Platinum has become a popular choice for jewelry due to its strength, durability, and marketing efforts of the platinum industry in recent years. Platinum is three times more expensive than gold. Jewelers aggressively market it because they make three times the profit on every platinum item they sell compared to gold. Platinum is a naturally white, lustrous metal that is long lasting. Sometimes the claims of strength and scratch resistance are overstated. Like all precious metals, platinum will scratch. A platinum scratch is different from white gold because it simply “plows” the metal instead of removing it.
Traditionally, 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 durable jewelry metal. Platinum will not rust or corrode and the platinum family metals make it hypoallergenic and ideal for persons with sensitive skin.
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidelines for platinum jewelry state that only items consisting of 950 part per thousand of pure platinum can be marked stamped “PLATINUM” or “PLAT” without more alloy information. From 750-950 Platinum, the platinum group metals must also be indicated. For example, PLAT900IRID for 10% Iridium alloy. Historically, the most common alloys in America were 95% Platinum with 5% Ruthenium or 5% Cobalt and 90% Platinum with 10% Iridium.
There is a misperception that the 950 platinum is better than the 900 platinum. However, pure platinum is very soft and the right alloy mix is what is important. Different alloys and different percentages produce better results for different jewelry purposes. Some alloy mixes work better for casting and some are better for handcrafting-like bending the prongs over fragile diamond corners. Many artisans feel that PLAT900IRID is the best general-purpose alloy for diamond rings.
While platinum is best known for its use in jewelry, more than 60% of platinum is used for other industrial purposes such as catalytic converters in autos and pacemakers in the medical field. Because of its rarity and the rapidly increasing demand for this versatile metal, the price has soared in recent years.
The high price of platinum has caused some jewelry manufacturers to start using lower percentages of platinum and to use other alloy metals to lower the cost of the jewelry. Unfortunately, these new alloy mixes are reducing the very qualities that made platinum desirable. The new alloys produce more brittle platinum that is more susceptible to damage.
For example, metal that is stamped 585 Platinum is really only 58.5% pure platinum and 41.5% copper and cobalt with the result that it is more likely to crack, crater, discolor or irritate sensitive skin. Less scrupulous jewelry vendors remove the 585 stamp and complicate the situation, leading consumers to believe the metal is the traditional high-quality platinum.
In the past the jewelry buyer did not need to be concerned about the particular purity associated with platinum since the alloy gold and silver coins were inside the platinum crew the quality was basically standard whatever the particular combination or fraction used.
Modern day, jewelry buyer is at possible risk since the lower top quality platinum seems the same as the high-quality platinum. Even though platinum seems similar whatever the alloy, the regarding decrease quality combination mixes is leaner because there is a great deal less of this dense platinum.
Currently, you will discover no FTC guidelines for your new platinum eagle alloys so it will be up to the jewelry expert or identifier to help the customer determine if the particular platinum is without a doubt well suited for it is intended employ. The consumer justifies an alert if distributed lower top quality platinum mainly because it might not carry stones at the same time and is even more susceptible to harm. However, never expect the particular jeweler merchandising low-quality platinum eagle to point out this kind of potential issue. As with any significant purchases, its up to the client to be professional and ask an appropriate question before making a purchase.
Traditionally, 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 durable jewelry metal. Platinum will not rust or corrode and the platinum family metals make it hypoallergenic and ideal for persons with sensitive skin.
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidelines for platinum jewelry state that only items consisting of 950 part per thousand of pure platinum can be marked stamped “PLATINUM” or “PLAT” without more alloy information. From 750-950 Platinum, the platinum group metals must also be indicated. For example, PLAT900IRID for 10% Iridium alloy. Historically, the most common alloys in America were 95% Platinum with 5% Ruthenium or 5% Cobalt and 90% Platinum with 10% Iridium.
There is a misperception that the 950 platinum is better than the 900 platinum. However, pure platinum is very soft and the right alloy mix is what is important. Different alloys and different percentages produce better results for different jewelry purposes. Some alloy mixes work better for casting and some are better for handcrafting-like bending the prongs over fragile diamond corners. Many artisans feel that PLAT900IRID is the best general-purpose alloy for diamond rings.
While platinum is best known for its use in jewelry, more than 60% of platinum is used for other industrial purposes such as catalytic converters in autos and pacemakers in the medical field. Because of its rarity and the rapidly increasing demand for this versatile metal, the price has soared in recent years.
For example, metal that is stamped 585 Platinum is really only 58.5% pure platinum and 41.5% copper and cobalt with the result that it is more likely to crack, crater, discolor or irritate sensitive skin. Less scrupulous jewelry vendors remove the 585 stamp and complicate the situation, leading consumers to believe the metal is the traditional high-quality platinum.
In the past the jewelry buyer did not need to be concerned about the particular purity associated with platinum since the alloy gold and silver coins were inside the platinum crew the quality was basically standard whatever the particular combination or fraction used.
Modern day, jewelry buyer is at possible risk since the lower top quality platinum seems the same as the high-quality platinum. Even though platinum seems similar whatever the alloy, the regarding decrease quality combination mixes is leaner because there is a great deal less of this dense platinum.
Currently, you will discover no FTC guidelines for your new platinum eagle alloys so it will be up to the jewelry expert or identifier to help the customer determine if the particular platinum is without a doubt well suited for it is intended employ. The consumer justifies an alert if distributed lower top quality platinum mainly because it might not carry stones at the same time and is even more susceptible to harm. However, never expect the particular jeweler merchandising low-quality platinum eagle to point out this kind of potential issue. As with any significant purchases, its up to the client to be professional and ask an appropriate question before making a purchase.
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