Platinum and Gold Jewellery
Platinum and gold jewellery combines durable white metal settings with warm yellow gold bands, offering distinct historic character through rings, brooches and pendants.
Platinum and Gold Jewellery
Platinum and gold jewellery encompasses a variety of objects, with rings representing the most common form encountered on this page. Pieces span multiple decades from the Edwardian era through the Art Deco period and into mid-century designs.
The selection includes engagement rings, cluster rings, solitaires, pendants, brooches, and cufflinks. Gems such as diamonds and sapphires frequently accompany the mixed metal settings across these eras.
Makers utilised platinum to secure stones while retaining gold for bands and structural elements. This combination bridges traditional yellow gold work with the bright, durable finish associated with twentieth-century design.
Materials and construction methods
Goldsmiths combined platinum with 18ct yellow and white gold to construct settings that contrasted bright white metal against warm gold bases. Platinum provided the tensile strength needed to hold old cut diamonds securely in delicate claw and bezel settings.
Artisans applied techniques like guilloché enamel alongside hand-cut gemstones including old cushion and old pear cut diamonds. Watch chains, bracelets and rings demonstrate soldered links, twist bands and hollow or solid construction depending on the period.
Platinum and Gold Jewellery Retail Price Guide 2026
Typical asking prices for platinum and gold jewellery among the pieces listed under this phrase on Sellingantiques today, from the lower quarter to the upper quarter. They describe what is for sale here now, not the wider market.
Factors determining quality
Quality separates pieces by the precision of stone setting and the integrity of the mixed metal construction. Fine examples maintain crisp millegrain edges and secure prongs without visible excess solder or structural wear.
The choice of gemstones significantly influences overall quality, particularly in unheated Ceylon sapphires and well-matched old cut diamonds. Superior craftsmanship is also evident in hand-engraved details and balanced proportions across brooches and rings.
Garrard and Co
The Platinum and Gold Jewellery Glossary
- Old Cut
- A diamond cutting style prevalent before modern brilliant cuts, characterised by smaller tables and higher crowns that produce a soft, distinctive luminescence under candlelight.
- Navette
- A boat-shaped gemstone setting that tapers to points at either end, frequently utilised in Edwardian and Art Deco cluster rings.
- Guilloché
- A decorative technique involving precise mechanical patterns engraved into metal beneath a translucent layer of enamel.
- Toi et Moi
- A ring design featuring two main stones set closely side by side, symbolising two souls meeting.
- Millegrain
- A decorative edging consisting of a line of tiny, raised metal beads bordering a gemstone setting.
Platinum and Gold Jewellery: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I care for antique platinum and gold jewellery?
Clean pieces gently using warm water and mild soap, avoiding harsh ultrasonic cleaners that might dislodge old cut stones. Store items separately in soft pouches to prevent scratching between the mixed metals.
Regularly check claw settings by gently tapping the stone to ensure it does not move within its platinum mount.
What periods do these pieces represent?
The listings span from the Edwardian era and turn of the twentieth century through Art Deco and into mid-century vintage decades. Each period brings distinct architectural lines or softer floral motifs.
Edwardian items often feature delicate platinum work on yellow gold, while Art Deco pieces embrace geometric symmetry.
Are sapphires in these rings natural?
Several pieces feature unheated Ceylon sapphires, indicating stones that retain their natural clarity and colour without thermal enhancement. These untreated stones are documented in mid-century and earlier twentieth-century rings.
Documentation or specific listing details confirm the origin when available.
How can I tell Edwardian from Art Deco jewellery?
Edwardian designs lean towards organic motifs, floral cluster daisies, and delicate filigree work in yellow gold topped with platinum. Art Deco items introduce sharp geometric clusters, navette shapes, and linear symmetry.
Examining the overall silhouette and stone cuts helps distinguish between the two eras.