Platinum versus white gold

Color & Care

18k gold is 75% pure gold and 25% other metals and in order to get the silvery white color of white gold, yellow gold must be mixed, or alloyed, with some white metal(s) such as silver, nickel, manganese and/or palladium.

The 18k white gold that we use for our jewelry is alloyed with palladium, a metal that belongs to the platinum metals group. It is hypoallergenic as opposed to nickel which may cause allergies. For our white gold jewelry we use 100% certified recycled metals.

All our white gold jewelry is flash plated with rhodium which is very durable and gives it an extra brightness. This is a common process but as the rhodium plating can get damaged over time depending on wear and tear it needs to be reapplied. While this may seem like a hassle, in truth the process is relatively inexpensive, and many jewelers actually offer this service for free.

Platinum, on the other hand, has a natural grayish white color. In order for it to be sold as platinum, it must have at least 90-95 percent platinum; if less, it would be called a platinum alloy. Our platinum consists of 95% platinum and 5% iridium which is also a metal from the platinum group.

Platinum will always retain its natural color.

The colors of white gold and platinum are certainly similar but if you are considering to purchase a set of rings we would advise to buy them in the same metal.

Cost

Platinum is the strongest and most durable of all precious metals as well as the heaviest, weighing about twice as much as 14k gold. Platinum is also much rarer and mined much less than gold. Only 160 tons of platinum are mined annually, as opposed to 1,500 tons of gold. And platinum is more difficult to work with which translates into higher labor costs. Therefore, it is easy to understand why for example a white gold ring costs approximately half as much as a comparable ring in platinum.