Gold vs Platinum in your Jewelry

We often get the question what is the benefit of Gold vs Platinum for your wedding or signet ring. Below we discuss their similarities but also how they differ in weight, value, durability and appearance.

Similarities

Both of these metals are noble metals which means that they are naturally resistant to oxidation. This makes them perfect for jewelry as they will not dull with time.
That is where the similarities end.

The weight of Gold vs Platinum

Platinum has a higher density than gold this means you can fit more Platinum atoms in the same space as you can fit gold atoms. In common terms Platinum jewelry of the same size weighs more than gold. This weight difference is not subtle and you can clearly feel the difference between a wedding ring made in gold and platinum. The Platinum ring will feel like a loaded dice in your hand. If weight is how you value your treasure Platinum is the way to go. You can see a short table below on density of different metals.

Precious Metal	Density (g/cm3)
Platinum .950 Cobalt	20.8
18K Yellow Gold	15.6
14K Yellow Gold	14
Sterling Silver	12

Value of Gold vs Platinum

Gold is valued higher than Platinum, at the current metal prices, Platinum is valued half of that of Gold. Meaning that you would get 1 gram gold for every 2 grams of Platinum. However, since Platinum weighs almost 1.5 times more than gold you would almost be paying the same for 1 gram of 18K Gold as compared to 1 gram of 950 Platinum. This is not the case with our White Gold. Some retailers sell White Gold without Palladium creating an alloy with a yellow tinge. At TIDAN we use a White Gold containing 10% Palladium which removes the yellow. The higher price point of Palladium however makes White Gold rings our most expensive option.

Estimated precious metal prices per gram (2020-03-10)
Platinum .950 (EUR/g)	€23.5
18K Yellow Gold (EUR/g)	€35.1

Scratch resistance and durability of Gold vs Platinum

There are endless amounts of alloys when it comes to Platinum and this is especially important to consider when discussing scratch resistance. As the scratch resistance of two alloys can differ as much as 20%. At TIDAN we use Platinum Cobalt. It is a very hard platinum alloy and the most scratch resistant of the alloys. 2nd strongest only to Platinum Ruthenium. Platinum Cobalt has a Vickers Hardness (HV) value of 135HV.

Yellow Gold 18K is close with 125HV, however Yellow Gold 14K has 140HV which makes it more scratch resistant that Platinum. The difference here is that Platinum has a higher strength/durability or PSI, 64 000 for Platinum Cobalt, which 18K Yellow Gold only has 29 000 PSI. When the Platinum is scratched it displaces the metal on the ring forming ripples creating the sought after “Patina Finish”. Gold on the other hand falls off.

So despite having a similar HV you will see rings in Platinum from the turn of the century in almost pristine condition while Gold jewelry rings get paper thin. Therefore we always recommend to get Platinum if you are getting a white ring. However, please don’t drop it for even though Platinum is hard the properties of the metal and the inherent weight from its density makes the ring prone to getting deformed from falls.

Precious Metal	Vickers Hardness (HV)	Pounds per square inch (PSI)
Yellow Gold 18K	125	29,000
Platinum .950 Irridium	80	40,000
Platinum .950 Ruthenium	130	66,000
Platinum .950 Cobalt	135	64,000

Appearance of Gold vs Platinum

Gold comes in a variety of colors, Yellow Gold, Rosé Gold and White Gold. At Tidan we use Swedish Red Gold instead of Rosé Gold, it has slightly less copper which makes its colour a mix between Yellow Gold and Rosé Gold. If you are specifically looking for Rosé Gold please let us know and we will make sure you get the correct one. If you are looking for Yellow or Rosé, Gold is the option to go for.

However, if you are looking for a White ring, you have the option of White Gold or Platinum. Now White gold isn’t naturally white, a layer of Rhodium is added on top in order to make it white. This layer will tarnish with time. Naturally White Gold has a beautiful gray colour which is very unique and something to consider before going with the Rhodium approach. So if it is the (Rhodium) white you are going for, Platinum is your best bet as it will last for the age of the ring.

Antimicrobial properties of Gold vs Platinum

This might not be the deciding factor when picking between the two. Still, one has often heard that Gold and Silver has antimicrobial properties, that means that the precious metal actively kills off Bacteria close to it. This has been proven in studies where Silver has been found to have a significantly stronger antimicrobial effect than Gold. It was also shown that Platinum had no antimicrobial effect, see source below. If bacteria are your peril then Gold might be your choice although for the strongest deterrent choose Silver.

Conclusion

What you really need to decide is colour if you are going for red or yellow then gold will be your choice. On the contrary, if you are looking for a white ring, we would recommend you to go for Platinum. Platinum rings from the turn of the century look almost like they were made today. Platinum is truly the metal for making jewelry that lasts a lifetime. Luckily all our signet ring, wedding rings, necklaces and cufflinks allow for a selection of metal, you can view our categories below or design your own project with us.

Sources: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/286199667_Antimicrobial_properties_of_gold_silver_copper_and_platinum_nanoparticles_against_selected_microorganisms_isolated_from_cases_of_mastitis_in_cattle