Should I set my gemstones in Gold or Platinum?? This is a dilemma often faced by people when getting a new piece of jewelry. I advise my customers to answer some basic questions to get to their answer.
One of the first thing to consider is Colour. Pure gold is Yellow while Platinum is White! So if you want the piece of jewelry set in Yellow colour metal, the choice is clear – it has to be Gold.
Sometimes there are Cultural factors to consider as well. Many countries across the world have a clear preference for Yellow Gold. But if you’d like your jewelry set in white metal, then you have a real decision on your hands – white gold or platinum?
There is really no white gold. Yellow gold is mixed with some white metals (silver, nickel, manganese, palladium) to make it look white. It is also then coated in rhodium to make it shine and polished every few years to retain that lustre. Platinum on the other hand is inherently white in colour. Even though gold can be made to look white, it has more silvery hues whereas platinum white is more grey. Diamonds and other gemstones look great whether cast in White gold or Platinum; choice of the shade of white being a personal preference.
Besides cultural preference and colour, the other big factor is clearly Cost. Platinum is not only more expensive than Gold, it is also more dense. This means that Platinum will weigh more than Gold for similar looking piece of jewelry. Platinum setting therefore can cost up to twice the price of gold setting. So if budget is a factor, white gold can be much more affordable. And as previously mentioned, Platinum being more dense than gold, platinum jewelry weighs more than gold. Therefore whether one wants the jewellery to be light or heavy, can also help decide which metal to use.
Diamonds and gemstones look stunning in both – Platinum and White / Yellow Gold. Which of these two metals you decide to use thus depends on a combination of factors – cost, colour, culture and weight. Your jeweller can always help you make the decision that will be best for you.
Recent Comments