The facts
What platinum actually is
Platinum is classified as platinum (native element), with the composition Pt. It crystallises in the cubic system.
Colour comes from metallic reflectance; natural alloy with Fe, Ir, Pd lowers density, which is also what a laboratory looks at when it is asked whether a colour is natural.
Specific gravity around 14.0–19.0. Cleavage: none. Those three numbers separate it from most of what imitates it.
Where platinum comes from
Platinum is produced at Konder Massif, Khabarovsk Krai, Russia, Nizhny Tagil, Ural Mountains, Russia, Chocó, Colombia and Bushveld Complex, South Africa.
The locality is part of the description, not a footnote — two stones of the same weight from two of these places are not the same stone.
How platinum is treated
Nuggets are cleaned only; crystallised Konder specimens are the benchmark and are sometimes imitated by fabricated pieces.
Treatment changes value, sometimes by a multiple, so it belongs in the description before the price and not after the sale.
What platinum is confused with
In the trade platinum is most often mistaken for, or substituted by, Native silver, Iron-nickel alloy grains or Osmiridium.
Because the material is opaque, refractive index is no help. Specific gravity around 14.0–19.0, hardness of 4–4.5, streak and magnification do the work instead.
What platinum is used for
Demand for platinum comes from mineral collecting, jewellery, technical and precision components, heavy industry and metallurgy, which is why one price per carat never covers it.
We quote each application in the unit that trade actually buys in, by the specimen, by the carat or by the piece.
Durability and care
Platinum is 4–4.5 on the Mohs scale, with none cleavage.
Below about 5.5 a stone will be scratched by ordinary household dust, which is largely quartz. That does not make it unusable — it makes it a pendant, an earring or an object rather than a ring worn every day.
Warm water, mild soap and a soft brush. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners on anything fracture-filled, stabilised, dyed or visibly included.
What platinum costs
As a guide, platinum trades around Crystallised Konder specimens $100–$1,000 per gram; placer nuggets near metal value.
That is a range, not a quote. Colour, size, clarity, cut and origin move the figure a long way inside it, and the only honest price is one given against a specific stone. Send us what you need and we will price it.
Questions
Is platinum treated, and how?
Nuggets are cleaned only; crystallised Konder specimens are the benchmark and are sometimes imitated by fabricated pieces.
Where does platinum come from?
Konder Massif, Khabarovsk Krai, Russia, Nizhny Tagil, Ural Mountains, Russia, Chocó, Colombia and Bushveld Complex, South Africa. Origin affects price, so we name the locality rather than the country on every quote.
Is platinum hard enough to wear every day?
Not really. At 4–4.5 on the Mohs scale it is softer than the quartz dust in ordinary household dirt, so it scratches with wear. It suits pendants, earrings and objects better than a daily ring.
How much does platinum cost?
Indicatively Crystallised Konder specimens $100–$1,000 per gram; placer nuggets near metal value. Colour, size, clarity and origin move the price a long way within that, so treat it as a range and ask for a quote against a specific stone.
What is platinum confused with?
Most often Native silver, Iron-nickel alloy grains and Osmiridium. Since the material is opaque, separation relies on specific gravity near 14.0–19.0, hardness and magnification.
What is platinum used for besides jewellery?
mineral collecting, technical and precision components, heavy industry and metallurgy. Each of those trades buys it in a different form and a different unit.
Related stones
Looking for platinum?
Tell us the size, the quality and what it is for. We source it, photograph it and quote it — with the locality named.
Ask about platinum