CAPlatinum Facts

	Platinum is one of the rarest, heaviest, and most sought after precious metals.
	The earliest example of platinum as a decorative material is found on Egyptian caskets from 7th century BC.
	Ten tones of ore and eight weeks of work are required to produce one ounce of platinum, making platinum approximately 60 times more rare than gold.
	It is one of the world’s most enduring and strongest metals, and is not susceptible to problems like stress cracking or corrosion.
	Platinum is a natural white metal and is hypoallergenic; it will not cause any allergic reactions to your skin the way that alloys in some precious metal do.
	Platinum is very dense and it not wear away like other metal jewellery. Scratching the surface merely displaces the platinum, making it the most secure precious metal for diamond setting.

	The world’s famous diamonds, like the Hope Diamond, Jonker and Koh-I-Noor are set in platinum to last through generations. Faberge and Tiffany created their timeless pieces in platinum.
	Platinum is rare. All of the platinum that has been mined to date would fit the space of an average living room.
	Platinum is pure. Most platinum jewellery contains 90% to 95% pure platinum – this means that platinum contains very little alloy. By comparison, 14 karat gold is 58.5% pure gold.
	Typically platinum is alloyed with, iridium, ruthenium, palladium, cobalt, tungsten, indium, gallium or copper.
	Each year only 133 tons of platinum are mined, compared to approximately 1,782 tons of gold. More then 90% of all platinum supplies come from South Africa and Russia.
	Platinum has an extremely high melting temperature. It melts at 3214 degrees F, almost twice the temperature needed to melt 14 karat gold.
	There are five metals that are associated to the platinum metal family: Rhodium, Ruthenium, Palladium, Iridium and Osmium.
	Platinum continues to be the fastest growing segment of the fine jewellery industry in America and accounts for 40% of the U.S. bridal market. Two out of five couples purchase platinum engagement rings and wedding bands.
	According to Platinum Guild International USA, platinum jewellery sales in the United States have soared 700% in the past five years.

If you have any additional questions regarding Platinum, please call us at (403)252-6880 for assistance.