White Gold Vs. Platinum: Which is the Best Ring Setting?

Choosing between white gold and platinum as a base metal for your engagement and wedding ring setting can sometimes be confusing. You might have different questions clouding your judgment with regard to white gold vs platinum. Is Platinum Better Than Gold? Is Platinum More Expensive Than Gold? Which One Is More Durable? And Which One Requires More Maintenance?

To guide you with answering these questions, let’s talk about a couple of things you should consider when deciding between white gold and platinum to know which one is perfect for you.

Table of Content

• What Is White Gold?
• What Is Platinum?
• Is There Any Other Metal Option Available?
• Choosing the Appropriate Metal
• Price Difference
• Durability Comparison: Gold And Platinum
• Appearance
• Maintenance
• Make the Right Choice

What Is White Gold?

White gold is a gold alloy. It is obtained by combining pure gold that is orangey-yellow in color and other durable metals like nickel, palladium, and silver to give the alloy the color white.

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What Is Platinum?

Platinum is one of the most precious metals available on the planet. It has a lustrous silvery-white color and is resistant to tarnish and corrosion.

Is There Any Other Metal Option Available?

Yes. Yellow gold is another metal option available, but it is not as popular as white gold and platinum. Yellow gold is considered a traditional style, and people who favor a vintage color choose it for their ring setting.

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Choosing the Appropriate Metal

Both White gold and platinum are very popular choices when considering engagement and wedding rings. These two metals have very distinctive characteristics and can be compared in a lot of different ways. Let’s compare these two to find out whether platinum is better than gold with the following criteria which include cost, durability, appearance, and maintenance.

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Price Difference

Speaking of cost, considering the value of platinum, you might be wondering if platinum is more expensive than gold? While priced similar to white gold per gram, more platinum is required to design a denser engagement ring. Platinum rings are made with 95% platinum, whereas 14k gold contains only 58.5 percent pure gold. Also, platinum is rarer than gold, adding more to its name. As a result, this leads to platinum rings turning out to be more expensive. So while similarly priced per gram. The only difference is that platinum is much denser than gold; therefore, a larger quantity is required to design an engagement ring.

Durability Comparison: Gold And Platinum

When it comes to durability, platinum and white gold altogether have different properties. Both of these precious metals are durable. That being said, if you were to ask, which is the most durable of the two? The answer would be platinum! As it all together is a more durable metal than white gold. Platinum, though, compared to 14k and 18k gold, has more wear and tear with time. The good news is that both platinum and white gold rings can be effortlessly polished and restored to their original shine.

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Appearance

Platinum is naturally white and silvery and always remains this color. On the other hand, pure white gold can form a yellowish tint after some time. You shouldn’t fret about this occurrence as it happens after years of polishing and also depends on how long you’ve worn the ring. Both metals give diamond rings an exceptional look, and the same can be said about wedding bands.

Maintenance

White-gold begins its journey as a yellow, orangey-colored metal and has to be coaxed into whiteness by alloying it with white metals. Upon completion of the ring design, jewelers add a rhodium plating to give it a lustrous ultra white finish. You might have to get rhodium plating re-done every once a year to maintain the ring’s pristine look and shine. With platinum, you don’t have to worry about it losing its shine because the metal is naturally lustrous. You may have to clean your ring from time to time, but beyond that there is no need to worry.

Make the Right Choice

So now that you’re well informed about both these metal choices, you can take your pick after weighing in on which one is more favorable to you. If still in doubt you can always consult with a jewelry expert and discuss your personal preferences. At Friendly Diamonds we offer a complimentary consultation with our gemologist and jewelry expert so that you know everything there is to know about your jewelry purchase and have all your doubts cleared before taking your pick or creating your own jewelry.