For those who have been in the industry for many years and understand jewelry, the difference between Platinum and White Gold is obvious: quality and durability. That is why more are choosing Platinum instead of White Gold. However, there is still a lot of jewelry being made in White Gold instead of Platinum, why?
Platinum is denser than Gold. So, the same design will always weigh more in Platinum. Platinum 900 is approx. 35% heavier than 18K White Gold.
18K White Gold contains 75% Gold and 25% alloy. Platinum on the other hand can be 90-95% Platinum and 5-10% alloy.
18K White Gold predominantly uses Nickel in order to make it white, Nickel is not expensive and does not add to the price of 18K White Gold. The Platinum alloy we use, as explained in our last article, is either Iridium or Ruthenium. The cost of Ruthenium today is over 550 per oz, less than Platinum but much more than Nickel, yet since only 5% is used, the impact is not really felt. Iridium on the other hand was stable until the beginning of 2021 when there was a supply shortage and the prices soared, having a significant impact on the price of Platinum 900 IR
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Another thing that adds to cost of Platinum Jewelry that many do not think about is how many hands jewelry goes through before arriving to the retailer and ultimately the consumer. This is especially an issue for designers or dealers who have brand names and outsource their manufacturing.
By the time it gets to the retailer, the jewelry has gone through two hands or two mark-ups. This makes 18K White Gold much more attractive, especially for price point merchandise.
Quality craftsmanship is our top priority and the hallmark of Pompos. How does this relate to using Platinum?
Platinum is more durable, does not require Rhodium and it yields a fine finished product. This is especially true when making two-tone items. Since Platinum does not require rhodium to make it white, making an item with Yellow or Rose Gold and Platinum will yield a very fine product.
Setting any center stone with Platinum is safer than with Gold. Platinum is not only strong but more malleable making it the perfect candidate to use to set center stones. Gold is hard, especially White Gold, and has a “spring” effect, meaning that it needs extra pressure to tighten a stone vs. Platinum. This can be very risky when setting stones that are not as tough as a diamond.
The quality produced offsets the cost and since we manufacture in-house you will receive our product firsthand.
