What is the Difference Between White Gold and Platinum

There are many couples who, when shopping for diamond engagement rings or wedding bands, get caught up in the question of platinum vs white gold, which metal is better for my ring. If you are also confused about the above, then you have come to the right place because this is an article around the differences between white gold and platinum to help you better determine whether you should choose a white gold ring or a platinum diamond ring.

What is Platinum?

Most Popular Platinum Rings

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What is White Gold?

The jewelry industry uses "carat" as a unit to measure the purity of gold, with the abbreviation "K". Gold is measured on a scale with a maximum value of 24, so 24K stands for pure gold. Depending on the percentage of gold mixed, white gold can be 9k white gold, 14K white gold and 18k white gold. 9K white gold contains the least amount of gold, only 37.5%. 14K white gold is made up of 58.3% gold and 41.7% pure alloy, while 18K white gold is made up of 75% gold and only 25% alloy, therefore, pieces made of 14K white gold tend to last longer. As 18K white gold is the classic metal with the highest purity of gold other than pure gold, it has a higher value and whiter and brighter appearance than 14K white gold.

Most Popular White Gold Rings

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The Difference Between White Gold and Platinum Rings

1. Platinum rings are more durable than white gold rings

The high density of platinum makes it possess excellent wear resistance to the point that it will barely lose any particulate matter when worn for more than a few decades. This means that if a platinum diamond ring is bumped or cut during wear, the metal will be pushed from one side to the other, creating small bumps and ridges on the surface, but it will hardly lose any thickness. Even if your platinum engagement ring or platinum wedding ring is badly scratched, over time they will only develop their own unique surface called a copper green color. The copper green color indicates that a platinum diamond ring is much loved and used, and gives itself an antique and vintage style.

Unlike platinum diamond rings, white gold engagement rings and white gold wedding rings lose their high polish and sharp edges when worn for a period of time. If there are bumps and cuts while wearing a white gold ring, the top layer of metal can come off causing the ring to become thinner. Not only that, you should visit a jewelry store regularly to have your white gold engagement ring or white gold wedding band re-rhodium plated to maintain its luster.

2. Platinum rings have a more natural color than white gold rings

As mentioned earlier, white gold contains yellow gold, so it is actually manufactured to be a slightly gray/off-white color. In order to give your white gold engagement rings and white gold wedding bands a bright white shine like platinum diamond rings, jewelers will correct this by applying a finish called rhodium plating. This plating wears off over time and will need to be reapplied throughout the life of your diamond ring. If you take care of your white gold engagement ring and white gold wedding ring, a single plating can last approximately 3 years.

Platinum, because it naturally has a luxurious white luster, does not require repeated rhodium plating on the surface as white gold diamond rings do.

3. Platinum rings are more expensive than white gold rings

Platinum engagement rings and platinum wedding rings are typically more expensive than white gold rings because, in addition to being 30 times rarer than gold, platinum's poorer malleability leads to greater difficulty in processing the finished product and its higher density leads to the need for more raw platinum.

While rhodium plating on white gold engagement rings and white gold wedding rings incurs additional maintenance costs over time, it is nothing compared to the overall cost of a platinum diamond ring (which is 2.5-5 times higher than a white gold ring).

4. Platinum rings are friendlier to sensitive skin than white gold rings

Since white gold rings are made from a mixture of metals, they are not friendly to those who are allergic to certain metals. For example, people who are allergic to nickel (part of the white gold composition) are not suitable for wearing white gold engagement rings and white gold wedding bands. Platinum engagement rings and platinum wedding bands are actually the only real metal jewelry you can buy that is friendly to sensitive skin, as it is 95% pure.

5. Platinum rings require less care than white gold rings

Compared to platinum engagement rings and platinum wedding rings, white gold diamond rings require more maintenance and care in everyday life. This is because when a white gold engagement ring or white gold wedding ring is scratched, the gold is actually scraped off and lost, and the ring's surface will begin to take on a yellow color. In this case, you need to be re-gilded and polished at a jewelry store. Moreover, depending on how active you are and how often you wear your diamond ring, this can happen again very quickly, which means you will need to take care of it more frequently.

Platinum diamond rings, on the other hand, do not reduce the amount of metal nor do they take on a yellow color like white gold rings. All you need to do is regularly clean the ring at home with soapy water (the best solution for cleaning rings) to keep it looking like new.

Conclusion

There are many factors that play a role in this question of platinum vs white gold, which is better for your ring. Seeing this, you should be able to decide which one is better for you based on your needs. For example, if you are a person with sensitive skin, then platinum engagement rings and platinum wedding bands are perfect for you; but if you really only have a limited budget, then white gold engagement rings and white gold wedding bands are the best solution for you.

If you are looking for a unique white gold diamond ring or platinum diamond ring for your engagement ring or wedding ring, then you can visit the DR ring listings page. Darry Ring is a ring brand that promotes the idea that one person can only customize a DR diamond ring for his or her lover for a lifetime to protect each true love. We offer different styles and settings of white gold engagement rings and platinum engagement rings for you to choose from. Once you have purchased your first white gold engagement ring or platinum engagement ring, you can unlock more styles of white gold wedding bands and platinum wedding bands from DR as a continuation of your love.

Anyway, for more questions about white gold rings and platinum rings, feel free to consult DR's professional jewelry experts who will be ready to provide you with answers.