White Gold vs Platinum: Which One is Right for You?

Should I choose white gold or platinum for my engagement ring? This is a question that we get all the time, and now we have a full video to help you answer it. In this video we discuss the fundamental characteristics of each metal and breakdown their pros and cons. To really understand the differences, the video is broken down into a few categories.

Basic Differences

To start off, we need to understand that platinum and gold are simply different elements on the periodic table. Both metals are mixed, or alloyed, with other metals to give them different properties. For example, gold is naturally yellow and so it is alloyed with nickel or palladium to make it white. Platinum is typically alloyed with ruthenium or iridium in jewelry. These fundamental characteristics give each metal different properties. For example, platinum has greater density and a much higher melting point than white gold.

Strength

Is platinum stronger than white gold? In this section we do a couple of real world tests to see which metal is stronger. Platinum was about 50% stronger in our deflection test, but white gold was stronger in our tensile strength test. At the end of the day, either metal is more than sufficient to hold your diamond securely in your engagement ring. As long as you take good care of your ring by taking it off for activities like exercise and chores, either metal will be just fine here.

Daily Wear

Since you will be wearing your engagement ring a lot, you need to know how it will hold up to small scratches and dings of daily life. Since white gold is a harder metal, tiny bits of it can actually flake off when it is scratched. The softness of platinum, on the other hand, means that the surface is normally pushed around more that removed when it’s scratched. This is one of the key reasons why platinum rings tend to require less maintenance than white gold rings.

Comfort

There are two main differences to consider when talking about comfort. First, if you think you might have a metal allergy, white gold could be an issue. Many white gold alloys include nickel which is a very common metal to be allergic to. Platinum, on the other hand, is considered to be hypoallergenic, so it’s extremely unlikely that you would be allergic to it. There are nickel-free white gold alloys available (like our Star White Gold), so if you are concerned about allergies either go with platinum or a nickel-free white gold.

The second difference here is heft. As we discussed earlier, platinum alloys are much denser than white gold alloys, so an identically ring will be much heavier if it’s made in platinum as compared to white gold. This isn’t usually a problem, as the every weight of the platinum ring can make it feel like a high-quality piece of jewelry, but it is good to know especially if you are considering a design with a lot of metal.

Look

The main differences here don’t show up on day one. Because most white gold is plated with a metal called rhodium (which is in the platinum family) it looks very similar to platinum initially. As the plating starts to wear off, you see the actual color of the gold alloy underneath. Since gold is naturally yellow, some white gold alloys aren’t completely white. So, underneath the rhodium plating, they are a light yellow color. If you love the pure white look, you will need to get them replated every so often.

Platinum doesn’t have this issue, but it does tend to change in look for other reasons. As we wear our rings, lots of tiny scratches give platinum a dull, matte gray finish. This is the classic look of platinum, and if you love it, platinum is the way to go. If you want your ring to look bright and shiny, however, we would have to polish the platinum often which cuts into its longevity.

Cost

Historically, platinum has just been much more expensive than white gold. However, in recent years, the metal markets have shifted significantly and now pure gold is much more expensive than pure platinum. That said, there is still more labor that goes into the production of platinum jewelry and white gold alloys are typically comprised of about 40-75% pure gold. After everything, the price of jewelry made from either metal today is actually pretty similar with platinum still costing a little bit more on average.

So, which metal should you choose? In the end, either metal will be a great choice for your engagement ring. You may get a bit more longevity out of a platinum ring, but you will get a brighter, shinier look from a white gold ring. Pick the one that you like best, and you can’t really go wrong.

If you are interested in a new piece of white gold or platinum jewelry, we would love to help. Please contact us anytime to get started.

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