and a secure diamond. I recommend a high carat white gold overall.
PS: Neither white gold nor platinum “tarnish,” they just get scratched and have their rhodium plating worn away.
Platinum is more durable and better in my opinion. White gold is softer and won’t last as long.
I have platinum, maybe that’s why I automatically went with that choice
Either way i’m sure your ring will look stunning!!
Platinum does scratch, but white gold (even softer than platinum) eventually will turn back to yellow because yellow is the natural color of gold. (I learned this when I inherited a white gold ring and I argued with my family, saying it had to be yellow gold, but it had just yellowed with age).
White gold is easier to clean or get buffed up. When Platinum is professionally cleaned or buffed up, a thin layer of the platinum is taken off the ring, more so than with gold.
White gold is cheaper.
Platinum is considered more durable, as it will scratch, but no other damage will come to the ring.
There are pros and cons to each. It really comes down to a matter of preference. If you want a silvery color that will stay silver, I would chose platinum over white gold.
Of course you can always look into other metals, like stainless steel:
http://www.stainless-jewellery.com/catalog/-p-3866.html
Or titanium:
http://www.absolutetitanium.com/tension.php
Stick with Platinum.
Platinum is really nice in that it has weight to it. Though it scratches easily, it can be easily polished too without it wearing out.
Over time, Platinum ends up having a patina look to it. Some people actually like that. It depends on personal tastes. But once again, it can be polished up without wear for that bright shiny look.
Or you can try Palladium. It’s in the same family of elements as Platinum, but costs less. It is also hypoallergenic and can be polished up for that bright shiny look.
I have a Palladium wedding band, and my wife has a Platinum one. They look the same.
White gold depends a lot on a person’s skin chemistry. If the wearer’s skin chemistry is highly acidic, the plating on white gold will be eaten away in time.
Then the ring will have that yellowish look to it. By having it dipped in Rhodium and polished up again, you can have that bright shiny white gold look again. It’s more expensive maintenance, though cheaper in the beginning.
And I usually don’t recommend yellow gold because it will give a diamond a warmer look to it. What’s the point in having a diamond that’s colorless or near colorless only to have it made yellowish by the yellow gold band?!
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PLATINUM:
Platinum is a white metal, but unlike gold it is used in jewelry in almost its pure form (approximately 95% pure). Platinum is extremely long wearing and is very white, so it does not need to be Rhodium plated like white gold.
Platinum is very dense (heavy), so a platinum ring will feel heavier than an 18kt gold ring.
Platinum is, however, very expensive. A platinum ring will be approximately twice the price of an 18kt white gold ring (excluding gemstone costs).
WHITE GOLD:
White gold is an alloy of gold and some white metals such as silver and palladium. White gold can be 18kt, 14kt, 9kt or any karat. For example, 18kt yellow gold is made by mixing 75% gold (750 parts per thousand) with 25% (250 parts per thousand) other metals such as copper and zinc. 18kt white gold is made by mixing 75% gold with 25% other metals such as silver and palladium. So the amount of gold is the same but the alloy is different.
When white gold rings are new they are coated with another white metal called Rhodium. Rhodium is a metal very similar to platinum and Rhodium shares many of the properties of platinum including its white color.
The rhodium plating is used to make the white gold look more white. The Rhodium is very white and very hard, but it does wear away eventually. To keep a white gold ring looking its best it should be re-rhodium plated approximately each 12 to 18 months. Most local jewelers are able to rhodium plate jewelry for a cost effective price.
MY OPINION:
I wore white gold for years. However, once I tried platinum I realized it was far superior. It’s more pure, more durable, and on average it just looks better. (In all honestly, a white gold ring with brand new rhodium plating looks incredible. But the shiny white look starts fading within a month with regular wear.) In addition, many jewelers require that white gold jewelry be inspected once or twice a year in order to keep the warranty. My platinum jewelry has a lifetime warranty with zero required inspections. Seriously, once you go platinum you won’t go back to white gold.
My Engagement Ring is WHITE GOLD and so will my Wedding Ring be WHITE GOLD.
I VOTE….
WHITE GOLD
Love it!
=)
I think you should find the rings you love – regardless of whether they’re platinum or white gold. After all, it’s the style of the ring that will catch your eye, not the metal. My ring is a combo of platinum and 18K yellow gold and I’ve not had any problems with either metal – but it is a filigree and stamped all over design so scratches won’t show.
Platinum needs to be redipped every so often depending out how hard your are on your hands or it will start to look nasty.
White gold is an alloy of gold and some white metals such as silver and palladium. White gold can be 18ct, 14ct, 9ct or any karat. For example, 18ct yellow gold is made by mixing 75% gold (750 parts per thousand) with 25% (250 parts per thousand) other metals such as copper and zinc. 18ct white gold is made by mixing 75% gold with 25% other metals such as silver and palladium. So the amount of gold is the same but the alloy is different.
Traditionally nickel was used in white gold, however, nickel is no longer used in most white gold made today as nickel can cause reactions with some people.
When white gold rings are new they are coated with another white metal called Rhodium. Rhodium is a metal very similar to platinum and Rhodium shares many of the properties of platinum including its white color.
The rhodium plating is used to make the white gold look more white. The natural color of white gold is actually a light grey color. The Rhodium is very white and very hard, but it does wear away eventually. To keep a white gold ring looking its best it should be re-rhodium plated approximately each 12 to 18 months. Most local jewellers are able to rhodium plate jewellery for a cost effective price.
Platinum is a white metal, but unlike gold it is used in jewellery in almost its pure form (approximately 95% pure). Platinum is extremely long wearing and is very white, so it does not need to be Rhodium plated like white gold.
Platinum is very dense (heavy), so a platinum ring will feel heavier than an 18ct gold ring.
Platinum is, however, very expensive. A platinum ring will be approximately twice the price of an 18ct white gold ring (excluding gemstone costs).
We chose platinum for all the above reasons, I got married in June and my rings have the most beautiful blue/grey hue to them and we are more than happy with our choice.
My husband said that the only the best would do for us and I am so happy we went with platinum.
We were just out shopping today and the lady told us the difference between platinum and white gold was plat. is heavier purer metal, but you can’t tell appearance wise.
Choose white gold. I say this because I received a platinum ring (more expensive than gold) and it turns out it scratches easily! The metal looked like I had worn it for years after only a few weeks! White gold does not scratch as much as platinum making it look new longer. So choose white gold it is less expensive and will look new longer.
platinum is supposed to last longer and hold it’s shine better, you don’t have to get it rhodium plated and all that, but it is more expensive and in my experience it scratches.
Platinum is dull and scratches like nothing’s to it. It gets that ugly gray cast. I prefer white gold because of the shine and how it looks against my skin tone. It’s really about personal preference and how much care you’d like to put into your jewelry.