Platinum: A Lustrous History

By Monte Fraser
The Jewelry Studio

At the brink of the new millennium, platinum has distinguished itself as the favored choice of today's jewelry designers and sophisticated jewelry buyers. It has long been the choice of such legendary jewelers such as Cartier, Faberge and Tiffany. Many of the worlds greatest gems have been set in this metal like the Hope Diamond and the Star of Africa. Platinum was chosen by jewelers because of it's far superior strength compared to other precious metals; and so it's known for holding gemstones very securely for many years. This metal has no equal. Its purity, durability, elegance and rarity have stood the test of time.

Platinum has had a very colorful past. The Egyptians used ornate platinum hieroglyphics to decorate the casket that holds the documents for High Priestess Schepenupet. They mastered the techniques of processing platinum even though it was not considered a precious metal. Platinum upon being discovered by the Spanish conquistadors in the rivers of Ecuador was given the name we know it by today. Not realizing the superb qualities of this metal they named platinum, meaning little silver, and threw it back into the river to ripen into silver. It did not take long for the benefits of working with platinum to be discovered. By the late 1700's after having a piece of jewelry made by a French goldsmith, King Louis XVI declared platinum the only metal fit for a king.

Platinum is used in an almost pure state making it hypoallergenic. Unlike gold, which can be alloyed with almost anything -- with 14K gold being only 50% gold and 50% other alloys -- Platinum is usually 90 -95 % pure and is only alloyed with members of its own platinum family to make it usable in jewelry. There are three platinum alloys used: iridium, ruthenium, and palladium. These platinum alloys ranges in hardness from 80V - 135V on the Vickers scale, gold being at 104V-188V. Designer Steven Kretchmer developed and patented special platinum called Platinum S, which range in hardness from 165V - 350V. This extremely hard platinum alloy is necessary for the unique tension setting that he has created. Kretchmer's innovative designs can be viewed at The Jewelry Studio.

It was during WWII that the US Government realized the potential of platinum. Here was a metal that will not corrode, will not oxidize, and has a melting or flow point over 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit and only a combination two powerful acids can destroy it. Because of these unusual characteristics the government classified platinum as a strategic metal and deemed it off limits to jewelry manufacturing. The sudden decline in the availability of platinum allowed the newly invented gold alloy called white gold to take hold. The availability and comparatively to the cheaper cost of white gold allowed the new metal to take an increasingly larger portion of the market. Over the last few decades the popularity of white gold had increased to the point that platinum had all but disappeared from the market place and the public eye.

In the early 90's platinum started to enjoy a resurgence of popularity. Since 1992 sales have increased more than 400% at the consumer level. Some of the reasons for the platinum comeback are because it does not follow the same metallurgical rules. Platinum, you see, has a liquid surface; other metals will lose mass over time. When you polish or scratch most metals, such as gold and silver, you are quite literally removing a small amount of material. Over time prongs wear thin, shanks become thinner and decorations such as Florentine and engraving will wear down. When you scratch platinum, however the metal has only moved aside so very little material is actually lost. Where the scratch was made the metal will be harder and more resistant to being scratched or again. The more you wear platinum jewelry, the harder it becomes.

Today a new generation of consumers enjoys a renaissance with this classic and timeless metal. Platinum has become the mark of excellence throughout the centuries and continues to grow in popularity as jewelry buyers renew a love affair with the pure elegance and versatility of platinum.

Facts about Platinum:

• Platinum is so rare it takes eight weeks and 10 tons of ore to produce 1 oz. platinum
• Platinum is so malleable that a single gram could be drawn into a fine wire stretching more than a mile long.
• Platinum is 60% heavier than gold
• Platinum is so rare that all of the platinum ever mined could fit in the average living room.
• Platinum is used in the production of most catalytic converters in automobiles.
• A six-inch square block of platinum would weigh 165 pounds.
• Most of the platinum comes from a few mines in South Africa and Russia. But it has also been found in Canada, United States, Columbia and Peru.