What is platinum and white gold?

How many women, trying on a finger next decoration, know that the dull flickering of platinum attracting them is the news from space? What way did the precious metal go before winning the hearts of lovers of beauty and luxury? Let's talk about the history and properties of the amazing platinum, which became a source of inspiration for such legendary jewelers as Cartier, Tiffany and Faberge.

Noble or precious metals

It is known that metals are different. Most often we hear about black, colored and noble. The latter include only eight elements - gold, silver, platinum, palladium, rhodium, iridium, ruthenium and osmium. They are not oxidized, they are resistant to external environment, they have plasticity and easily form alloys. But not all of them are safe for humans.

For the manufacture of jewelry used only gold, silver, palladium and platinum, which of the four is the most expensive. But these metals are rarely used in pure form. Their concentration in a loved item can be found by looking at the sample. Let's see what platinum is with a stamp of 950 °. This means that 1 kg of the jewelry alloy accounts for 950 grams of precious metal, the rest - alloying components. Platinum is the most durable jewelery metal. Nevertheless, without alloying alloys, even it will not be distinguished by high wear resistance.

Platinum or white gold?

Quite often you can hear that platinum is white gold. This is not true. Their composition and properties are different. Let's answer the question about what is platinum and white gold. For this we look at the periodic table. At number 078 there is an element Pt. Now it is clear what platinum is - metal in its pure form. And white gold is a jewelry trick, when the addition of silver, nickel or other impurities neutralizes the yellow color. His highest test is 750.

Nevertheless, thanks to the popularity of white gold, platinum products have found their fans and are again in vogue. And although they are much more expensive, the strength of this metal makes it irreplaceable for engagement rings, as well as jewelry with stones, the durability of which depends on the reliability of the rim. By the way, one more advantage of platinum is that it does not cause allergies, as it often happens with white gold due to additional components.

All of the above, of course, affects the cost, but the main pricing factor is the way of mining.

History of the Earth and precious metals

Several years ago, German scientists, discovering Pt (078) as meteorites, thought about what platinum is and how it appeared on Earth. According to researchers from the University of Mainz, there were no natural conditions for the formation of metals on our planet. If their homeland is the Earth, then they should be in the molten core, and not in the upper part of the cortex.

Physicist Gerhardt Schmidt believes that metals were brought to us about 4 billion years ago, when the Earth was attacked by meteorites consisting of iron. The most ancient heavenly messenger, rich in platinum, was recorded, which fell to Earth about 2 million years ago. According to scientists, for the formation of metals on the planet in the existing amount, an average of 160 space bodies with a diameter of about 20 km was required.

It can be concluded that the resource is rather limited. It is because of this every year the price only grows.

Deposits and extraction of platinum

Deposits of platinum ore are determined by concomitant rocks. It occurs both in pure form, and in compounds, for example, with nickel or gold. The formation of ore is both indigenous and placer. The latter are particularly difficult to mine. In Russia, during the discovery of metal, labor in placers was considered infernal, although the first machine installations were invented quite quickly.

Although today the technique of geological development has become simpler, nevertheless, platinum remains expensive in production. To get one ounce (this is about 31 grams), you need to process more than 10 tons of raw ore.

The main country in which large deposits of platinum are found is South Africa. About 151 tons of metal are extracted annually. In second place is Russia, which produces about 26 tons of platinum. Then follow Zimbabwe, USA and Canada, producing from 9 to 5 tons per year. Platinum is also found in the lands of Japan, Australia and Colombia. By and large, it is practically in every country, but it is not meaningful to extract it on an industrial scale.

It is interesting that it is the Urals that is the cradle of the two largest nuggets of platinum in the world. Their weight is 5918.4 and 7860.5 g. Now we have roughly figured out what is platinum. Photos of products from this metal can be found in the article.

Ancient civilizations and the use of platinum

The first products of gold with traces of platinum are found by modern scientists in Egyptian burials dating from about 1200 BC. E. Documentary tablets with Egyptian hieroglyphs, already completely made of this precious metal, appear about 700 years BC. E. In the South American civilization of the Incas, ceremonial artifacts were made of both yellow and white metals.

