While gold and platinum are both precious metals, and can be made to look very similar, there are some differences to be aware of before making your choice. In order to have an intelligent discussion about any precious metals, one must understand the difference between hardness and malleability. Hardness means a material’s resistance to scratching and denting. Malleability is the ease with which a material is able to be bent, drawn, and shaped.

Some would call platinum harder than gold, but this is technically untrue. Platinum is more dense, and less malleable, but it is much softer than 14k gold. This means that while platinum is stronger and can hold stones very securely for a long time, it will get minor scratches very easily. Platinum will always retain its beautiful bright color, but over time it will gain a patina that looks like a brushed finish, because of all the little abrasions that it will sustain in the course of daily wear. White gold on the other hand, while being less dense, lighter, and more malleable, will maintain a polished finish much longer than Platinum. White gold, depending on what alloys are mixed in, will change color very slightly over the years and appear a little duller, but this can be easily remedied by a fresh rhodium plating every once in a while.

Because gold is more malleable, it will also be easier, and usually less expensive to repair or size. Since platinum has a higher melting point, sometimes stones need to be removed before work can be done on a platinum ring, since the higher heat can damage stones.

There are certainly pros and cons to each, and sometimes it just comes down to what looks and feels more appealing to you. If you are having trouble deciding, please pay us a visit and let us show you some of the differences.