CHARACTERISTICS: Platinum is rarer, heavier, more durable and even more expensive than gold. It is also very dense, therefore showing fewer scratches and requiring MUCH LESS UPKEEP than other precious metals!

HISTORY: Platinum's popularity as a white, precious metal for fine quality jewellery has increased worldwide in the 1990's. It is not an unknown precious metal. In fact, from the turn of the century to the 1940's, it was the most prestigious metal used for high-quality wedding rings. Then, during WWII, it was restricted to military use and disappeared from use in the jewellery trade!  The mining and fabrication of platinum for fine jewellery has made a comeback now, at the very end of the century! 

A number of other techniques are available: e.g. 'sculpted', contemporary forms. After discussions, once a style to satisfy the customer's taste is understood, and a deposit received, a wax-carved model is presented to the customer for approval. Modifications in the design or dimensions of the model can be made at this stage, before final steps proceed.