Australia is the country that makes up a majority of the whole Australian continent. It is the largest country in Oceania and the sixth-largest country in the world. It is also home to many romantic locations wherein one can ask their significant other to marry them.
If you live in Australia, Au engagement rings are easy to buy. However, it’s one thing to choose the right stone and setting for your future spouse’s engagement ring. It’s another to choose the right type of metal your ring has to have.
Surprisingly, many people are particular about the type of metal of their engagement ring. There are numerous options you can choose from, but the most common ones are gold engagement rings and platinum engagement rings.
How are they different?
Colour
One obvious difference between the two rings is their colours. Generally, gold rings are on the yellow side, while platinum rings are white. However, there are also white gold rings that are also white. The white gold rings are made of gold, alloy, and rhodium plating that gives it its white appearance.
Over time, this rhodium plating may fade and will expose the yellowish gold colour of the ring. But the white plating can be restored by re-polishing and re-plating. Meanwhile, platinum rings are naturally white and will not fade to a yellowish colour over time.
Value
Platinum is naturally denser, so more of it is needed when making a ring than gold. This is also why platinum rings are much heavier and thus are more valuable.
Although their prices are somewhat similar per gram, the amount of platinum metal needed to make a ring is greater when making a gold ring of similar size. So, platinum rings would be more expensive.
Platinum rings are also made upon 95% pure platinum in contrast to a 14k gold ring’s 58.5% or 75% for an 18k ring.
Strength and Durability
In terms of strength, platinum is more durable outright, although both materials have high durability. For example, platinum rings are known to be less likely to break than ones made of gold. Also, because platinum has a high density, it would take a long time to wear from ordinary use.
Although platinum scratches easier than gold because it is a softer metal, the platinum material only moves around rather than getting lost (which is what happens to gold when scratched). Therefore, you only need to polish scratched platinum to get it to its original shape.
- Additional Considerations. If you’re settled on getting a gold ring, you also have to choose the ring’s gold content. However, it would be best to choose 14k over 18k as 14k gold is cheaper, more durable, and more scratch-resistant than 18k, which is much softer.
Which One Should I Pick?
In deciding which type of metal to go with your ring, you should consider your future fiancé’s preferences. For example, platinum is heavier than gold, but your partner might find the weight bothersome.
It would also help if you evaluated how the ring would look stacked with your partner’s wedding band. Get a gold one if you plan on getting gold wedding bands, while platinum or white gold rings are easier to match with other accessories.
Knowing the difference between gold engagement rings and platinum engagement rings can help narrow down your options to help you easily decide on the perfect ring. In Australia, Au engagement rings are even available on the internet. Hence, make sure you browse online first to know your preferences.
