Take a moment to learn a bit more about platinum with The Gemological Institute if America. You might be surprised with what you learn about this popular material.
"Jewelers often select platinum for heirloom pieces because it is extremely durable, doesn't tarnish, is malleable, and has heft (weight). The qualities mean that platinum can be turned into delicate shapes that stand untouched against the ravages of time.
| The Hope Diamond is set in Platinum |
Despite these attractive platinum traveled a rocky road before it reached its present popularity.
Ancient Egyptians used platinum in jewelry and sarcophagi, but the metal virtually vanished from use until the early 1900s. Platinum wasn't used partially because of the challenges of working with it: it has to be heated to 3,827 degrees Fahrenheit - a temperature that was beyond the reach of medieval Europeans. Liquid platinum also hardens in a few seconds, so using it for casting was virtually impossible with early era technology.
Advances in technology in the 18th and 19th centuries enabled metalsmiths to generate the heat needed to melt platinum. In 1884, Peter Carl Faberge started using it to make his famous Easter Eggs, and a few decades later Louis Cartier began to make creations that adorned kinds and maharajahs.
Platinum disappeared a second time from jewelry during World War II - it was declared a strategic metal that was needed for the war effort - but it quickly regained its luster once the war ended. It was once again associated with style, elegance, and wealth."
-via GIA Education
