In recent years there has been a trend among couples to choose platinum instead of gold for their wedding bands Platinum is commonly known to be more expensive and a little more prestigious than gold. Some even consider it to be the "rich man's gold". Platinum is often used to produce the finest jewelry and is often used for setting with expensive gemstones. Today platinum competes with gold as one of the most popular metals of choice for ring settings.

How does platinum compare to gold?

-Platinum is very dense and heavy. It is almost twice as heavy as 14k gold.

-Platinum jewelry is at least 90-95% pure. By comparison, 18k gold is 75% pure and 14k is 58% pure gold.

-Some jewelry designers consider platinum harder to work with because it requires extra time, especially in the finishing process.

-Platinum is significantly more expensive than gold. A platinum ring will normally be a about twice the price of an 18k white gold ring.

-Platinum is 35 times more rare than gold (which accounts for its extra cost).

Here is another important consideration. Platinum is also very malleable so it conforms easily to the shape of the stone. This reduces the chance of the stone being damaged while it is being set. Sometimes in harder materials the ring-prongs can scratch the surface of the gem. In that sense, platinum would be a better choice for your ring than gold, as it will reduce the chance for loosely held gems falling out. However, when it comes to jewelry pieces such as earrings, gold would be a better choice since platinum is heavier than gold.

So which is a better choice for your wedding band Platinum or gold? Platinum is a prestigious choice and is often chosen for its sophisticated appeal and popularity among the rich and famous. However, if your budget does not call for platinum, gold has been doing fine for many years. It is a traditional symbol of love, and it has glistened in thousands of wedding ceremonies throughout the years and will continue to do so. And since platinum is much more rare than gold it will probably never become more popular than gold. You can always opt for white gold as opposed to platinum. Most likely your budget will ultimately decide which metal you choose for your wedding band. Will it be the prestige of platinum or the cherished tradition of gold?