White Gold or Platinum?

In finely crafted jewelry white gold is equally as durable as platinum. Despite the uneducated, misleading jabber for platinum over white gold, let me assure you that white gold when alloyed correctly is a great metal. White gold, with the contents of nickel, palladium or tungsten carbide used to harden and oxidise fine yellow gold to a white color, is often my metal of choice.

Platinum is also a great metal used for jewelry manufacture often consisting of 5 or 10% iridium within the platinum. The iridium acts as a hardening agent which will melt with platinum at very high temperatures. Platinum is more dense than white gold (heavier), resembling characteristics of clay in a metal form. White gold is more like a form of steel and will stand up to bumping and scratching, whereas platinum is softer and more susceptible to deeper scratches and grooves. Platinum can be 50-80% more expensive than white gold. This is due to the difference of the per ounce trading price of platinum over gold, as well as the greater difficulties to melt, shape and polish platinum.

So when making a choice between white gold or platinum, taking a limited budget into account, focus the greater portion of your budget on a finer gem and choose white gold, a smarter decision.

Family Jewels with Meaning

Creating a fine piece of jewelry that is timeless, crafted with simplicity will be an heirloom forever. By this I mean a ring, pendant or earrings utilizing diamonds, rubies or emeralds. These precious gems will remain in the family capturing the essence of memory, love and physicality. Keep it simple, but elegant and family members will enjoy the benefits of these timeless jewels. Passing them down the generations will become a family tradition for many generations to come.

Behind the Scenes of Buying a Diamond by Jonny Ritz

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Diamonds with little to NO knowledge!

What if I told you that the vast majority of jewelers that you consult with would not be able to tell the difference between a real diamond and a cubic zirconia,let alone the ability to distinguish between color and clarity? Most uneducated jewelers depend on laboratory certificates to make themselves appear reliable.Diamond laboratories take a subjective approach to grading and are often motivated to upgrade when incentivised by a vendor who is submitting a large quantity of diamonds for grading. Conclusion: beware of buying diamond certificates on-line as opposed to a diamond from a reliable source that can show you the physical differences that will discredit many diamond certficates.

Is Your Jeweler Educated?

Jonny Ritz says: Prior to spending thousands of dollars on any diamonds, precious gems or fine pieces of jewelry ask your jeweler to show you proof of any formal education they received. Why accept uneducated advice on such an illusive and costly item? I attended a five year gemology/jewelry school in South Africa. The range of jewelry/gemology education in America is zero to 6 months max. Imagine if your doctor was going to perform a procedure on you after 6 months of medical school???? Buy smart! www.jonnyritz.com