Platinum

Platinum is a beautiful silvery-white metal, when pure, and is malleable and ductile. It has a coefficient of expansion almost equal to that of soda-lime-silica glass, and is therefore used to make sealed electrodes in glass systems. The metal does not oxidise in air. It is insoluble in hydrochloric and nitric acid, but dissolves when they are mixed as aqua regia, forming  Chloroplatinic acid  an important compound. It is corroded by halogens, cyanides, sulphur and alkalis. Hydrogen and oxygen gas mixtures explode in the presence of platinum wire.

Platinum is the rarest of the precious metals. This metal is about 30 times rarer that gold. In contrast with gold and silver, there are no large above ground platinum stockpiles to fill the gap. There is very little platijum on this Earth and it is found in very few places around the world. Almost 75% of all platinum supplies come from South Africa and another 15% from Russia. Eventhough evidence shows that platinum has been used in jewelry since ancient times, the first large deposits were only deiscovered in Russia's Ural mountain in 1820.

In Jewelry

Like other precious metals it is mixed to form alloys. Typically Platinum is alloyed with copper, iridum, palladium, rhodium, osmium or titanium.  Platinum jewelry is the perfect choice for an everyday wear. Its density and weight make it more durable than other metals.

Platinum is prized the world over for its undestated elegance and its tensile strength, making it the most secure precious metal for setting precious stones.

Platinum also is very popular for its strength and density, and is so pliable, that just one gram of the metal can be known to produce a fine wire over one mile long.