Scooba116
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Is 950 platinum/iridium a good choice for a tennis bracelet?
- Thread starter Scooba116
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Scooba116
Shiny_Rock
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Thanks for you response . That’s what I thought based on what you wrote about it. Why would a very reputable vendor use it in a tennis bracelet?
I would really prefer platinum over WG, but part of the reason for that is wanting it to last to pass to my children. would you expect it to break or lose stones? or just become very worn with attached and dents?
Scooba116
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I have been told that too by one vendor, but I couldn’t find much info about that on here or elsewhere on the internet. I’m not even such what it means. Does the bracelet get bigger? Does one alloy stretch less than the others?
Scooba116
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Do you have any idea why a very reputable vendor would use it? is there a better alloy for a bracelet?
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You would have to ask them why they use it.
900ir or 950ru for plat or white gold.
Design is also critical.
This common joint design is problematic because they are not twist tolerant.
I can not find a picture but bar and better yet double bar connections are better. They will have a pin on both sides of the link.
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I guess it could stretch and get bigger or maybe the larger concern is the safety of the stones? You could always touch base with a vendor or two to hear their explanation.
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I’m not sure how helpful it is to a poster for trademembers to take categorical positions on questions without much in the way of explanation. Much better to give the pros and cons so that an individual can make an informed decision as to what is best for them.
950 Platinum is a standard and one of the most durable metals used in jewelry. While it has attributes that may or may not be desirable for a tennis bracelet, general durability is NOT an issue. Yes, it is more susceptible to scratching, it is heavier than gold alloys which some might find uncomfortable for a tennis bracelet, and it is more expensive.
The fact is, the 950 plat/ir alloy is the standard that most manufacturers who make the tennis bracelet blanks use for their platinum offering. Would they use it if there was a known durability problem?
Bracelets can be expected to stretch a bit over time, depending on how often they are worn and how active the person is. Gold alloys can get brittle and thin at the contact points between links. Brittleness is not an issue for platinum.
Often the tongue of the clasp on platinum bracelets is made of white gold or other metal that maintains its spring better than platinum with repeated opening and closing. The pins used in connecting the platinum links are also sometimes a special alloy of platinum such as cobalt that give it maximum hardness and durability.
Platinum may also be slightly easier for some craftsman to work with and to restore when needed. (Not all jewelers have the experience, equipment, or ability to work in platinum, but most good ones do.)
Furthermore, we have been using the same factory for our tennis bracelet blanks going back many, many years and we are not aware of any issues with durability on the platinum 950/ir bracelets we have sold.
950 Platinum is a standard and one of the most durable metals used in jewelry. While it has attributes that may or may not be desirable for a tennis bracelet, general durability is NOT an issue. Yes, it is more susceptible to scratching, it is heavier than gold alloys which some might find uncomfortable for a tennis bracelet, and it is more expensive.
The fact is, the 950 plat/ir alloy is the standard that most manufacturers who make the tennis bracelet blanks use for their platinum offering. Would they use it if there was a known durability problem?
Bracelets can be expected to stretch a bit over time, depending on how often they are worn and how active the person is. Gold alloys can get brittle and thin at the contact points between links. Brittleness is not an issue for platinum.
Often the tongue of the clasp on platinum bracelets is made of white gold or other metal that maintains its spring better than platinum with repeated opening and closing. The pins used in connecting the platinum links are also sometimes a special alloy of platinum such as cobalt that give it maximum hardness and durability.
Platinum may also be slightly easier for some craftsman to work with and to restore when needed. (Not all jewelers have the experience, equipment, or ability to work in platinum, but most good ones do.)
Furthermore, we have been using the same factory for our tennis bracelet blanks going back many, many years and we are not aware of any issues with durability on the platinum 950/ir bracelets we have sold.
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I used 950 pt/iridium for a while. My efforts to achieve "liquid platinum" finish were nullified by the too soon, too badly pummeled metal surfaces after short term wear. Cost of time to discuss the rapidly deteriorating surface and the time to smooth it out again was just too much distraction for a one person operation.
To maintain the "950" platinum content and find a harder platinum, I began to alloy equal portions of 950 iridium platinum with 950 ruthenium platinum. This "tertiary" alloy was the answer I had been looking for. I used this blend for quite a while.
At one point, I decided to compare 900 iridium platinum to my 950 mix. This resulted in undistinguishable differences between the two metal properties in my hands.
It was at this point that I decided to step away from the "950 standard" for the sake of convenience and repeatability all around.
I could not have known then that 900 iridium platinum (by virtue of cost of the iridium) would become considerably more expensive than the 950 ruthenium that so many mfg are using.
At any rate, I did publish this explanation years ago located at >>>>>>
I've shared a long and fruitful relationship of collaboration, trust and mutual respect with Whiteflash since the previous owners had it. I would not do anything to jeopardize that relationship.
To my mind, being "Reputable" is about taking responsibility for your process and standing by your product. WF is nothing if not reputable.
I've closed my workshop, moved away from Concord, and, therefore surrendered my old phone number. My contact form and email addresses remain active. I can be reached by anyone at all for discussion.
All my Best
Mark Morrell
To maintain the "950" platinum content and find a harder platinum, I began to alloy equal portions of 950 iridium platinum with 950 ruthenium platinum. This "tertiary" alloy was the answer I had been looking for. I used this blend for quite a while.
At one point, I decided to compare 900 iridium platinum to my 950 mix. This resulted in undistinguishable differences between the two metal properties in my hands.
It was at this point that I decided to step away from the "950 standard" for the sake of convenience and repeatability all around.
I could not have known then that 900 iridium platinum (by virtue of cost of the iridium) would become considerably more expensive than the 950 ruthenium that so many mfg are using.
At any rate, I did publish this explanation years ago located at >>>>>>
I've shared a long and fruitful relationship of collaboration, trust and mutual respect with Whiteflash since the previous owners had it. I would not do anything to jeopardize that relationship.
To my mind, being "Reputable" is about taking responsibility for your process and standing by your product. WF is nothing if not reputable.
I've closed my workshop, moved away from Concord, and, therefore surrendered my old phone number. My contact form and email addresses remain active. I can be reached by anyone at all for discussion.
All my Best
Mark Morrell
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