Platinum and white gold are two very different metals. The biggest differences between platinum and white gold are that platinum is a naturally white metal and is more dense and durable.
The difference in cost is primarily due to platinum’s rarity and higher level of purity in platinum jewelry. When comparing costs, keep in mind the maintenance required over a lifetime for white gold, such as rhodium plating to keep it white, reshanking and retipping the prongs.
Platinum may be a higher investment initially, but its enduring nature makes it the best value in the long run. Below is a table to help better understand the differences between the two metals. Keep these facts in mind the next time you’re at a jewelry store.
PLATINUM |
WHITE GOLD |
| One of the most durable of precious metals. When scratched, metal is merely displaced and very little is lost. | When scratched, slivers of metal are lost resulting in faster metal loss. |
| A real white metal | Yellow gold mixed with whitening alloys, such as nickel. Will yellow without repeated rhodium plating. |
| Strength and durability creates the safest setting for diamonds. Metal moves with force rather than breaks. | Gold is more brittle so increased chance of prongs breaking after repeated force. |
| Loses very little metal to everyday wear; little maintenance required. | Loses metal at faster rate; may need to be reshanked or retipped with everyday wear. |
| Hypoallergenic, regardless of alloy | Nickel alloy may cause allergic reactions |
| Platinum jewelry is 90-90% pure platinum | Most gold jewelry is 59.5%(14K) or 75%(18K) gold |
| Platinum is 30 times more rare than gold | About 2,700 tons of gold is produced and made into jewelry each year vs. 88 tons of platinum. |
| Platinum is 60% heavier than 14K gold and 40% heavier than 18K gold. | You can feel a distinct difference between platinum and white gold. |
14-karat gold is really 58.33% gold & remainder is alloys. 24-karat = 100%. Whatever the gold karatage may be, divide it by 24 and that’s your percentage of actual gold in the piece of jewelry.