Choosing the right stuff for your ring.

GOLD

In the Karat system, pure gold is expressed as "24 Karat Fine" (24K). The gold content of any gold article depends on the proportion of pure gold it contains. In its purest form, 24K is too soft to withstand the abrasions usually associated with daily wear, so it is alloyed with other metals to give it strength. The color of gold is determined by the percentages of alloys that are mixed with the pure gold. Each of these metals alter the color, eg: copper= red gold, nickel or palladium = white gold.
Historically, white gold was introduced to replace Platinum. White gold can resemble Platinum, but the two have very different properties and prices. 19 Karat gold is the whitest of all and due to the special new metal alloys does not need to be Rhodium plated. Traditionally, white gold is plated with Rhodium, giving definite chrome white appearance, the piece looks more Platinum-like but has the hardness and cost effectiveness associated with white gold. The gold content in white gold is equal to its comparative yellow gold Karat, in that 18K white or yellow gold each contain 75% pure yellow gold.

PLATINUM

Platinum is one of the rarest metals mined in the world. Its grey white luster is unique and it is one of the strongest precious metals used in jewelry. Platinum is the only precious metal used in jewelry that is 90% to 95% pure, largely hypoallergenic, and tarnish resistant. Platinum jewelry is usually marked 900pt, 950Plat, or Plat. While it is the strongest of jewelry metals, it does scratch and develop a patina of wear. Many people prefer this look, unique to Platinum. Platinum can be re-polished to bring back the original reflective finish with minimal difficulty.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PLATINUM AND 18K OR 19K WHITE GOLD

Platinum is often compared to white gold, although the two metals are very different. Platinum is a naturally white metal. 18K White gold is, actually, yellow gold to which either nickle or palladium has been added. 18K white gold is plated with Rhodium in order to keep its Platinum-like luster. This plating tends to disappear with time and wear, causing the gold's natural color to appear. How long will it take? There is no simple answer. It depends on the thickness of the plating, the precise conditions under which it was applied and how the wearer uses the material. 19K white gold contains special metal alloys that make it the whitest of white golds and often confused with Platinum. 19K white gold does not need to be rhodium plated and is naturally a clean, crisp white.
Platinum is the most valued of the precious metals. Its beautiful silver-white color will not tarnish. It is unaffected by common household chemicals and, unlike gold, does not get damaged by chlorine, bleach, or detergents. It is tougher than all precious jewelry metals, but, it still must be alloyed with stronger metals to prevent it from bending.
The cost of Platinum jewelry is higher than gold because of its purity, its heft, and the intricate process of working with it.It take special skills and tools to work with Platinum and the metal has a significantly higher melting point than gold. For these reasons, the cost of repairs to Platinum is significantly higher than those for gold.