Platinum vs White Gold vs Yellow Gold for an Engagement Ring

Choose platinum for the least upkeep, yellow gold for a warm colour that never needs plating, and white gold for the white look at a lower price. Platinum is naturally white, does not lose metal when scratched and never needs plating. Yellow gold keeps its colour all the way through. White gold is plated with rhodium, which wears away over time and needs replating.

The price gap is smaller than many people expect. In our solitaire setting, 14k gold costs $1,260, 18k gold $1,560 and platinum $1,610, the same price in yellow, white or rose gold.

All three metals scratch with daily wear. What happens to the metal differs. The Platinum Guild explains that when platinum is scratched, the metal is displaced rather than lost, building a soft patina that can be polished back, while gold loses tiny amounts of metal each time. Over decades, that matters most for the claws holding the stone.

Hardness depends more on the exact alloy than on the metal name. Stuller's alloy data lists common 14k yellow gold at 134 HV, 18k yellow gold alloys from 115 to 160 HV and 950 platinum with ruthenium at 114 HV, rising as the metal is worked. In practice, a well-made band of the right thickness wears well in any of the three.

White gold is gold alloyed with whiter metals, and GIA notes it is often plated with rhodium for a bright white finish. That plating wears away gradually, so the ring needs replating from time to time to stay bright white.

How often depends on wear. Australian jewellers quote anywhere from under a year for a ring worn every day and exposed to knocks, to two or three years for a gentler wearer. Published replating prices from Australian jewellers start from about $50 and run to over $200 per ring. Yellow gold and platinum never need plating. Our guide to whether white gold turns yellow explains what the worn plating looks like.

Gold is priced by karat rather than colour, so yellow, white and rose gold cost the same at the same karat. In our Hailey solitaire setting with a 1.8mm band, 14k gold costs $1,260, 18k gold $1,560 and platinum $1,610. Platinum costs only $50 more than 18k gold, and $350 more than 14k.

Over the life of the ring, add the cost of upkeep. White gold needs replating from time to time, while platinum and yellow gold need only an occasional polish, so the gap between white gold and platinum narrows over the years.

Platinum is much denser than gold. Pure platinum weighs 21.5 grams per cubic centimetre, against about 15.4 for 18k yellow gold and 12.8 for 14k yellow gold on Stuller's chart, so the same ring feels noticeably heavier in platinum.

For sensitive skin, GIA describes platinum as hypoallergenic. White gold is made with nickel or palladium, and nickel is the most common cause of contact allergy. If you react to nickel, ask whether the white gold is nickel or palladium based, or choose platinum or yellow gold.

Whatever the metal, have the claws checked once a year, because they hold the stone and wear first. Beyond that, platinum develops a soft patina that you can keep or have polished, yellow gold needs an occasional polish to restore its shine, and white gold needs replating when the white finish starts to look warm. Our care and maintenance guide covers cleaning at home.