Platinum engagement rings UK - with diamond or gold?

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Platinum engagement rings were first introduced into Europe in 1557 by Julius Scaliger, a French-Italian scientist who witnessed the discovery of a large platinum deposit in South America.

Platinum is popular for engagement rings, as it is the rarest and most precious of the three noble metals - gold, silver and platinum. It was the metal of choice before the Second World War when all available supplies were needed to build weapons, but its popularity has recently seen something of a revival.

It is a strong, hypoallergenic, white metal and looks similar to silver, but unlike gold it is used in jewellery in almost its pure form (approximately 95% pure). Iridium usually makes up the other five percent, which makes it stronger still.

Because platinum contains much more precious metal, working with it requires the skill of specialist craftsmen. This makes it significantly more expensive to buy than gold, and is therefore usually only used on fine pieces of jewellery.

Platinum does not need to be rhodium plated like white gold, as it is extremely resilient and durable, and will not wear away or splinter like other metals. It is extremely dense and weighs 50% more than 18 karat gold, this adds to its appeal as people tend to equate heavy jewellery with quality.

Platinum jewellery has a silky polished surface but can scratch with everyday wear, producing a sheen unique to platinum known as a patina. Many people prefer this finish; however a quick polish will bring back the original finish if preferred.

Quality platinum should have the marks 950 Plat or Plat.

PLATINUM FACTS

Platinum gets its name from the word platina - Spanish for "little silver".
It is part of a family of six metals - platinum, iridium, osmium, palladium, rhodium, and ruthenium.
Less than 40% of platinum mined today is used in jewellery.
Unlike gold, there are no reserves of platinum in any government or banking storage.
Every car in the UK has platinum in its catalytic converter.
In certain compounds, platinum can inhibit the growth of cancerous cells.
Platinum goes back to prehistoric times, when a small head statue is known to have been made out of the metal in South America.

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