Platinum Top Ring
A platinum top ring brings together precious white metal and warm gold, giving you the durability of platinum where the stones sit alongside the richer tone of a gold band.
Platinum Top Ring
When you search for a platinum top ring, you are looking at jewellery that combines a platinum setting face with a gold shank underneath. This specific construction method allowed makers to showcase diamonds and coloured stones against a bright, secure white metal without the higher cost of a solid platinum piece.
The pieces you are most likely to meet on this page span from the Edwardian era through the Art Deco period and into the mid-twentieth century. They appear primarily as cluster rings, navette designs, solitaire engagement rings, and geometric panel shapes.
Makers shaped these rings during the 1910s, 1920s, and 1930s using 18ct gold or yellow gold for the lower hoop while soldering or fusing a platinum layer directly to the top. This technique let the bright white metal hold small old cut diamonds securely while keeping the warmth of gold visible on the finger.
How they were made
Goldsmiths fused thin sheets of platinum to an 18ct gold base to form the structural mount for the stones. Platinum possessed the tensile strength needed for fine claw and millgrain settings that could hold small old cut diamonds firmly in place.
The lower bands and shanks were cast or forged from 18ct yellow gold, creating a strong contrast between the white upper face and the warm metal below. Craftsmen set old cut diamonds and yellow sapphires directly into the platinum surface using hand-carved channels and bead settings.
Stone combinations on this page include old cut diamonds paired with yellow sapphires in cluster, navette, solitaire, and trilogy ring formats.
What varies in quality
The fineness of the metalwork separates simpler items from the finest examples on the page. Superior pieces display delicate hand-pierced gallery work beneath the platinum top and precise millgrain edging around each stone.
Stone selection dictates the upper tier of these rings. Better examples feature matched old cut diamonds with clean facets and well-proportioned yellow sapphires that integrate smoothly into cluster and panel designs.
The Platinum Top Ring Glossary
- Platinum top ring
- A ring featuring a platinum face fused to a gold shank, common in Edwardian and Art Deco jewellery. This construction maximised white brilliance around the stones while retaining a gold band.
- Cluster ring
- A ring design featuring a central stone surrounded by a border of smaller gems. This layout made smaller old cut diamonds appear substantial on the hand.
- Navette ring
- A boat-shaped ring design that tapers to points at either end of the finger. It appeared frequently in Edwardian and early twentieth-century platinum and gold pieces.
- Millgrain
- A decorative border of tiny raised metal beads rolled onto the edges of a setting. This technique defined the perimeter of platinum top sections during the Edwardian period.
- Old cut diamond
- A diamond cut with fewer facets and a smaller table than modern stones, typical of rings from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. These stones scatter candlelight effectively.
Platinum Top Ring: Frequently Asked Questions
What is a platinum top ring?
A platinum top ring is a piece of jewellery that uses a platinum sheet on the upper face where the diamonds sit, combined with an 18ct yellow gold shank underneath. This method gave the bright white appearance of platinum around the stones while keeping the traditional warmth of gold for the band.
Most examples date from the Edwardian period, the 1920s, and the 1930s, taking the form of cluster rings, panel designs, and engagement rings. Makers favoured this construction because platinum was strong enough to hold delicate claw settings securely.
How do I date a platinum top ring?
You date these rings by looking at the stone cuts, the overall design style, and the construction of the mount. Edwardian pieces often feature delicate lace-like gallery work and floral motifs, while Art Deco examples display geometric lines and rectangular clusters.
The presence of old cut diamonds alongside platinum top plates points directly to the first few decades of the twentieth century. Hallmarks and gold purity stamps on the inner shank can also help narrow down the decade of manufacture.
Can I wear a platinum top ring every day?
You can wear these rings daily provided you treat them with the care due to antique jewellery. Platinum is a durable metal that holds up well against everyday knocks, but the underlying gold band and older stone settings require mindful handling.
It is wise to remove the ring during heavy manual work or swimming to protect the delicate claw settings and the gold shank from unnecessary wear. Regular checks by a jeweller will ensure the stones remain secure in their mountings.
What stones are set in platinum top rings?
Diamonds are the primary stones found in these rings, usually in old European or transitional cuts that match the period of manufacture. You will also find yellow sapphires and other coloured gems integrated into cluster and trilogy layouts.
The stones were chosen to contrast with the bright white platinum face and the yellow gold of the lower band. Their arrangement in clusters or panel rings maximised the visual impact of the gems.