Unsuccessful find - and not gold, and not silver

Acquaintance of Europeans with refractory metal occurred in 1590 in South America. What is platinum at the time? Only "rotten gold". The Spanish conquistadors were so disappointed with the find that they called it "silver." Finding grayish plates in gold placers, they felt that platinum is an admixture, spoiling the brilliance of the prey and absolutely unsuitable because of the complexity of processing and tarnishing. So they nicknamed it - Plata, which means "silver", with a diminutive-scornful ending ina. When platinum came into the hands of the conquerors of new lands, they simply threw it into the sea.

The Conquest of Europe

In 1700, a silver element was discovered off the coast of Europe. He became an object of study of alchemists who wanted to understand what platinum is. They did experiments, trying to determine its properties and turn it into gold. In 1751, Swedish scientist Theophil Scheffer (Theophil Scheffer) defined platinum as a magnificent metal. And in 1780 the King of France Louis XVI declared it as intended only for crowned persons.

His jeweler Mark Etienne Janetti created from platinum several unsurpassed luxury items, including a beautiful sugar bowl with elaborate ornaments. In 1788, Francisco Alonso created for the Spanish King Carlos III candlestick in height of 30 cm, intended as a gift to the Pope. This was made possible by the discoveries in the plating of platinum by Pierre François Chabole and Joseph Louis Proust. So the French established a new century of luxury in Spain. Its top is the Platinum room in Arganese, the doors of which are open to everyone who wishes today.

But the most indisputable fact of conquering Europe by gray metal is its use in creating measurement standards. In 1799 Mark Etienne Jeanette, who left Paris after the French Revolution, was invited to create a platinum meter and a kilogram. To date, they are stored in the International Bureau of Weights and Measures.

Platinum wealth of Russia

The discovery of expensive ore in Russia, in the Urals, occurred much later - at the beginning of the XIX century. By that time, platinum had already conquered Europe and was considered a "royal" metal. Its deposits were found in the lands belonging to the Demidov family, which, thanks to their wealth, were already considered the secret masters of the Empire. The "discoverers" of the deposit were serfs Yefim Kopylov and Emelyan Rostigayev.

Placers of large grains of metal were only slightly covered with a plant layer. A short time later, thousands of Demidov serfs worked on "supporters", hand-crafted about 40 tons of platinum rocks. It is said that the largest of the produced nuggets weighed about 9 kg, but there is no reliable evidence for this.

Platinum in the hands of jewelers

So, by the end of the XIX century platinum is a metal for the elite, climbed to Olympus because of its rarity and resistance to mechanical influences. It attracts lovers of shine and chic also thanks to the purity of use - today it is the 950th test.

The main popularizer of platinum in the jewelry world is Louis-Francois Cartier, the founder of the notorious Cartier company. He considered it an indispensable material with unlimited possibilities, thanks to its flexibility and reliability. The famous image of the panther, created under the inspiration of love for Jeanne Toussaint, is made of platinum with sapphires and diamonds.

However, he is not the only one who appreciated the merits of silver material. His main competitor at the time was Carl Faberge, who also used platinum in author's products. By the way, many floral compositions and animal motifs were borrowed by Louis Cartier from Faberge.

Interest in platinum increased, reaching a peak at the beginning of the 20th century, and did not fall until the Second World War. A lot of this success contributed to the royal persons and "stars" of Hollywood.

"Platinum" disease from platinum blondes

In America in the 1930s, for ordinary people, cinematography became the means of anxiety and frustration caused by the Great Depression. On the screens there were hundreds of tapes about the rich people and their companions who did not know the worries. The icon of that time was Jean Harlow, shining in the film of Frank Capra "Platinum Blonde". A bright beauty, luxurious and amusing, beckoned with an easy attitude towards the life of both men and women. Gene Harlow, like other Hollywood actresses, forms a new style of chic. His invariable accessory is diamonds, set in platinum. And the finishing touch to the image is the fashionable hair color. Which one? Of course, platinum.

More than a hundred years have passed, and we are seeing a return of love for this precious metal. The world needs beauty, refinement and strength. Now we know all about what platinum is. The pictures in the article clearly demonstrate the luxury and attractive appearance of this precious metal.