What is the difference between White Gold and Platinum?Updated 2 months ago

White gold is a gold alloy, which means that gold is mixed with palladium to create white gold's hue. Naturally, White gold is a warm, yellow-grey colour. White gold jewellery is generally plated in an outer coating of another metal, rhodium, to give pieces a bright, white lustre.

Due to the rhodium plating, white gold pieces do generally require more upkeep and maintenance. White gold is a harder metal than platinum, meaning that it is not as easily scratched or dented. 

Platinum is a precious metal that is commonly known for its lustre and superior durability. Platinum has a naturally-occurring silver grey hue when shined and polished, and does not require any plating.

We choose to rhodium plate our platinum pieces when first completed, so that they are bright and sparkling when you first receive them.

Platinum is a very dense metal, and is heavier than white gold. It is generally more expensive than white gold.

While white gold is a harder metal, platinum is less malleable, meaning that it is difficult to bend and shape the metal out of place. When platinum is scratched or dented, the metal is not lost, but moved from one place to another. This creates the patina that platinum is famous for - the look of being worn that develops over time. This can also be polished out time and time again.

When white gold is scratched, the metal is lost. The density and brittleness of platinum makes it an ideal choice to secure a gemstone, as over time the metal will keep its form slightly better than any form of gold. However, this is not to say that white gold isn’t a safe choice to secure a diamond. Both metals are an excellent choice to hold and secure gemstones, and although platinum is technically more robust, both are very durable.