If Gold might be said to be the most regal of precious metals; then surely Platinum is the Crowning Glory! Interestingly the hallmark for Platinum is an orb - a symbol with royal association - and represents one of the rarest of earth metals. If you have your heart set on a platinum diamond ring; this precious white and very durable metal will not disappoint! Platinum is a most discerning choice to announce an engagement or to mark a special event such as a wedding anniversary. Its purity and strength lend symbolism of enduring love - adding extra meaning to the giving of an eternity ring (traditionally presented on the birth of a first child as a symbol of fidelity).
Platinum is beloved due to its purity - most often 95% pure represented as 950 engraved inside a lozenge shape. It was favoured by the now legendary jewellers of note such as Tiffany with their classic engagement ring design and Cartier who set the standard at the beginning of the 20th century being among the first to employ platinum into their prestigious designs such as the iconic Garland range. This proved to be revolutionary in jewellery terms as this replaced the more commonly used silver which was a much softer metal and which tarnished easily.
Jewellers from La Belle Epoque period (circa 1870s to 1914 ending with WW1) especially French made pieces; employed platinum to set the most dazzling pure white diamonds to display them at their best and the allure of platinum proved too great amongst the artisans of the Art Deco period in the 1920s & 1930s. They loved the clean classic lines Platinum could facilitate - due to its hardness; settings could be made finer and finer; lending the jewels an elegant look and finer claws revealed the intrinsic beauty of the diamonds - stunning then and still captivating today!
On a practical note Platinum is very hard wearing thus reducing the necessity to replace worn settings that might arise with jewellery set into gold which is considerably softer. A diamond ring set in platinum will rarely need any maintenance other than a quick polish from time to time to keep it looking as new - plus this always provides the perfect excuse to visit your local jeweller! It is very resilient to chemicals which might discolour gold and allergic reaction is highly unlikely making it perfect for rings especially wedding bands which need to be hard wearing plus platinum will never tarnish!
Platinum is many times rarer than gold. Its rarity adds a connotation of privilege - the creme de la creme - insurers offer “platinum;” cover and in the science world it is classed as a “noble” metal due to its resistance to corrosion. Royal associations include The crown of ‘Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother’ which has a frame made from platinum and in 2022 we celebrated a “Platinum” jubilee. Even in the music world we say an album has “gone platinum” when it sells over a million copies!
