PLATINUM JEWELLERY ALLOYS

Platinum jewellery is rarely manufactured from

100 per cent platinum because the pure metal is
too soft to withstand the rigours of daily wear.
Most is typically produced using platinum of 85
to 95 per cent purity, alloyed with small amounts
of other metals to increase its hardness. The
platinum purity or “fineness” is nearly always
measured in parts per thousand (ppt). A hallmark
showing “Pt950” certifies that the metal is
composed of 950 ppt (95 per cent) platinum and
50 ppt (5 per cent) other metals.

As well as determining how well a piece of jewellery will

resist scratching in use, the hardness of a platinum alloy
also affects how easily a piece of jewellery can be shaped
and finished by hand. It is also important in the
automated manufacture of products such as chains addition of cobalt produces a fluid alloy that is well suited
because softer alloys place less wear on the forming to the casting process, that can reproduce very fine detail,
machinery. Components such as spring catches, and which produces hard, durable jewellery.
however, have to be made from harder alloys that can The alloy Pt900/Ir, containing 10 per cent iridium,
withstand the stresses placed upon them in use. has very good all round manufacturing characteristics: it
In addition to hardness, the choice of alloy for a can be cast, welded, machined and stamped; it is ductile
particular application depends on several other factors and malleable; can be hardened through working; and
that are influenced by the alloying metal, including does not readily oxidise. Because of these advantages,
purity, melting range and casting behaviour, reactivity, Pt900/Ir has traditionally been one of the most important
and workability (the ability of the platinum alloy to be jewellery alloys used in the USA, although there has
shaped, rolled or drawn without becoming brittle and recently been a swing toward alloys of 950 fineness.
cracking). Cost and appearance are also key Some manufacturers in Germany and Japan also prefer
considerations but, in general, particular alloy types have this alloy. Pt800/Ir is very hard and dense, and is used in
tended to dominate in different countries due to Germany for the production of fine wirework.
manufacturers’ long-standing familiarity with their Platinum-copper alloy systems offer several
individual characteristics. general purpose jewellery alloys for machining and
Platinum-palladium alloys are widely used in hand-working applications. Casting, however, can be
Japan and China. The most common alloys are Pt900/Pd difficult with some copper-containing alloys. The most
(100 ppt palladium) Pt850/Pd and Pt950/Pd. Pt900/Pd is common compositions contain 30 or 50 ppt copper,
the general purpose alloy of choice in Japan, offering a sometimes in combination with 50 to 100 ppt palladium.
good combination of hardness, workability, and suitability Ruthenium is used to produce a Pt950/Ru alloy that
for casting, welding and soldering. Chain manufacturers has good all-round machining properties and is well
prefer Pt850 because its softness and ductility minimise suited to high volume manufacturing processes. It is
tool wear and are also very well suited to the chain widely used for the manufacture of wedding bands,
making process. particularly in the USA. Platinum-ruthenium alloys are
The alloy compositions used by Chinese also commonly used by Swiss watch manufacturers.
manufacturers tend to vary considerably. Diamond set Other platinum alloys containing metals such as
jewellery is typically produced in Pt900/Pd but other tungsten, gold and gallium are also produced for the
platinum jewellery is produced from alloys containing jewellery industry, and can offer advantages for specific
copper, cobalt or nickel. Pt950/Pd is sometimes used in applications. Speciality alloys, however, only account for
Europe and Asia for castings requiring fine detail. a very small proportion of those used – the great majority
Platinum alloys containing up to 5 per cent cobalt of platinum jewellery is manufactured from platinum
(particularly Pt950/Co) are extensively used in Europe alloyed with a combination of palladium, iridium,
and Japan, and have gained popularity in the USA. The ruthenium, cobalt or copper.

28 Platinum Jewellery Alloys Platinum 2002

Hallmarking negative tolerance. France, Spain and Italy also allow
Jewellery is usually marked to record the platinum iridium to be counted as platinum. Germany permits use
content of individual pieces. When backed by consumer of alloys with 999, 960, 950, 900 and 800 fineness.
protection laws, a hallmark (or assay or standard mark) Japan: Japanese regulations cover the finenesses
is a guarantee that the article contains the specified 1000, 950, 900, and 850, and permit a negative tolerance
minimum purity of platinum. Some countries permit the of up to 0.5 per cent. This enables manufacturers of 1000
composition of the alloy to fall below the standard by a alloy to add small quantities of other elements in order to
set amount, for example 0.5 per cent, which is known as increase the hardness of the pure platinum.
negative tolerance. USA: products manufactured in the USA from
In many countries, platinum is identified by the platinum with a fineness of 950 or above may be marked
accepted international abbreviations of "Pt" or "Plat", "Platinum" or "PLAT". Alloys above 850 fineness can be
either preceded or followed by the fineness number. In marked with the abbreviations "Plat" or "Pt" as long as
the USA, alloys of 950 fineness or above may be marked they are preceded by the fineness number. Alloys
with the word "platinum". In the UK, platinum is containing a minimum platinum content of 500 ppt are
identified by a 5-sided shape (a rectangle surmounted by permitted if the total pgm content is at least 950 ppt.
a triangle) within which the fineness number is stamped. Hallmarks for these alloys have to state the fineness of
In 1975, the European Hallmarking Convention each metal, for example: "650Plat300Irid".
introduced a "Common Control Mark" for platinum that China: the mainland Chinese jewellery industry has
is recognised by each of the signatory countries. This is a a national hallmarking standard that covers platinum
diamond shape containing a balance, which in turn articles, and this is policed by retailers who send
surrounds the fineness number. incoming goods from manufacturers to approved testing
Europe: for platinum, the finenesses set under the centres. Most alloys used have a platinum fineness of 900
Hallmark Convention are 999, 950, 900, and 850. No or 950 and are marked accordingly.
negative tolerance is accepted. The countries that have Platinum jewellery manufactured in Hong Kong is
adopted the convention to date are Austria, the Czech covered by trade descriptions orders, under which any
Republic, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, product described as being "platinum" must have a
Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK. fineness of at least 850. Similar to Europe and Japan, the
Most other countries in Europe apply a single hallmarks Pt850, Pt900, Pt950 and Pt990 are used to
platinum 950 standard, with Italy permitting a small denote the platinum content of alloys used.

Outline Properties of Common Platinum Jewellery Alloys

Composition Pt/pgm Melt temp. Hardness Applications/Notes Countries

% Alloying elements Fineness °C Hv of major use

5% Copper 950 1,745 120 General purpose Europe

5% Cobalt 950 1,765 135 Fluid for hard castings Europe, USA

3-5% Cobalt/ 850 – 1,730 – 125(C) – Hard castings Japan

5-10% Palladium 950 1,765 150(C)

5% Iridium 950 1,790 80 General purpose Europe, Japan, USA

10% Iridium 900 1,800 110 General purpose USA

15% Iridium 850 1,820 160 Catches, pins, springs Japan

20% Iridium 800 1,830 200 Spring applications & fine wirework Germany

5% Palladium 950 1,765 60, 68(C) Castings, delicate settings Japan

10% Palladium 900 1,755 80, 72(C) General purpose China, Japan

15% Palladium 850 1,750 90, 64(C) Chain making Japan

5% Ruthenium 950 1,795 130 Machining Europe, USA

5% Tungsten 950 1,845 135 Hard for springs Europe

NOTES: 1. Melt temperature is the liquidus value – the temperature at which the alloy becomes fully liquid 2. Hardness values are for the annealed
state except those marked (C), which are for the as-cast state 3. Pt/pgm finenesses are in ppt.

Platinum 2002 Platinum Jewellery Alloys 29