When choosing a metal for a ring, most people start with colour. But white gold and platinum aren’t simply two ways of achieving the same look - they have very different properties, and those differences can influence how a piece wears over time.
At Micheli, we’ll always talk you through the options when designing your jewellery, because the best metal often comes down to the design itself and how you intend to wear it.
Platinum
Platinum is naturally white, dense and highly durable, making it particularly well suited to fine jewellery and delicate settings.
Because it is denser than white gold, platinum tends to lose less metal through everyday wear. It is also very ductile, meaning it can move and deform rather than breaking when subjected to pressure.
That same property has a trade-off. Platinum develops a softer, more distinctive patina over time, and polished surfaces and sharp edges can become less defined with wear.
For some designs, this is exactly what makes platinum appealing. For others, particularly pieces with crisp edges, bevelled details or engraving - white gold may be the better choice.
White Gold
White gold starts with naturally yellow gold, which is alloyed with other metals to create a paler colour.
Depending on the alloy, white gold can have a slightly warmer or greyer tone than platinum. Most white gold jewellery is therefore finished with rhodium plating, which gives it that bright, crisp white appearance.
Rhodium is a very hard, highly reflective metal, but the plating is only a surface layer and will gradually wear with use. How quickly this happens depends on the piece and how it is worn, and it can be reapplied when needed.
White gold also tends to hold its polish and sharper surface details particularly well, making it a strong option for designs with defined edges, engraving or bevelled elements.
So, Which Should You Choose?
There isn't a universal winner.
Platinum can be an excellent choice for fine settings and designs where durability and a naturally white metal are priorities. White gold can be preferable where maintaining crisp details and a bright polished finish is important.
There is also a price difference to consider. While raw, unworked platinum is actually valued lower than pure gold on the global commodities market, a finished platinum ring typically carries a higher price tag than white gold. This is because fine jewellery platinum is used at a much higher purity (usually 95%) and is significantly denser, meaning a ring requires a greater weight of metal. Combined with the specialised workshop expertise needed to cast and work with it, a finished piece requires more material and labor.
The important thing is choosing the metal that works best for your ring, rather than simply choosing the one that looks best in a sample.
If you're unsure, we'll take you through the differences during your consultation and recommend the option that makes the most sense for your design, lifestyle and how you want your piece to wear over time.
