Platinum Information

Platinum is so rare that all the platinum that has even been mined would fit into your bedroom.

Platinum's rarity as a metal has caused advertisers to associate it with exclusivity and wealth. "Platinum" credit cards have greater privileges than do "gold" ones. "Platinum awards" are the highest possible, ranking above gold, silver and bronze. For example, a musical album that has sold more than 1,000,000 copies, will be credited as "platinum" (a higher certification of "Diamond" does exist, however). And some products, such as blenders and vehicles, with a silvery-white colour are identified as "platinum". Platinum is considered a precious metal, although its use as such is much more rare than the use of gold or silver. The frame of the Crown of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, manufactured for her Coronation as Consort of King George VI is made of platinum. It was the first British Crown to be made of that metal. Due to its rarity, platinum is a highly priced metal, more so than gold or silver.

Platinum melts at double the temperature of gold.

It takes about eight weeks to refine enough platinum to make a ring. About ten tonnes to refine one ounce of pure platinum.

Royalty has a fondness for Platinum. The Queen mothers coronation crown was made of it. The Ko-Hin-Noor diamond in their Crown Jewels is set in and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor had wedding rings made of it.

Platinum is also used in heart pacemakers as well as a variety of electronic uses including used in hard discs of most PC's to improve capacity and durability.

Platinum is resistant to attack from most chemicals, is hypoallergenic, resists tarnish and is one of the world's strongest metals used for jewellery and is extremely durable.

Platinum is often confused with white gold. It is not. White gold is simply gold that has been alloyed with copper, silver, nickel and zinc to achieve the white look. It is not a pure or as durable as platinum however.

Platinum jewellery s cleaned much the same way you clean gold or silver. Preferably using a propriety platinum cleaner or soft soapy water and rinsed very well. Do not use abrasives or metal otherwise you may scratch and ruin the surface. As with all precious metals (gold, silver, etc.), platinum can be scratched. However, with platinum, there is actually no material lost from the scratch as there is with gold. If your platinum jewelry becomes scratched, simply take it to your jeweler for a quick polish.

Platinum is the heaviest of the precious metals, weighing almost twice as much weight for weight as gold. A six inch cube of platinum weighs 165 pounds. It is one of the world's strongest and most enduring metals, and will hold diamonds and gemstones securely in their mountings. Even after many years, platinum will not wear away or wear down. For example, after many years of wear, a gold wedding band's shank will wear down and become thinner. This is not the case with platinum.

How pure is Platinum?
In America, platinum jewelry contains either 90% or 95% pure platinum. By comparison, 18 carat gold is 75% pure and 14 carat is 58% pure gold. Platinum will never tarnish or lose its rich white luster.

No other precious metal is as distinctive to own and wear or possesses all the qualities of platinum. Platinum's lustrous sheen and rare beauty are coveted worldwide.

Platinum jewelry made in America contains either 90% or 95% pure platinum. Platinum jewelry marked "IRIDPLAT" contains 90% platinum and 10% iridium. When marked "PLAT," an item is at least 95% platinum, with 5% ruthenium. In Europe, platinum is identified by the following marks: 950 or PT950.

Platinum has been used throughout the centuries/ The ancient Egyptians used platinum The American Incas also, and I has been used by royalty and famous jewellery houses such as Faberge, Cartier and Tiffanies for years.