Platinum, the valuable metal.

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Wednesday, 16 June 2010 14:46

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Silver, gold and platinum, the three metal kings and the three major champions of the jewelry. Of these, platinum is more expensive because of its scarcity and the most controversial because of the difficulty of the way of working it. With it have made great pieces of jewelry, jewelry for special occasions that only very few have the privilege of being able to afford.

What is the platinum? (source: la wikipedia)

Platinum is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Pt and an atomic number of 78. Its name is derived from the Spanish term platina del Pinto, which is literally translated into "little silver of the Pinto River." It is a dense, malleable, ductile, precious, gray-white transition metal. Even though it has six naturally occurring isotopes, platinum is one of the rarest elements in the Earth's crust and has an average abundance of approximately 0.005 mg/kg. It occurs in some nickel and copper ores along with some native deposits, mostly in South Africa which accounts for 80% of the world production.

Platinum is an extremely rare metal, occurring at a concentration of only 0.005 ppb in the Earth's crust.

As a pure metal, platinum is silvery-white, lustrous, ductile, and malleable. It does not oxidize at any temperature, although it is corroded by halogens, cyanides, sulfur, and caustic alkalis. Platinum is insoluble in hydrochloric and nitric acid, but dissolves in aqua regia to form chloroplatinic acid, H2PtCl6. Platinum's resistance to wear and tarnish is well suited for making fine jewelry. The metal has an excellent resistance to corrosion and high temperature and has stable electrical properties. All of these characteristics have been exploited for industrial applications.

Platinum is a precious metal commodity; its bullion has the ISO currency code of XPT. Coins, bars, and ingots are traded or collected. Platinum finds use in jewelry, usually as a 90–95% alloy, due to its inertness and shine. In watchmaking, Vacheron Constantin, Patek Philippe, Rolex, Breitling, and other companies use platinum for producing their limited edition watch series. Watchmakers appreciate the unique properties of platinum as it neither tarnishes nor wears out (relative to gold).
Average price of platinum from 1991 to 2007 in US$ per troy ounce (~$20/g)

The price of platinum, like other industrial commodities, is more volatile than that of gold. In 2008, the price of platinum ranged from $774 to $2,252 per oz.

During periods of sustained economic stability and growth, the price of platinum tends to be as much as twice the price of gold, whereas during periods of economic uncertainty, the price of platinum tends to decrease due to reduced industrial demand, falling below the price of gold. Gold prices are more stable in slow economic times, as gold is considered a safe haven and gold demand is not driven by industrial uses. In the 18th century, platinum's rarity made King Louis XV of France declare it the only metal fit for a king.

Alloy of platinum (source: la wikipedia)

Platinum, precious metal white / gray, shiny, and very rarely used in jewelry today because of its high price and the high price of specialized jewelers who know how to work it. A few years ago, was used to assemble high-value stones. Is very ductile, exceeded only by gold and silver and can be stretched into wires or thin plates. It is quite soft and can scratch easily if you have previously rolled it. If it is alloyed with gold becomes fragile. With palladium hardens, relatively, and iridium is moderately. We must be careful with the mercury and, as with gold, is amalgamated well with platinum.

Qualities of platinum (source: web de Platino Guild International)

PURE: Platinum is pure, the expression of integrity, a reflection of inner truth. The purity of Platinum means it has a bright glow. This helps reflect the true brilliance of diamonds as it usually is 95% pure (18 karat gold is 75% pure), platinum jewelry does not lose intensity or tarnish, retaining appearance for a long time. The purity of platinum makes it hypoallergenic and ideal for sensitive skin.

RARE: Platinum is rare, a treasure coveted by people of good taste. On the planet there is little platinum and it is found in few places in the world. So exquisite material is 35 times rarer than gold. Indeed, it is estimated that if all the world's platinum is placed in an Olympic pool, we only come to the ankles. Gold would fill more than three pools. The rarity of platinum is what makes it so unique and exclusive: the exaltation of one's individuality.

ETERNAL: Platinum jewelry is the perfect choice and durable for everyday use. Its density and weight make it last longer than the other metals used in jewelry. Platinum does not wear out and enshrined the precious stones firmly and secure. Like all precious metals, platinum scratches. However, the line in a platinum piece is merely a displacement of the metal, which does not lose all their volume. So, if you think taking it every day can be compromised surface, remains as it always is: a symbol of all that is eternal.

VERSATILE: In addition to its strength and density, platinum has another important quality: it can be folded easily. Platinum can be bent to a facility such that only one gram of the metal is possible to produce a fine wire over one mile (2 km) long. This quality has enabled jewelers to create some amazing accessories platinum mesh that can not be made with other precious metals. There is also strong demand for platinum in other sectors, since they are used in industry, especially with catalytic converters. Platinum also plays an important role in medicine. Unaffected by the oxidation of blood, is an excellent driver and is compatible with living tissues. Because of these properties, platinum is used in the performance of pacemakers. Today, more than 50,000 people have a good quality of life thanks to the pacemaker. Platinum is the material that has saved life of many people.

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Last Updated on Thursday, 17 June 2010 08:55