Platinum Jewelry History

Platinum Jewelry History

Platinum jewelry was first used in ancient Egypt and it has been popular ever since. However, it was not until the late 1800's that the popularity of platinum reached the current heights when royalty started to wear them. The world's most famous diamonds, Star of Africa and Hope Diamond, are both in platinum. In the beginning of World War II, the US government declared it a strategic metal and could only be used for official business and platinum jewelry ceased.

Now, platinum has reached its heights once again and is one of the most popular precious metals in personal accessories, especially popular as settings for the highest quality gemstones. Most people who enjoys white gold or silver jewelry would go for platinum if they have the money to spare. If you really want to be impressive, you know what to give her!

How to Choose a Platinum Ring

1. Know the purity content of your platinum ring. As with all precious metals, platinum must be alloyed with other metals in order to achieve the hardness required for jewelry. A ring that is alloyed with 80% Platinum and 20% other metals is worth a lot less than a ring that is 95% pure platinum.

2. Check the hallmark on the inside of the ring. Federal regulations require all platinum bands to bear a stamp or "hallmark" on the inside of the band. If it says "IridPlat", or ".90Plat/Ir" then the ring is only 90% pure platinum, and you should pay less for it than a ring that is 95% pure platinum. If the hallmark says "Plat" or ".95 Plat", then the ring is considered pure platinum and commands a premium price.

3. Ask your jeweler about the alloy used in your platinum ring. If you are buying a pure platinum ring (95% platinum), then it should be alloyed with either Cobalt or Ruthenium. These alloys produce a harder platinum that can hold a mirror bright polish and resist years of daily wear. Many .95 pure platinum rings are alloyed with the less expensive metal Iridium, but these rings are softer and will become scratched and dull within a year of daily wear.

* When it comes to .95 pure platinum, the secret to a brighter platinum ring is the alloy. You can learn more about the alloys and view the difference in actual photos of rings after one year of wear on this page about platinum wedding rings.

Warnings

* If you are interested in buying an antique platinum ring, it will probably bear the hallmark "IridPlat" or ".90Plat/Ir" on the inside of the band. It is only in the past 15 years that .95 pure platinum has been popular in North America.