If you have a gold and a platinum ring of similar size and appearance, you have probably noticed that the platinum ring feels heavier. Why is that so?
Is platinum heavier than gold? Or does it have something to do with the density of these precious metals?
Let’s discover the answer together!
Is Platinum Heavier Than Gold: Platinum Weight vs. Gold Weight
Platinum is heavier than gold, and that’s why a platinum ring normally weighs more than a gold ring of the same size. Fine gold is about 11% lighter than platinum.
Gold has a lower weight per mass in comparison to platinum. It is why two same pieces of jewelry made from gold and platinum do not weigh the same. The one made from platinum is always heavier.
The difference in weight is not insignificant. Most of the time, you can feel it by simply wearing large pieces of jewelry made from these metals.
You can do a simple test. Go to a jewelry store and ask for two simple wedding bands of the same size – one made from 18K gold and one from platinum. Place them both in the palms of your hand. You will see that the platinum ring feels far more weighty than the 18K one.
If you want to be able to calculate the exact difference in weight, use the conversion tables provided below.
Platinum vs. Yellow Gold: Weight Conversion Table
| Platinum (950) | 22K Yellow Gold | 18K Yellow Gold | 9K Yellow Gold |
| 1 | 0.884 | 0.775 | 0.551 |
Platinum vs. White Gold: Weight Conversion Table
| Platinum (950) | 18K White Gold | 9K White Gold |
| 1 | 0.785 | 0.626 |
Platinum vs. Red Gold: Weight Conversion Table
| Platinum (950) | 18K Red Gold | 9K Red Gold |
| 1 | 0.752 | 0.561 |
How to use these tables?
Simply find the value you are interested in and use it as the multiplication factor.
For example, if you want to know how much a 3 grams platinum ring would have to weigh if it was made from white gold, you must multiply 3 by 0.785 (3 x 0.785 = 2.355).
It turns out that you would need 2.355 grams of white gold to make the exact same ring as your platinum one.
Platinum vs. Yellow Gold Weight: Difference in Percentages
| Platinum (950) | 9K Gold | 14K Gold | 18K Gold | 22K Gold | Fine Gold |
| How heavier is it? | Approx. 88% | Approx. 59% | Approx. 34% | Approx. 21% | Approx. 11% |
Platinum Density vs. Gold Density: Is Platinum Denser than Gold?
Platinum is denser than gold. Gold has a density of 19.3 g/cm3, while platinum has a density of 21,4 g/cm3.
What is density, though? Why is a difference in density important for precious metals?
Density is the degree of compactness of some material or substance. The formula used to express density is d = M/V. M stands for the mass and V for the volume of the substance. It can be shown in g/cm3 or kg/m3.
Precious Metals’ Density Comparison Table
| Precious Metal | Density (kg/cm3) |
| Platinum | 21400 kg/m3 |
| Gold | 19320 kg/m3 |
| Palladium | 12160 kg/m3 |
| Silver | 10490 kg/m3 |
As you can see, platinum has the highest density of all the precious metals, while gold is the second best.
As a result, you need more platinum to make a piece of jewelry than you would need if you were to make the same piece from gold.
Consequently, if you have two identical rings made from platinum and gold, the platinum one will weigh more and cost more.
It is not because platinum is more expensive than gold – you simply need more of it to make that piece of jewelry.
Tungsten vs. Platinum Weight
Tungsten is as heavy as gold, which means it is lighter than platinum. Tungsten weighs about 10% less than platinum. Hence, if you have two identical rings made from tungsten and platinum, the platinum one will always be heavier.
What is tungsten? Is it a precious metal or not? How does it compare to platinum and gold?
Tungsten is a highly durable metal. Even though it is not considered a precious metal, it is used for jewelry nonetheless.
Platinum and tungsten are much harder than gold and silver. However, tungsten is the harder of the two. Platinum ranks 4 on the Mohs hardness scale, while tungsten ranks 7.5.
The fact that tungsten is four times harder than titanium makes jewelry made from this metal virtually scratch-proof. It is one of the reasons why tungsten wedding bands are a popular choice. The low price is a major reason, too.
The main question is: Why does tungsten weigh less than platinum?
The answer is simple. Tungsten has a lower density than platinum, and you thus need less of it to make a piece of jewelry. For this reason, tungsten jewelry weighs less than identical platinum jewelry.
Tungsten vs. Gold & Platinum: Density Comparison Table
| Metal | Density |
| Platinum | 21400 kg/m3 |
| Tungsten | 19320 kg/m3 |
| Gold | 19320 kg/m3 |
As you can see, Tungsten is nearly as dense as gold, but the two have a lower density than platinum. As a result, a tungsten ring and a gold ring weigh almost the same, while the same platinum ring weighs more.
Weight Ratios
| 925 Sterling silver (92.5% pure silver) | 14K Gold (58% pure gold) | 18K Gold (75% pure gold) | 950 Platinum (95% pure platinum) | Tungsten carbide (90% pure tungsten) |
| 10.3g/cm3 | 14.6g/cm3 | 15.5g/cm3 | 20.1g/cm3 | 15.63g/cm3 |
If you were to have five rings made from the materials listed in the table above, this is how their weight would compare:
| 925 Sterling silver | 14K Gold | 18K Gold | 950 Platinum | Tungsten carbide |
| 10 grams | 14 grams | 15 grams | 20 grams | 10 grams |
Final Words
Now you know: Platinum is heavier than both gold and tungsten. Therefore, if you are on a tight budget, you should best consider buying gold or tungsten jewelry. As long as you like it, it does not matter what it is made of.
Do you have something to say on this subject? Feel free to use our comment section below!
