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About Thomas
Expertise
Have a question about jewelry repair or working with precious metal jewelry and gemstones? I am a working professional bench jeweler, involved everyday with setting stones in mountings, designing and making jewelry, repairing and limited custom manufacture. Over 30 years experience. If you work with jewelry as a hobby or as a profession, I might be able to help. I deal with the retail business, not mass production. Ask privately if you wish. See the box for that: It keeps your question between us. Please DO NOT ask MAKER'S MARKS, but metal quality marks are fine to ask. Please DO NOT ask diamond prices. See a gemologist for that.

Experience
I have near 35 years experience at the sort of jewelry work I do.

Education/Credentials
Education is English/Physics! Started in human resources, to advertising, to jewelry...wow, what a road. Now a jeweler for many years. I have had formal training in jewelry work and many shared experiences with top grade jewelers. We just never know were we will go or be. Follow your best, your dreams, with some discretion! Don't let the work tear up your body along the way.

You are here: Experts > Style > Jewelry Making > Jewelry, Gems, & Minerals > white gold with platinum mount

Jewelry, Gems, & Minerals - white gold with platinum mount

Expert: Thomas - 11/10/2009

Question
I am buying a white gold solitaire diamond ring with a platinum mount, and I was told that the ring will discolor in time and there will be a noticeable difference in the color of the band and the mounting prongs. Is that correct? Should I stay away from the platinum mount?

Answer
Judy, I would not shy away from the platinum setting. When a sturdy design, platinum prong settings are the most highly recommended for durability. The metal wears very well and will outlast white gold settings.

As for a noticeable difference in color, that all depends on the particular recipe(alloy) of white gold used for the shank (band). Check out the .pdf document at this address:

http://www.stuller.com/apps/images/kbpdfs/x1.pdf

This touts a particular white gold called X1 by Stuller Findings, a supplier to the industry. Scroll down to the page on "How White Is White" to get an idea of what I mean by different white gold mixes are whiter and stay whiter than others. If given a rhodium plate, all look the same color. This is generally the case in the store display. Down the road with wear and time, yes, some white gold may show a slight tinge of yellow. Until recently when white gold became a very strong trend, ladies who had white gold never thought twice about any slight yellowish tinge that may appear on the metal.

Yes, platinum will not show any yellow of any sort because its base is not gold which happens to be yellow as made by nature. Platinum is based on platinum and a high percentage of that, generally either 95% or 90% in the mix. Yet, in my years in the business even having seen many white gold rings with platinum settings, there has not been a glaring visual "thing" with the possible slight yellowish tinge of white gold.

If you are truly concerned with that, go with all white gold. Even if platinum will have superior wear, good quality white gold is plenty durable. Just keep it out of ANY sort of chlorine or bleach materials! With some white gold this can actually lead to prongs breaking off.

Platinum will not keep a shine like will white gold. The metal becomes dull more quickly. I would consider that more than the differences in color.

I do hope this information will help a bit. God Bless and Peace. Thomas.

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