The Birth, Death And Resurrection Of The Platinum Diamond Band

Platinum is one of the strongest and most non-corrosive precious metals available to the industrial world today. It is for this reason that platinum is utilized for everything from catalytic converters in automobiles to dental fillings. It is, however, the use of platinum in diamond jewelry that has captured the interest of most of the consumer public. What is it about platinum that makes it so appealing for use in such a jewelry item as the diamond band?

The platinum diamond band, such as the diamond engagement band or the diamond anniversary band, finds its appeal primarily in its incredibly rich white metal luster and its great strength. In fact, while the immediate appeal of platinum in the diamond band might be seen as its aesthetic appeal, this is not necessarily so. Perhaps the greatest appeal of platinum for the diamond band and the jeweler who creates it is found in the fact that its great strength allows for it to be molded into some of the most intricate and astonishingly beautiful designs in the jewelry world today.

The first to discover the amazing appeal of platinum for use with the diamond band is found in the early days of the mass use of platinum in jewelry. Until the end of the 19th century, platinum was rarely used as a metal in the jewelry industry. However, a new invention that allowed for the easier melting and bonding of platinum opened the door for platinum to be used for such jewelry as the diamond band.

The great step forward for the jewelry industry that this addition of utilizing platinum in the diamond band allowed was the ability to create designs that could not have been realized utilizing the other metals used at the time. The time period at the beginning of the 20th Century is referred to as the Edwardian Era (for King Edward of the UK) and it was known for its development of extremely intricate and sinuous lines in art and design. With the new-found ability to utilize platinum, the jewelry industry was able to create diamond bands that had thin, flowing lines of platinum crossing and overlapping one another. The other precious metals utilized at the time were far too soft or weak to be threaded so thinly and delicately in the diamond band or any other jewelry.

The first golden age of platinum in the jewelry industry was not to last for long, however. Platinum and its use in the diamond band came to a temporary halt during the years of the world wars due to its use in the military industry for the war efforts. It was during this time that white-gold was greatly developed, primarily in an effort to mimic the look of platinum in the diamond band. However, white gold, while attractive, did not have the strength, durability or usability of platinum. It was the rediscovery in the tail end of the 20th century of the beautifully intricate and delicate-looking designs found in the platinum diamond band and other jewelry pieces that were created in the Edwardian Era that helped to bring platinum back to the attention of the public.

With the rise of the age of the internet, and the subsequent dramatic growth of the jewelry industry, the use of platinum for the diamond band and other jewelry pieces has seen an intensely revived interest. Platinum is now one of the most utilized and asked for of the precious metals in the jewelry industry. Its great strength combined with its tremendous, polished, white-metal beauty allows jewelry industry design artists to create ever more astounding and arresting works of diamond band jewelry.