ABOUT PLATINUM

Why choose Platinum over 18ct White Gold?

Platinum is not only denser but also stronger than Gold. It is ideal for setting diamonds in because it is very difficult to distort Platinum and this makes the setting the perfect host for diamonds. The setting will require less maintenance over the years.
Platinum is a naturally occurring lustrous white metal and never discolours or tarnishes. Gold however is naturally yellow and is mixed with elements such as Palladium in order to give it a whiter hue. The resulting white gold alloy is often rhodium plated to give the same bright white finish that exists in Platinum.
Classic design and quality never goes out of fashion. Neither will Platinum.

The true measure of value is rarity. Platinum is one of the world's rarest precious metals, being 35 times rarer than gold.
A total of 10 tons of ore are required to produce just 1 ounce of platinum. In comparison, only 3 tons of ore are required to produce 1 ounce of gold. Platinum costs 4 or 5 times as much to refine than gold.
Platinum is much purer than gold. All Platinum pieces in The Raphael Collection are 95% pure, hence the Pt950 symbol on our hallmark, whereas 18ct Gold is 75% pure.
Platinum is a more dense metal than gold. This means that the same item of jewellery will weigh approximately 1.4 times heavier in Platinum than in 18ct Gold.

If looked after properly it should not need to be repaired. Platinum requires a higher level of craftmanship and requires great skill to work it.

Because of its pure properties, Platinum is fully hypoallergenic and will not irritate the skin. Allergic reactions may occur when wearing jewellery other than Platinum due to the alloys used in processing the metal.
Signs of wear, including scratches, will inevitably appear in all precious metals, even in Platinum. However due to Platinum's durability and strength, the scratch is merely a displacement of the metal and none of its volume is lost.
Platinum is pure, an expression of integrity, a reflection of inner truth.
Platinum is the metal of choice, when only the best will do.

Did you know……?

That the name Platinum originates from the Spanish word Platina, which means “little silver”.
All the Platinum ever mined would fit into a typical living room.
Annually, only 130 tons of Platinum are mined compared with 1,782 tons of Gold.
Ten tons of ore and a five month process is needed to generate one ounce of Platinum Bullion.
A six inch cube of Platinum weighs 75 Kilos – about the average weight of a man.
Platinum is often mined almost a mile underground and at temperatures exceeding 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
Platinum’s melting point is almost double that of gold.
One gram of Platinum can be made into a wire 2 kilometres long.
More than 90% of all Platinum supplies come from South Africa and Russia. Virtually all of the platinum mined in South Africa is committed to industrial contracts.
Platinum was used by the South American Indians before the 15th Century but they could not melt it.
News of Platinum spread in Europe shortly after being discovered by astronomers Antonio de Ulloa and Don Jorge Juan y Santacilia in 1735.
Platinum started to be used in jewellery in Europe about the mid nineteenth century.
There is no Platinum in a Platinum record! It's plastic dipped in silver!