Platinum or white gold what’s the difference ?
Since writing this blog post, the world has changed due to Covid. 
In uncertain times investors often flock to safe havens, gold being one of them. 
In 2020 after considering the difference in purity and density
the price of 18ct white gold or platinum jewellery is almost the same,
platinum being slightly more, due to it's higher (95%) purity & (134%) density.

Not everybody knows it, but white gold doesn’t exist naturally. It’s made from yellow gold mixed with white metal alloys like palladium or silver.
The reason gold is combined with alloys is because gold is soft. If pure gold was used on its own in jewellery, it would bend out of shape quickly. For this reason, gold has to be mixed with harder alloy metals, to make it more rigid and durable.

Platinum or white gold what’s the difference?

Assay office hallmarking
Assay office marks

You may have heard the term “carat”, abbreviated with the letters ct, is used to describe the purity of gold. The measurement is on a scale of 24, where “24 carat” (or 24ct) represents pure gold. 9ct gold is therefore 37.5% pure gold and 18ct gold is 75% pure gold. The rest is a mixture of alloy metals used to harden the gold. Alloys vary the colour and also how the metal acts, casting alloys work well when molten but crack when cold worked.  Thus 18ct gold is 75 % pure bright yellow gold, 25 % alloys. To guarantee the type and purity of metal, all jewellery sold in the UK has to be independently tested by an assay office. We use the London office, everything we produce has been tested and contains all the required marks, discover more here.

18ct white gold is a warm white, not bright white metal.

If you see white gold looking very bright white and shiny, it’s been given a coating with a silvery-white metal called rhodium. This final rhodium finish gives white gold its bright white colour. Rhodium is expensive thus the plating is generally thin, and will need re-plating on a regular basis, for the rest of its life. It is not uncommon for the retailer/ maker to withhold this information, it becomes obvious when the plating wears off and the warm white colour of the white gold becomes exposed. I have seen yellow gold plated with rhodium, most often when jewellery has been bought abroad on a holiday, the maker knowing the chance of return small.

I like the natural warm white colour of white gold, it’s the perfect contrast against the yellow gold in my diagonal stripe and dot and circle rings,

Contemporary dots & circles wedding ring 0990
Unique modern wedding ring. 18ct gold with dots and circles 0990 David Ashton

Never have I rhodium plated any of my jewellery. Platinum and white gold are two very different metals.

Platinum or White Gold ?

The biggest obvious difference between platinum and white gold is that platinum is a naturally white metal. It is rarer than gold,  much heavier and more durable. It can be used in a purer form than gold, usually at about 95%, consequently more expensive than gold. Platinum has the advantage of age and work hardening, the longer and more you wear platinum jewellery, the harder it gets, and more securely set the stones.

Platinum rings
Platinum rings

It may be a higher investment initially, but Platinums enduring nature makes it the best value in the long run, if you want a bright white piece of jewellery. One more benefit of platinum is that it is hypoallergenic.
Many jewellers shy away from using Platinum as they lack the skills and tools required to work & polish platinum, they find it’s easier to plate white gold.

If you still can’t decide between gold and platinum, don’t worry.  I’d welcome you to make an appointment to come and look at the two metals.
I’ll gladly help answer any questions you have about gold vs platinum. This will ensure I make you a piece of jewellery that will bring you a lifetime of delight.

Book an appointment & discover more

GDPR

European Union GDPR (General Data Protection Regulations)

The EU GDPR is designed to help all of us have more control over our personal data, and how is it used.

Who does the information GDPR apply to?

Data subjects, being all visitors and users of any website who are members of the European Union, and therefore who submit personal data. donaldryker.com is the data processor and data controller of this site. You can find out more about this law here.

Privacy Policy

This privacy policy sets out how I, David Ashton use and protect any information that you give when you use this website.

I am committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected. Should I ask you to provide certain information from which you can be identified when using this website, you can be assured that it will only be used in accordance with this privacy statement.

If I change this policy I will update this page. You should check from time to time to ensure that you are happy with any changes. This policy is effective from 22 August 2012.

What I collect

I may collect the following information:

  • your name
  • contact information including email address
  • demographic information such as postcode, preferences and interests
  • other information relevant to customer surveys and/or offers
What I do with the information I gather

I require this information to provide you with a better service and in particular for the following reasons:

  • Internal record keeping.
  • I may use the information to improve our products and services.
  • I may periodically send promotional emails about new products, special offers or other information which I think you may find interesting using the email address which you have provided.
  • From time to time, I may also use your information to contact you for market research purposes. I may contact you by email, phone, fax or mail. I may use the information to customise the website according to your interests.
Security

I am committed to ensuring that your information is secure. In order to prevent unauthorised access or disclosure, I have put in place suitable physical, electronic and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information I collect online.

How I use cookies

A cookie is a small file which asks permission to be placed on your computer’s hard drive. Once you agree, the file is added and the cookie helps analyse web traffic or lets you know when you visit a particular site. Cookies allow web applications to respond to you as an individual. The web application can tailor its operations to your needs, likes and dislikes by gathering and remembering information about your preferences.

I use traffic log cookies to identify which pages are being used. This helps me analyse data about web page traffic and improve the website. I only use this information for statistical analysis purposes and then the data is removed from the system.

Overall, cookies help provide you with a better website by monitoring which pages you find useful and which you do not. A cookie in no way gives us access to your computer or any information about you, other than the data you choose to share with us.

You can choose to accept or decline cookies. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser setting to decline cookies if you prefer. This may prevent you from taking full advantage of the website.

Links to other websites

My website may contain links to other websites of interest. However, once you have used these links to leave our site, you should note that I do not have any control over that other website. Therefore, I cannot be responsible for the protection and privacy of any information which you provide whilst visiting such sites and such sites are not governed by this privacy statement. You should exercise caution and look at the privacy statement applicable to the website in question.

Controlling your personal information

You may choose to restrict the collection or use of your personal information in the following ways. If you have previously agreed to us using your personal information for direct marketing purposes, you may change your mind at any time by writing or emailing me.

I will not sell, distribute or lease your personal information to third parties unless I have your permission or are required by law to do so. I may use your personal information to send you promotional information about third parties which I think you may find interesting if you tell us that you wish this to happen.

You may request details of personal information which I hold about you under the Data Protection Act 1998. 

If you believe that any information I are holding on you is incorrect or incomplete, please email us as soon as possible.  I will promptly correct any information found to be incorrect.

Google Analytics

User and Event Data Retention

User-level and event-level data associated with Google Analytics cookies is retained for 14 months and then automatically deleted.

IP Anonymization

I have implemented IP Anonymization, simply put, the last three digits of your IP address are set to zeros in memory shortly after being sent to the Analytics Collection Network. The full IP address is never retained, or written to disk.