About Platinum Jewelry

Platinum is luxury. You may have chatted with your soon-to-be-married friends about the virtues of platinum rings vs. gold rings. Or maybe you've heard that your favorite celebrity wears platinum rings. But platinum is nothing new!

Naturally occurring platinum and platinum-rich alloys have been around forever. The first European reference to platinum appears in 1557 in the writings of Italian humanist Julius Caesar Scaliger. The word platinum comes from the Spanish word platina, meaning "little silver."

Purity

Did you know that there are different purities of platinum? When you're looking for a platinum ring, look for 950 platinum. This particular platinum/ruthenium alloy combination -- generally referred to as PLAT or PT950 -- is the highest purity available in platinum rings. Platinum wedding bands made with ruthenium are harder and more durable than platinum wedding bands made with iridium.

When you shop at Larson Jewelers, you can be completely confident that your ring is true PT950 platinum alloyed with 5% ruthenium.

What is Ruthenium?

Ruthenium is element number 44 on the periodic table of elements. It is also a Platinum Group Metal and is usually found with Platinum ore, but not at the same abundance. This make it more rare than Platinum. It is the 74th most abundant metal found on Earth. It, like other Platinum Group Metals, does not react with most chemicals, so it does not cause allergies. Its principle use in jewelry making is as an alloy in palladium and platinum jewelry to make jewelry pieces more durable. It is also alloyed with titanium to make titanium more resistant to corrosion.

Platinum vs. White Gold Rings

Platinum is naturally white. White gold is not. White gold is actually pure yellow gold mixed with alloys that overpower the gold color to create an almost-white hue. Platinum is tough and durable. It typically outlasts gold by many years. It's also one of the heaviest metals, weighing almost 60% more than 14K gold. This property gives platinum jewelry the substantial feel that many people prefer. Platinum is also hypoallergenic due to it's non-reactive properties and purity. White gold is alloyed with a high percentage of nickel, a metal that about 10% of the population is allergic to.