Platinum and silver look almost identical — and beyond the look, they are completely different metals. Here’s the honest comparison for choosing jewellery.
Appearance
Both wear a silver tone, but silver often reads duller; platinum tends to shine with a more pleasing lustre.
Durability
Platinum wins clearly: it doesn’t tarnish or corrode, holds gemstones securely, and needs only a professional clean every six months. Silver can lose shape and tarnishes black from hydrogen sulfide in the air — a clean every two months keeps it presentable.
Skin sensitivities
Both are hypoallergenic in principle, but 800 and sterling silver alloys contain other metals (usually copper) that can bother sensitive skin; platinum’s purity in jewellery runs higher.
Value note: the same look, wildly different prices — platinum trades many times above silver per gram. If a “silver” piece turns out platinum, that’s a very good day at our counter.
Not sure which silver-toned metal you own? We identify and price both.
