platinum - Pt

Platinum was first used by the Egyptians over three thousand years ago in small funerary amulets. Considered much rarer and more difficult to produce than gold, platinum was not widely used for jewelry adornment until the late 1700's. Popularized by the 19th century Russian jeweler Carl Faberge, platinum became the metal of choice for many of Europe's royal families. By the 1900's, platinum had become the most popular metal used for diamond settings.

At the start of WW II the U.S. government declared platinum a strategic metal and banned its use for any nonmilitary application.

More expensive than gold, platinum and its alloys have recently made a dramatic resurgence as one of the premier metals for contemporary jewelry designs. Aside from it's decorative appeal, platinum is used extensively in the electronics industry and is the primary metal in automotive catalytic exhaust systems.

For decorative applications, objects electroplated with platinum have exceptional resistance to scratching and discoloration from tarnish. Used extensively for watch and high wear jewelry items, platinum plated finishes are utilized to create a bold and dramatic surface appearance. If you are looking for an alternative to rhodium plating, platinum is worth considering.

We also offer platinum electroplating for low volume engineering applications. Thicknesses up to 3 microns are available for most specialty applications when corrosion resistance and surface hardness is a priority.

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If you have an item that you would like to have plated with palladium, please navigate to the pricing page. We have provided a price estimate on our most frequently plated items. Of course the pricing estimates serve only as a guide. We will be happy to provide you with firm pricing after we have examined the actual piece.

If you are interested in learning more detail about the electroplating process, we invite you to visit our faqs page located on this web site.