Metal Education

What are the differences between White Gold and Platinum?

• Platinum is naturally white, whereas white gold has to be rhodium plated to make it whiter (white gold is naturally a light grey/yellowish colour)
• Platinum is approximately 40% heavier than gold
• Platinum is 30 times rarer than gold, so its price is invariably that much higher
• Platinum is generally 95% pure platinum, compared with gold which is 75% pure gold.
• Platinum is harder wearing than gold due to its density and weight. It does scratch like all other precious metals, but a scratch is merely a displacement of metal and none of its volume is lost
• If white gold has been rhodium plated, the colour difference between white gold and platinum is not noticeable. The two will look almost identical when new, however the rhodium plating will wear off over time leaving the metal looking slightly yellow in colour 

White gold

All our white gold is 18 carat. It is made by mixing 75% pure gold with 25% alloy metals including silver and palladium.

There is actually no such thing as ‘white gold’; all gold is yellow until it has been mixed with other alloys. White gold as it is, is actually a light gray/yellowish color so it is coated in rhodium to make it appear whiter. It is common practice to rhodium plate all white gold jewellery. Traditionally nickel was used in white gold but nickel is no longer used today as it can cause skin reactions. We do not use nickel in any of our jewellery.

Rhodium is very similar to platinum and shares many of the same properties, including its colour. It’s a very white metal and is hard wearing, although it will wear away after a period of time. There is no answer as to how long the rhodium plating should last, it all depends on the thickness of the plating, the conditions under which it was applied and the general day to day wear of the item.

Rhodium plating should be very cost effective (we provide this service for £20) and will return your jewellery to its original condition. We suggest having your white gold jewellery rhodium plated once a year to keep it looking white.

Yellow gold

All our yellow gold is 18 carat. It is made by mixing 75% pure gold with 25% alloy metals including copper and zinc.

Unlike white gold which needs to be rhodium plated to look white, yellow gold does not require plating as it is naturally yellow. Yellow gold is hard wearing and will maintain its yellow colour, but it always looks best once it has been polished.

Platinum

All our platinum is almost pure (950 Platinum). It is made by mixing 95% platinum with 5% other alloy metals such as cobalt and ruthenium.

Platinum is the finest precious metal used in jewellery making. There is very little platinum on this earth and it’s found in very few places around the world. The rarity of platinum means that its price is invariably higher than gold. 

Platinum naturally has a brilliant white sheen and does not need to be rhodium plated like white gold to achieve its colour. The purity level in platinum is that much higher than gold (95% compared with 75%), making it hypoallergenic and kind to sensitive skin. It is very hard wearing and very dense, making it heavier than gold and more durable than other jewellery metals. It does scratch like all other precious metals, but a scratch is merely a displacement of metal and none of its volume is lost.

Over time platinum does develop a natural patina which many people find just as attractive as a polished finish. However, a professional polish will restore the jewellery to its original highly polished condition if you so prefer.

Palladium

All our palladium is almost pure (950 Palladium).  The palladium hallmark was introduced on 22nd July 2009, and is now a legally recognised hallmark.  

Palladium is a noble metal and within the platinum group of metals. Palladium is internationally recognised as being a precious metal.  

Palladium is naturally white, like platinum, and therefore does not need to be rhodium-plated (like white gold does) to give it a white appearance.  It does not tarnish and is much less expensive than platinum.  The main reason for this is that palladium is far less dense than platinum (palladium has a density similar to silver), and feels very light in your hand.  Palladium is a good alternative for mens wedding rings as it is a cheaper alternative to platinum with essentially the same appearance, but a lot of men prefer the weight/density of platinum which makes it feel more substantial.