Gold vs platinum

[www777]

I was reading that yesterday gold prices rose to hit parity with platinum. How will this impact watch prices? Will gold and platinum watches be the same price? Thus far it seems like watch makers are still charging large premiums for platinum vs gold but how can they justify that since the metals sell for the same price per ounce? Thanks

[padi56]

Originally Posted by www777

I was reading that yesterday gold prices rose to hit parity with platinum. How will this impact watch prices? Will gold and platinum watches be the same price? Thus far it seems like watch makers are still charging large premiums for platinum vs gold but how can they justify that since the metals sell for the same price per ounce? Thanks

Its quite simple in general precious metal watches are a premium price over the value on the metal whether gold or Platinum.While gold is a far easier metal to work with than Platinum. So to produce a Platinum watch much more labour intensive and cost..But like everything after if the metal is to be scrapped you get the market price no matter who made the product.

[kkwn98]

Originally Posted by www777

I was reading that yesterday gold prices rose to hit parity with platinum. How will this impact watch prices? Will gold and platinum watches be the same price? Thus far it seems like watch makers are still charging large premiums for platinum vs gold but how can they justify that since the metals sell for the same price per ounce? Thanks

Apart from what padi56 has already said, "they" don't really have to justify it. Either you're prepared to pay the premium or you're not.

[SkyKing31]

Originally Posted by kkwn98

Apart from what padi56 has already said, "they" don't really have to justify it. Either you're prepared to pay the premium or you're not.

x2

[chirojared]

Another factor to consider is that platinum is a lot heavier than gold so a platinum bezel would weigh more than a gold bezel so it would still cost more in precious metal content

[horseco]

Originally Posted by chirojared

Another factor to consider is that platinum is a lot heavier than gold so a platinum bezel would weigh more than a gold bezel so it would still cost more in precious metal content

I really never thought of that... good point

[Ski Dweller]

A SS Daytona sells for more than the TT in the resale market. Clearly the melt value or raw cost isn't of interest to the consumer, and Rolex responded to that resale demand by quickly raising the price of the new SS Daytona from the $6K mark to over $11K US. If we were calculate the "melt value" of the SS in a Daytona watch, we'd be bitterly disappointed.

Platinum is MUCH softer than white gold and won't wear as well. If you doubt my claim, I can link you to a video. If you want durability, get tungsten.

[www777]

Two points. First, good point regarding the relative weights. I hadn't considered that...how much does the platinum rolex weigh vs the gold? Maybe 30% more so the same watch should cost 30% more given the weight. Also, someone mentioned that gold is much harder that platinum...isn't it the other way around? Thanks

[03cobraa]

Originally Posted by Ski Dweller

A SS Daytona sells for more than the TT in the resale market. Clearly the melt value or raw cost isn't of interest to the consumer, and Rolex responded to that resale demand by quickly raising the price of the new SS Daytona from the $6K mark to over $11K US. If we were calculate the "melt value" of the SS in a Daytona watch, we'd be bitterly disappointed.

Platinum is MUCH softer than white gold and won't wear as well. If you doubt my claim, I can link you to a video. If you want durability, get tungsten.

I doubt your claim! Please send me the link to the video, I've got to see this!
I think it is just the opposite.
Quoted from Gillets jewelry website.

"Platinum is a white metal, but unlike gold it is used in jewelry in almost its pure form (approximately 95% pure). Platinum is extremely long wearing and is very white, so it does not need to be Rhodium plated like white gold.

Platinum is very dense (heavy), so a platinum ring will feel heavier than an 18kt gold ring.

Platinum is, however, very expensive. A platinum ring will be approximately twice the price of an 18kt white gold ring (excluding gemstone costs)."

[godowning]

Rolex White Gold is not Rhodium plated.

[BOA]

To the best of my knowledge, gold is heavier. If you look at the Periodic Table of the Elements, you will see that the atomic weight of #78 platinum PT (195.084) is lighter than #79 gold AU (196.966569). They are right next to one another on the chart.

http://www.ptable.com/

What makes their weight different in jewelry is the composition, that the added elements to produce 14k or 18k make gold lighter than platinum. But if you compare a one-ounce Platinum coin with a one-ounce gold coin, they are the same size because they are both contain one ounce of the pure metal and are so close in atomic weight. But gold is indeed much softer. Platinum is very hard compared to gold, but that is just a characteristic of the element. Consider that mercury (HG) follows gold on the chart and is a liquid in its natural state, but its atomic weight is close enough to both both platinum and gold (200.59) that if you froze it and minted a one ounce coin out of it, it would also be about the same size as the gold and platinum one-ounce coins, but mercury is the heaviest of the three based on the atomic weight.

[MortgageGuy]

Originally Posted by chirojared

Another factor to consider is that platinum is a lot heavier than gold so a platinum bezel would weigh more than a gold bezel so it would still cost more in precious metal content

Great info Jared, I never thought of this either, thank you for opening our eyes

[chirojared]

No problem. Glad that I can help!

[adt]

think rolex is 18k gold and pure gold is 24k (999.9). therefore rolex gold is not the same price as the current market price everyone see in the news which is 24k.

[Zed Homme]

The cost has more to do with exclusivity than the cost of the base metal or the added cost of extra machining. If a SS sub costs 8k how would they justify a gold one costing close to 30k? I believe a platinum DD costs about 15k to 20k more than a gold DD, this couldn't possibly be because platinum is a harder metal to work or that it is heavier than gold...

[bondtoys]

Originally Posted by BOA

To the best of my knowledge, gold is heavier. If you look at the Periodic Table of the Elements, you will see that the atomic weight of #78 platinum PT (195.084) is lighter than #79 gold AU (196.966569). They are right next to one another on the chart.

The specific weight for Pt is 21.45 gr/cm3
The specific weight for AU is 19.32 gr/cm3

so, Pt is specifically more than 11% heavier.

In an 18 ct. gold alloy, you only find 75% pure gold, in a Pt alloy, you find 95% pure Pt, so at the end of the day, a Pt 950/- part will be over 30% heavier than the same part in an AU 750/- alloy

Exact figures depend on the additional materials, which are used in the alloy

[buke45]

I know Platinum is also a lot harder to work with than gold.

[springbar]

.

[gwozhog]

At the US mint gold coins are stamped once and the Platinum coins are stamped 5 times.