Platinum Engagement Rings
One of the most important decisions you will make about purchasing an engagement ring is which type of metal to use. The good news is that you have more choices than ever available at Secret Diamond Engagement Rings. These choices include:#1) Platinum
#2) Yellow Gold
#3) Palladium
#4) 14k and 18k Gold (Both Yellow & White Gold)
However with so many choices, it can be difficult to decide which one is best for you without first learning about the “Pros and Cons” of each metal. This article will discuss the best features of Platinum engagement rings, as well as any drawbacks.
Interesting Tidbit: Platinum's name is derived from the Spanish term platina, which literally translates into "little silver”
Pictured: Platinum Engagement Ring
Platinum Engagement Ring Facts
1) Platinum is an extremely dense material that is resistant to fracturing, cracking, corrosion and general wear and tear
2) Platinum is an excellent material to use for an engagement ring, or any other type of fine quality diamond jewelry or wedding rings.
3) Platinum is an extremely rare precious metal and therefor can be quite expensive to use if your engagement ring has a thick, or wide band. In other words, the more Platinum that your piece of jewelry has, the more expensive the "Platinum upgrade" will be. However the cost differential between Gold and Platinum Engagement Rings varies depending upon the Precious Metals Market.
4) Platinum is "naturally white" and will not require Rhodium Re-coating, like a White Gold Engagement Ring does.
5) Platinum is "Hypoallergenic" and therefor one of the safest metals to use in jewelry for people with allergies, particularly "nickel allergies".
6) Because platinum is so dense, your engagement ring will have a "heavy" feel to it. Many new brides enjoy this and feel like their engagement ring is of higher quality. This can be particularly desirable in the case of a very thin engagement ring band, or petite engagement ring. However if you are purchasing a very thick engagement ring band that has a lot of metal, the ring can be quite heavy and take some getting use to.
Additional Platinum Pros and Cons:
1) It is the strongest of all precious metals used for the production of fine quality jewelry.2) Because of its extreme strength, Platinum can be used to make jewelry with a 95% purity rating. This can not be done with gold because it is too soft and why gold is only available in 14k (60% purity) and 18k (75% purity). Extra metals have to be "mixed in" with gold engagement rings in order to withstand every day "wear and tear".
3) Even though a 95% pure platinum engagement ring is much stronger than gold, the purity still brings a "softness" with it.
4) The softness of 95% pure platinum will be prone to nicks, dents and scratches, just like a gold engagement ring will. However the chances of a serious failure in the integrity of the metal, is much less with platinum. This means that platinum will hold your diamonds in place more securely than gold will.
5) Everyday scratches give platinum engagement rings a grayish tone over an extended period of time.
6) The scratches can be polished out with special rouges and buffers. The average mall jewelry store do not carry this special equipment, nor do they have qualified experts that know how to work with platinum. This can lead to additional maintenance costs and inconvenience, in some cases.
7) Although Platinum rings can be more difficult to maintain and re-polish, they will polish up better than a Gold Ring will. Because of the denseness of its molecules it shines brighter than any other precious metal.
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Platinum Physical Properties*As a pure metal, platinum is silvery-white, lustrous, ductile, and malleable. Platinum is more ductile than gold, silver and copper, thus being the most ductile of pure metals, but gold is still more malleable than platinum.*Platinum's resistance to wear and tarnish is well suited for making fine jewelry.
*It does not oxidize at any temperature, although it is corroded by halogens, cyanides, sulfur and caustic alkalis. Platinum is insoluble in hydrochloric and nitric acid, but dissolves in hot aqua regia to form chloroplatinic acid. (Read More)*The metal has an excellent resistance to corrosion and high temperature and has stable electrical properties. All of these characteristics have been used for industrial applications.
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Platinum Engagement Ring Care and Maintenance:
Although a Platinum ring can be more difficult to re-polish, it is still quite durable and very easy to care for. As with any engagement ring, avoid wearing it when doing housework, gardening or other types of activities that can lead to premature wear or damage.
Platinum diamond engagement rings require a little extra caution. Although diamonds are the strongest substance known to man, they are still a natural crystal. What does that mean? It means that it can chip and crack if you hit it into a sharp or hard object.
Platinum engagement rings should be examined every 6 months by a qualified professional jeweler. Have the jeweler check for scratches, cracks, loose stones and other risk factors. Have the jeweler buff out and re-polish the ring as often as desired.
Cleaning should be done on a weekly basis – place your ring into a bottle of jewelry cleaner for 15-20 minutes and rinse off with hot water. (Never over a sink)
Platinum is regarded as the finest metal for jewelry. It is naturally white, 90-95% pure, and 35 times more rare than gold. The high luster of platinum is distinctive. It is the strongest precious metal used in jewelry, and is almost twice as heavy as 14k gold.
Related Articles:
http://www.secretdiamond.com/palladium_engagement_rings.htm
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