What is the difference between white gold and platinum? Which is better?
Platinum and white gold are two different metals and wear very differently. The choice between them is simply a personal preference. Platinum, a rare and pure metal, is softer than white gold; when scratched, the metal is displaced, not lost. A scratch on white gold causes minute bits of gold to be lost. A platinum ring is denser but shows wear more quickly than a ring in white gold. However, as a pure metal, it retains its elegant white appearance. You may be aware that white gold is yellow when it comes out of the ground in its raw 24K state. Alloys are added to lend it the white color and to strengthen the metal. At the time its made into jewelry, white gold is typically coated with rhodium, a white metal from the platinum family. The rhodium coating can be repeated periodically to brighten the gold. A jeweler can also buff out any scratches from normal wear on white gold. If after some time the ring needs more than a light polishing, a goldsmith can refinish it for a brand-new look
