Platinum – The metal of choice for special occasions!
In the early days, gold was just yellow. But today when you see yellow gold, it is mostly for rings and pendants that are either old, or for flashy designs. The metal of choice for engagement rings and wedding rings alike has become white gold. But then, there is one small tragedy which comes in when you wear white gold. It bears an uncanny resemblance to sterling silver! So, if you are the kind to show off, wearing a ring that resembles silver does not augment well! With modern technology, it is also possible to create gold in a few other colors, but that is stuff for another article!
Platinum, as we are aware, is one of the rarest metals to be found in the earth, and is valued to be much higher than even gold ' which is considered to be the standard of valuation all over the world.
Going back in time, the name Platinum is derived from Spanish ' from the phrase 'Platina del Pinto', which can be translated as 'little silver of the Pinto river'. That is where the metal was first found, and hence the name stuck. Platinum started becoming very popular in the 18th century, when King Louis XV of France declared it to be the only metal fit for a king's jewelry, as it was so rare!
Trivia- Platinum is considered to be about 30 times rarer than Gold in the earth's surface!!
Why are we giving you all this history of the metal? Because for a special occasion like a marriage or a special anniversary, this is the best option you should consider. Platinum anyway is gaining popularity all over the world, with separate platinum guilds being formed to regulate the sale and certification of the metal. For engagement rings also, platinum has become the third highest used material ' after white gold and yellow gold. There are a few significant advantages of platinum being used in making jewelry.
'Stability ' Like gold, platinum also is well known for its stability. In fact, some isotopes of platinum are way more stable than gold, and they are going to be around millions of years from now! Unlike several other metals and materials, platinum is unaffected by contact with such highly corrosive liquids like Hydrochloric acid and Nitric acid. So, that is another very big positive when investing in a platinum ring.
'Quality ' Like the world gold council, platinum also has a governing body, and the platinum ingots are assayed and hallmarked pretty much like the gold and silver ingots all around the world. So, when you buy platinum jewelry from a reputed jeweler (or a well known online jeweler), you can ask for the certification of the metal used, and you are assured of its price for a lifetime.
'Investment ' Again like gold and silver, platinum is publicly traded as a commodity in stock exchanges across the world, and several people prefer platinum to gold for short term investments, as the price is much more reactive to international market situations. Certified platinum can be sold at the day's market price almost anywhere, and that makes it quite a good investment.
'Specialty ' Over the years, gold jewelry has become exceedingly common, and there are some special occasions in life which deserve something extra. That something extra has to be more valuable and rarer than gold; which means the choice is platinum. Getting platinum jewelry as a gift is a feeling that is absolutely inexpressible, and occasions like a 25th anniversary deserve a platinum ring for sure.
When you buy a platinum ring online, you are sure to get a price that is not possible at your local jewelry store. There are quite a few special offers also that you can see online, which make sure that your cost of the ring comes down significantly. It is not an exaggeration to say that if you strike the right bargain, you can get a platinum anniversary rings online at the price of a gold ring offline! What are you waiting for? Browse through, and get yourself a special deal!
About the Author:
Martha Miller holds degrees in Journalism. Having worked in the journalism industry for the last 5 years, Martha has provided consulting services about jewelry, particularly diamonds. She has written several dozen articles about diamonds, engagement">http://engagement.diamondsonweb.com/engagement/engagement.mhtml">engagement rings, wedding">http://www.diamondsonweb.com/wedding/wedding_and_anniversary.mhtml">wedding rings and other related jewelry articles that were published on trade journals and several widely read publications and magazines.
