Platinum Care

Check any diamond settings periodically for possible damage to prongs or bezels. If you see a loose prong, or if the setting looks out of line, immediately bring it to J. Carbone Jewelers for repair.

Cleaning

Soaking platinum in a mild solution of soap and warm water and gently scrubbing it with a soft-bristled brush is usually all that is required to maintain the metal's luster. If you would like to have your platinum jewelry professionally inspected and cleaned, for free, bring them to J. Carbone Jewelers.

Platinum

platinum Ring

Many times rarer than gold, platinum's rarity makes it the most exclusive and precious of metals. It is estimated that if all the platinum in the world were poured into one Olympic swimming pool it would barely cover your ankles - gold would fill three pools.

The most appealing characteristic of platinum is its durability. Each time other metals are scratched or polished, a tiny bit of metal is lost. In fact eventually, prongs of white gold and yellow gold may wear down enough that you need to have them reinforced with more metal for safety.

But not with platinum. A scratch in platinum may leave a mark on the metal, but this metal is so strong that it will not readily chip or splinter. Setting your diamond in a platinum head is well worth the extra cost.

While it is the strongest of jewelry metals, it can scratch and develop a patina of wear. Many people prefer this look, unique to platinum. But if you like the shine, we can polish your jewelry to bring back the original reflective finish. In the mean time, buffing with a soft cloth can give your jewelry renewed luster.

The majority of platinum jewelry is 95 percent pure platinum combined with 5 percent iridium, palladium, ruthenium, cobalt or other alloys. Platinum in its pure form is very soft an needs to be alloyed. These Platinum alloys have different advantages and are used for specific purposes.

The FTC Platinum Guide for marking jewelry made wholly or in part of platinum provides that items consisting of:

950 parts or more per thousand of pure platinum can be marked "Platinum" without the use of any qualifying statements;
850 to 950 parts per thousand can be marked in accordance with international standards of "950 Plat." or "950 Pt.," "900 Plat."or "900 Pt.,"
"850 Plat." or "850 Pt." (the revised guide permits the use of a two or four letter abbreviation for platinum)

Allergic To White Gold?

If you are allergic to white gold you can wear platinum since platinum is hypoallergenic. Platinum's purity makes it the perfect alloy for people with sensitive skin. Because platinum is more pure than gold and has been mixed less metal than other alloys used to create jewelry, it does not cause allergic reactions. People who suffer from allergic reactions when they wear gold jewelry in their ears or who experience rashes on their fingers when wearing gold jewelry should consider platinum.