Platinum is a very rare and beautiful metal that has being increasingly used for making jewelry, over the past two centuries. It is a strong and malleable metal and is the perfect one for making wedding bands and rings, as it is highly resistant to wear and tear. It is also an excellent base to set precious stone in.
The quality of platinum is decided mainly by its purity. The purer the platinum, the better its quality. Most high quality platinum wedding rings are made out of 85,90,95 and 99.9 percent platinum. All platinum wedding rings have stamps on them which indicates the type and purity of the metal used for making the rings.
Some people are allergic to gold and other precious metals. Pure and good quality platinum wedding rings are not known to cause allergies. Platinum is commonly alloyed with iridium or ruthenium to make up the other 5 to 10% of the ring. As either of these alloys are also metals in the platinum metal group, platinum is hypoallergenic and ideal for people with sensitive skin.
Good quality platinum wedding rings dent or scratch less than rings made of gold or other metals. If ever a platinum wedding ring develops scratches over it, the user must realize that the scratch is merely a displacement of the metal and none of its volume is lost. Most platinum jewelry develops a natural patina or matte effect over time. This can be corrected by having the ring polished by a qualified jeweler.
Highly respected jewelry houses in the world including Harry Winston, Martin Katz, Neil Lane, Henry Dunay and Erica Courtney, all of whom stock some of the best platinum wedding rings. The cost of these rings may begin at price tags of approximately $1000 dollars and go on to several hundred thousand dollars. Good quality platinum wedding rings are highly expensive and can only be afforded by the really affluent people.