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Beware: Platinum Quality Can Differ in Precious Jewelry



Platinum has ended up being a popular option for precious jewelry due to its strength, toughness, and marketing efforts of the platinum market in recent years. Like all valuable metals, platinum will scratch. A platinum scratch is various from white gold since it simply plows the metal instead of eliminating it.

Generally, fashion jewelry manufacturers used platinum alloyed with metals from the platinum group metals (iridium, osmium, palladium, platinum, rhodium, and ruthenium). With the proper mix of these platinum group alloys, platinum becomes one of the hardest metals making it a strong and long lasting precious jewelry metal. Platinum will not rust or rust and the platinum household metals make it hypoallergenic and perfect for individuals with delicate skin.

Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidelines for platinum fashion jewelry state that only items consisting of 950 part per thousand of pure platinum can be significant stamped PLATINUM or PLAT without more alloy information. From 750-950 Platinum, the platinum group metals need to likewise be suggested.

There is a misperception that the 950 platinum is much better than the 900 platinum. Pure platinum is really soft and the best alloy mix is what is crucial. Various alloys and various portions produce much better results for different jewelry functions. Some alloy mixes work much better for casting and some are much better for handcrafting like flexing the prongs over vulnerable diamond corners. Many craftsmens feel that PLAT900IRID is the very best general-purpose alloy for diamond rings.

While platinum is best known for its usage in jewelry, more than 60% of platinum is utilized for other commercial purposes such as catalytic converters in automobiles and pacemakers in the medical field. Due to the fact that of its rarity and the quickly increasing need for this flexible metal, the price has skyrocketed recently.

The high rate of platinum has triggered some jewelry manufacturers to begin utilizing lower percentages of platinum and to utilize other alloy metals to lower the cost of the jewelry. Sadly, these brand-new alloy mixes are lowering the really qualities that made platinum desirable. The brand-new alloys produce more brittle platinum that is more susceptible to damage.

For instance, metal that is stamped 585 Platinum is truly just 58.5% pure platinum and 41.5% copper and cobalt with the outcome that it is most likely to split, crater, discolor or irritate sensitive skin. Less scrupulous precious jewelry suppliers get rid of the 585 stamp and make complex the situation, leading customers to believe the metal is the traditional high quality platinum.

Historically costume jewelry did not need to be worried about the pureness of platinum since the alloy metals remained in the platinum group the quality was uniform regardless of the specific alloy or percentage utilized.

Today s jewelry shopper is at possible risk since the lower quality platinum looks the exact same as the greater quality platinum. While platinum looks similar regardless of the alloy, the weight of lower quality alloy blends is lower because there is so much less of the dense platinum.

Presently there are no FTC standards for the brand-new platinum alloys so it depends on the jewelry expert or appraiser to help the customer identify if the platinum is well fit for its designated use. The consumer deserves a caution if offered lower quality platinum given that it might not hold stones as well and is more susceptible to damage. However, do not expect the jeweler selling poor quality platinum to explain this possible problem. Similar to any important purchases, it depends on the customer to be educated and ask the right concerns before making a purchase.


Typically, precious jewelry makers used platinum alloyed with metals from the platinum group metals (iridium, osmium, palladium, platinum, rhodium, and ruthenium). With the appropriate mix of these platinum group alloys, platinum ends up being one of the hardest metals making it a strong and resilient jewelry metal. Platinum will not rust or corrode and the platinum family metals make it hypoallergenic and perfect for persons with sensitive skin.

Federal Trade Commission (FTC) standards for platinum fashion jewelry state that only products consisting of 950 part per thousand of pure platinum can be significant stamped PLATINUM or PLAT without more alloy info. The high cost of platinum has triggered some fashion jewelry makers to start utilizing lower percentages of platinum and to utilize other alloy metals to lower the expense of the jewelry.