Raisondetre
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2007
- Messages
- 941
It's interesting, because I have always found it hard to get platinum in Australia, so I assumed it was more an Asian thing for platinum. White gold is more popular but still priced much higher than yellow gold, which is my main gripe with it here.
Platinum is known as 铂金, which sounds similar to "white" (bai) gold in several Chinese dialects, including Mandarin (depends on which province you're from) and Cantonese even though they are totally different things. It's very easy for vendors in Asia to say that something is platinum rather than white gold. Of course, you can always rely on certificates but the smaller businesses do not always carry those. But as always, reputable businesses would not do that so you just have to know your stuff and do homework.
Titanium is not cast, but pretty much carved into whatever shape by drilling/laser, so the cost involved in any single piece would be much greater than traditional jewellery metals. The settings for precious stones are also more limited so it will be quite some time before it becomes mainstream jewellery culture.
Platinum is known as 铂金, which sounds similar to "white" (bai) gold in several Chinese dialects, including Mandarin (depends on which province you're from) and Cantonese even though they are totally different things. It's very easy for vendors in Asia to say that something is platinum rather than white gold. Of course, you can always rely on certificates but the smaller businesses do not always carry those. But as always, reputable businesses would not do that so you just have to know your stuff and do homework.
Titanium is not cast, but pretty much carved into whatever shape by drilling/laser, so the cost involved in any single piece would be much greater than traditional jewellery metals. The settings for precious stones are also more limited so it will be quite some time before it becomes mainstream jewellery culture.