The
Platinum Wedding Band

The Platinum Wedding Band is known for a bright, almost wet, shiny white-silver look. Platinum rings were first developed in the late 1770s for royalty, and to this day platinum still has a reputation for its exceptional, timeless, look.

What is Platinum?

• Platinum is a chemical element classified as a transition metal on the periodic table. It is also known as a precious metal, and it is very rare; platinum is one of the heaviest metals used to make wedding bands.
• Platinum is malleable, for this reason platinum is often used to make wedding ring settings.
• Platinum must be alloyed, (mixed), with another metal so that it can be hard enough to work with.
• Platinum is usually alloyed with metals such as ruthenium, iridium, and cobalt.

• Platinum rings are strong and durable; in fact, platinum is often used in watchmaking because it does not wear down with time.
• Platinum is a hypoallergenic metal.
• Platinum is tarnish resistant.
• Platinum is resistant to most chemicals, even sulfuric and hydrochloric acids.
• Platinum wedding rings can be formed into a number of styles, shapes, and intricate designs.

• Platinum can scratch, but a good polish will usually remove the scratches.
• Platinum is expensive; prices for platinum metals are very volatile. While this metal is 30 times rarer than gold, the price of platinum in the past year has bounced from $774 an ounce to $2,252 an ounce. As a result, the cost of platinum wedding bands can vary.
• Platinum rings are expensive to resize or repair.
• Platinum mines have a huge environmental impact, here is what you can do if you are interested in an eco-friendly platinum ring.

Understanding Platinum Grades/Labels:

• Platinum is labeled according to the percentage of platinum weight in the product. For example, PT950 is 95% platinum by weight, PT900 is 90% platinum by weight, and PT850 is 85% platinum by weight.
• In the United States, any items labeled "platinum", "PLAT", or "PL" must be at least 95% platinum weight (PT950).
• Anything less than 95% platinum must be labeled with the metal it is alloyed with first. For example, "IRID/PLAT" is 90% platinum and 10% iridium (PT900) by weight.

Understanding Platinum Wedding Ring Grades and Alloys:

• The best platinum for wedding rings is PL950, anything less than PL950 does not last as long or wear as well.
• The three most common platinum grades used in wedding rings are: PL950/Iridium, PL950/Ruthenium, and PL950/Cobalt.
• PL950/Iridium contains 95% platinum and 5% iridium by weight. It can be called 100% precious because iridium is one of the platinum group metals.
• PL950/Ruthenium contains 95% platinum and 5% ruthenium by weight. It can also be called 100% precious because ruthenium is one of the platinum group metals too.
• PL950/Cobalt contains 95% platinum and 5% cobalt by weight. This type of mixture is not 100% precious, but it is considered to be superior to other platinum grades.

What Type of Platinum Wedding Ring Grades are Best?

• PL950/Iridium is sold in a lot of markets, but it is not considered to be the highest quality of grades. In fact, the mixture yields a soft metal which can bend, scratch, and pit. Overtime, a wedding band of this kind might begin to look dull and scratched.
• PL950/Ruthenium is a durable grade of platinum, and it is almost scratch resistant. It can also achieve a beautiful mirror polish.
• PL950/Cobalt is widely considered to be the highest quality of platinum alloy used in wedding bands. This type of mixture is strong and durable, it can be worked into a number of shapes and designs, and it has an extremely bright look to it; almost as if the ring has been lit up from the inside.
• While Cobalt alloys can cause allergic reactions in some people, reactions to PT950/Cobalt are pretty rare.

• Always ask about what type of metal the platinum has been alloyed with. For example, some stores sell PL950 but they never define what the platinum has been alloyed with.
• Since platinum is expensive to resize, take at least two ring finger measurements using at least two different sizers before you purchase your rings.
• Obtain a certificate or receipt with your purchase which states the grade of the platinum ring and what it has been alloyed with.

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