A Rare Beauty: Platinum Engagement Rings

Silvery-white and very rare, platinum is one of the most popular choices of precious metals for forming rings. In some shops and areas, platinum engagement rings outsell the traditional and perennial choice of yellow gold. In fact, platinum is especially suited for jewellery fabrication, as it can be wrought into extremely intricate designs that stay crisp and beautiful. Harder than gold and silver, platinum designs don’t easily deform, and rings don’t dent easily in ordinary use. Because of its strength, even gold and white gold rings usually have the actual gemstone held by platinum prongs, bezels, or claws.

A glorious, subtle grey-silver-white in colour, platinum is often enhanced with a thin layer of rhodium, a bright-white metal that is itself a valuable precious metal. This gives a shiny finish to the ring. But some prefer to keep the natural quiet sheen of platinum and find extra beauty in its understated, grey-silver colour. When platinum engagement rings are worn, the wearers are bearing one of the rarest elements on earth on their hands.

The strength of platinum means brides-to-be can choose elaborate designs in cluster rings, and know that the artistry is lasting, and the diamonds are secure. Platinum engagement rings vary from solitaire styles, where a single exquisite diamond dominates, to more complex styles, like the cluster rings mentioned, or popular three-stone rings. Side treatments on the shoulders of the ring can be intricate and airy, because of the strength of platinum allows it to be worked into thin, ethereal designs. Many tiny faceted stones can encrust platinum engagement rings pave-style, or form a halo around a large centre stone.

Platinum engagement rings enhance the colourlessness of a truly fine diamond. The whole effect of a colourless stone paired with silvery metal can make the diamonds stand out, almost if set in air or water. This tone-on-tone beauty is the height of sophistication.

This sophistication is one reason platinum costs more than gold. Another reason is the rarity of the metal. Platinum is rarer than gold. And it’s denser, too. It takes more platinum to make a ring than it does gold to make the same ring. But because it can hold a design so well and has such tensile and ductile strength, platinum settings aren’t bulky or heavy and won’t weigh down your finger. You just might be weighed down with compliments, though, when you choose platinum for your engagement ring.