Pros & Cons of Platinum/White Gold/Palladium/Titanium, etc.

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#46
haha, that post sounded a bit like an ad for BN! Yes, I of course have heard of them. My understanding of BN is that they are somewhat the "Robbins Bros" of the Internet. Again, not that there's anything wrong with that, it's just that better value can usually be found elsewhere.

There is something to be said for those types of retailers--they give the less experienced buyer a peace of mind in the product. But there are those who are interested enough that they'll enjoy the research it takes to get a good price on a superior quality stone and setting... And for those people, retailers like Robbins Bros and Blue Nile are not the right fit. ;)
 
#47
Except for their signature collection, I believe most of Blue Nile's diamonds are drop shipped to the consumer. In addition, they don't have an upgrade policy. They don't provide magnified photos, idealscope images, hearts and arrows pics and other information that some of us need prior to purchase. There are a number of internet vendors I would choose instead of BN;)
 
#48
yea, i've browsed on BN before. I think some of my friends' husbands have purchased rings off there and it was fine. but for my own specific taste, I didnt find any settings that made me melt, kwim? thanks for your input about PS and the negative reviews that are in fact available for review, risingsun.
 
#50
my hubby and my rings are all platinum...i prefer it the most and i think it is ideal for holding in my center stone. hubby's ring is just a platinum band, no stones.

platinum scratch less easily too..so since im a klutz, i prefer platinum..lol..but, it is noticeably heavier than white gold..so it really depends on your preference!
 
#51
miss alice said:
platinum scratch less easily too..so since im a klutz, i prefer platinum..lol..but, it is noticeably heavier than white gold..so it really depends on your preference!
Click to expand...
Actually, the opposite is true... most platinum will scratch more easily than gold/white gold (depending on the alloy, of course). This is because platinum is a softer metal, and therefore easier to displace.

Alloys which take exception to this rule are 950 Platinum S1 and 950 Platinum Ru.

The difference on the scratching issue is that while platinum will obtain "scars" more quickly/easily, it retains the metal better than gold. Gold is harder, more brittle, so when it is scratched metal is more likely to be sloughed off (this is the same issue as platinum prongs bending vs. gold prongs snapping), while the softer platinum will just be displaced.

So, gold will stay looking newer for longer in most cases. However, over time, it is conceivable that you would have to have your gold rings re-cast because of gradual loss of metal, where this will not be the case with platinum.

Another note: the type of scratches that gold and platinum obtain are generally different. Platinum will get little scuffs and scratches, the metal will be mushed around (on a microscopic level) and build a "patina," where gold will get more visible "scratches" that you will see as lines on the metal. But if you're purely comparing which stays shiny and smooth for the longest amount of time, gold certainly wins out.

Here's a little FAQ by ringdesigner.com on white gold vs. platinum
Here is one of the platinum guild's guides to alloys
And another
 
#52
risingsun said:
I have just done a search on PS for the "missing" threads. I spent a lot of time reading them this morning. They are there, you just have to do a search for them. I think I'll jump in that lake now:angel:

ETA: I would speak up if there were people consistently bashing tPF on another forum. I don't think it's fair to take your personal agenda and use another forum to further it. A simple I didn't like [fill in the blanks] quality or policies should suffice.

:back2topic:
HOF uses palladium instead of nickle in their 18k wg jewelry. It has been very helpful to me. I can't use regular 18k wg in my earrings, so I had all my diamond studs reset into their 3 prong martini settings. No problems! I won't go into the gory details, but the new settings have made my ears so very happy:smile1:
Click to expand...

I don't blame you for speaking up - I would too if people elsewhere were bashing tPF. But please understand, I wasn't bashing. I was merely stating my personal experience, which was negative. I searched my email, but the rejection I got from PS was close to a year ago, so I wasn't able to find it. I remember that it was something short and sweet - you didn't meet our criteria for membership, so we're denying you. All I could think of was "what criteria???" they didn't ask me anything! Then I started doing google searches, etc and found out the rest about PS posts being weeded out, etc. Anyway, I've since found some useful info there when searching about diamond specs, etc., but won't apply for membership again.

Also, I wasn't speaking about WF - until the negative in this thread, I had heard only good about them. I guess every business messes up sometimes.

Hope that clarifies!
 
#53
illinirdhd~I know you weren't bashing WF. I don't understand why you couldn't join PS:confused1: I just signed up exactly the way I did here. Did you ever sign up prior with another email address? There is nothing exclusive about membership and no criteria to meet. If you still have any interest in PS, you could contact admin over there to inquire. It matters to me because I refer people from here to PS and would be upset if this happened to someone that I sent there.
 
#54
^^^ No, I had never registered with them before, and I'm the only one who uses my computers. You're right - the app was the same idea as when I applied here. Maybe just a weird glitch and I got (un)luckily caught in it, but I've heard from others that they were denied too. No idea what happened!
 
#55
musey- again, thanks for the resources! :tup:

So if 14k white gold has more alloys mixed in than 18k white gold, does this also mean it is more brittle? the articles stated that white gold is NOT stronger than platinum, so I am confused why they would suggest 14k white gold for individuals who are actively involved with sports and working out? :confused1:
 
#56
sorry to raise this thread from the dead, but I joined actually to gather some information. I have a feeling I'm one of the few males on this board, but I came for help because I'm shopping for...umm...jewelry (to be vague ha). Anyway, does anyone know anything about http://uniondiamond.com/? I found this site via a google search by searching "white gold vs platinum vs valladium", brought me to here! So I hope a few of you members can help me out! And don't be surprised if you get a PM from me in 5 days! Thanks in advance!
 
#57
They are a vendor I have heard of and heard good things about though I have never purchased from them. Start a new thread and you'll get more help than you know what to do with!
 
#58
ame said:
They are a vendor I have heard of and heard good things about though I have never purchased from them. Start a new thread and you'll get more help than you know what to do with!
Click to expand...

I can't start a new thread (or PM members yet, which is really the only reason I joined! haha) until I have 10 posts and have been here 5 days. Or 5 posts, the email I got says 5 posts, but the notification on the top right now says 10...I'm guessing 10, either way, with some non-jewelry/bags discussions, I should be able to hit that without sounding like a doofus haha. Thanks!
 
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