What's the difference between white gold & platinum ring?

Question

Does one have a higher quality? Price difference?

Answer 1

platinum is the highest quality metal you can buy.  white gold is just yellow gold mixed with rhodium, which gives it a silver color.  white and yellow gold come in different karat quantities that determine the quality of the gold.

Answer 2

Platinum is more expensive.  

Answer 3

I was told that platinum is higher quality, and will "last" longer than white gold.  It is personal preference.  Most go with white gold, being cheaper, and I don't know anyone who regrets that choice.

Answer 4

They are two different metals.  Platinum is a higher quality and more expensive.

Answer 5

They are two completely different metals. Platinum is much more expensive not because it's "better," but because it is much more RARE. I read recently in National Geographic that if you took all the platinum in the world (in the world!), it wouldn't fill up a normal swimming pool even halfway. That's why it's so costly. The other thing about platinum is that it is less malleable (bendy), so it's hardy to damage and kink out of shape.

Palladium is similar to platinum in color and structure but is man-made in a laboratory, so it's less expensive.

White gold is basically regular gold that has been treated to give it a silvery, rather than a yellow, color. It is pretty malleable and can get bent if you bang your hand on something.

Answer 6

Gold and platinum are different precious metals.  Platinum is 30 times as rare as gold, but is only approximately twice the price at the moment.  Pure 24K gold is quite soft, so gold is often alloyed with other metals to improve the strength and durability.  "White Gold" refers to a number of different alloy combinations, usually with 75% (18K) gold, with the remainder consisting of silver, copper, palladium, or nickel. I have seen preferences to rhodium plating, but white gold is white because of the metals in it. Not all white gold is rhodium plated.

I am wearing a 18K white gold wedding ring that I have worn continuously for the last 34 years.  I have no doubts about the durability of white gold.  

Platinum is corrosion and heat resistant. While it does not tarnish, it is possible to corrode it with cyanides, halogens, sulfur, and caustic alkalis.

Grandpa

Answer 7

The higher quality thing is debatable, from what I understand. Ive read that platinum is "better" but its still a soft metal. It scratches easily, and settings can become loose by the diamond banging against the ring just as if with any other metal.

Platinum is more expensive.

Its a different look. I like it, thats why we bought platinum rings. We like the slightly darker look of it, and it seems to have depth of color.

I think you should decide based on the look of the metal.

Answer 8

Platinum is stronger, higher quality, and more expensive. White gold really isn't "white." It is usually dipped to make it look that way. Platinum will get a "patina" after a while and be a little more gray.

A cheaper alternative to platinum, but not white gold is palladium. It is an alloy.