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Platinum - A Most Precious Metal
Platinum is often called the "rarest of the precious metals". While it's true that far less platinum is produced annually in comparison to gold and silver, it may surprise you to learn that in it's raw form, platinum is actually a more abundant metal than gold! Platinum is estimated to make up around 45 parts per billion of the earth's crust, gold - only a meager 3.5 parts per billion.
However turning all that platinum into a usable material is quite another matter! Where gold is found in relatively large quantities and fairly easy to remove from it's ore, platinum is scattered about in small amounts and the very properties that make it desirable also make it difficult to separate from the surrounding ore. The production of usable platinum is a very lengthy, multi-step process.
To put it in perspective, a mind-boggling 10 tons of platinum ore yields only about 1 oz of platinum and it can take as long as 8 weeks to produce that one little ounce! Since mining platinum is such a difficult and costly venture, only 88 tons of platinum make their way from the earth to a jeweler's showcase in any given year - compare that to about 2,700 tons of gold*!
History
Although there is some evidence of platinum use by the pre-Columbian people of Ecuador, there is little evidence of it's use elsewhere. In the mid-late 16th century, spanish conquistadors in discovered platinum Ecuador, but since they were unable to melt it they didn't think it had much potential.
The 1700's was a time of experimentation for platinum - numerous chemists were studying it and trying to solve the puzzle to making it workable. There were semi-successful attempts at alloying it with gold and even fusing it with arsenic!
In the late part of the century a man by the name of Pierre-François Chabaneau succeeded in producing pure workable platinum. But unbeknownst to him, the presence of other related "platinum group" metals in the ore caused the results of his process to vary greatly from batch to batch. Chabaneau became frustrated with the very metal he had come so close to taming, once smashing all of his laboratory equipment in a fit of temper!
But still he soldiered on. Chabaneau and his partner Don Joaquín Cabezas started a lucrative business of producing platinum ingots and utensils, marking the beginning of the 22 year platinum age in Spain. It wasn't until the invention of the oxyhydrogen torch (in in the 19th century) that jewelers were able to fashion and solder platinum into more intricate items.
So Why Platinum?
With all the effort it takes to produce, and the accompanying pricetag, why should you choose platinum?
Security and peace of mind
The Hope Diamond, the Koh I Noor ... it's no coincidence that these and many of the world's other priceless gems are set in platinum. Gold and silver settings are prone to loosening over time, however special properties of platinum make it highly resistant to changing it's shape. Barring some major accident, the prongs holding your diamond tightly in place will still be holding it just as tightly when you pass it along to your granddaughter (or great granddaughter) many years from now!
Strength
Platinum's density and strength make it ideal for even the most fanciful metalwork. .Even delicate filligree designs hold up well if they are made of platinum - they're much less likely to be damaged or dented from everyday wear than if they were gold. Look at some of these pieces of vintage Edwardian platinum jewelry - over 100 years later, most of these pieces still look as lovely as they did when they were new!
Durability
Scratches and dings will wear away your gold and silver jewelry over time - when gold or silver is scratched, some of the metal is gone for good. When platinum gets scratched, little to none of the metal is actually lost. This means if your platinum ring wedding ring takes a little damage, a skillful jeweler can repolish it and the ring will be as.good as new! Platinum is also more resistant to heat and acids than gold. It is truly an eternal metal, making it ideal for bridal jewelry - a perfect symbol of a couple's love for one another.
Purity
When you purchase platinum, you're buying a highly pure noble metal. Nearly all platinum jewelry sold in the USA is 90-95% pure platinum. By comparison, 18kt gold contains only 75% gold. Platinum jewelry is also hypoallergenic. It contains no nickel (like white gold) or copper (like sterling silver) - both or which cause allergic reactions in some people.
Quality and Beauty
Simply put, when you hold a piece of platinum jewelry in your hand, you can feel the quality! If you were to weigh matching platinum and 14 karat gold rings, identical in all respects except for the material of which they were made, you would find that the platinum ring was 60% heavier than it's 14kt gold equivalent!
Platinum's clean, white color compliments diamonds and other stones and, since it's a naturally white metal, it stays white forever without discoloring. With wear, platinum acquires a soft, glowing patina which further enhances it's beauty.
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* Source: The Platinum Guild Website