Comparison
Platinum 950 or Sterling silver?
Choose platinum 950 if you want a white metal that stays white on its own, with no plating to renew. Choose sterling silver if you want a hallmarked precious ring on a small budget.
- Heavier: Platinum 950, about 1.9 times the weight
- Harder surface: Platinum 950 (Mohs 4.5 against 2.75)
- Resizing: platinum 950, yes, by a jeweller; sterling silver, yes, by a jeweller
Checked .
| Side by side | Platinum 950 | Sterling silver |
|---|---|---|
| Surface | Platinum alloy | Silver alloy |
| Hardness (Mohs) | 4.5 | 2.75 |
| Density | 20.1 g/cm³ reference | 10.4 g/cm³ reference |
| 6mm band, size N | about 9.8g | about 5.1g |
| Resizing | Yes, by a jeweller | Yes, by a jeweller |
| Hallmarked | Yes, by law above the exemption weight | Yes, by law above the exemption weight |
| Our rings from | See the range | See the range |
Which is heavier, platinum 950 or sterling silver?
Platinum 950 is heavier, about 1.9 times the weight of sterling silver for the same ring. A 6mm band in size N comes to about 9.8g in platinum 950 and 5.1g in sterling silver.
| Width | Platinum 950 | Sterling silver |
|---|---|---|
| 2mm | 3.3g | 1.7g |
| 4mm | 6.5g | 3.4g |
| 6mm | 9.8g | 5.1g |
| 8mm | 13.0g | 6.7g |
Worked out from the reference densities (20.1 and 10.4 g/cm³) with the same model as our ring weight calculator, where you can set your own size, width and thickness. A bigger size adds a little more metal: the size N page and the other size pages give the weights at each size.
Is platinum 950 more expensive than sterling silver?
Both are precious metals, so the difference is mostly how much gold or platinum is in the ring.
Every ring is made to order in your size, and engraving is free on every ring whose page offers it.
Which is harder wearing?
Platinum 950 has the harder surface: Mohs 4.5 against 2.75 for sterling silver, so it picks up fewer everyday marks. Sterling silver marks sooner, and any jeweller can polish it back.
Platinum 950. Platinum is naturally white, so there is no plating to renew. It does scratch, but a scratch moves the metal rather than removing it, so over time the surface settles into a soft patina instead of wearing thin. A jeweller can burnish it back to a bright shine, which GIA describes as the gentle way to restore worn platinum.
Sterling silver. Sterling tarnishes as well as scratches, and those are two different jobs: a silver cloth lifts tarnish, polishing takes out marks. Both are quick and we do the polishing free.
Platinum and patina. A platinum ring dulls to a soft satin over the years rather than wearing thin. Some people love that look; a jeweller burnishes it back to a mirror shine for anyone who does not.
Can platinum 950 and sterling silver rings be resized?
Platinum 950: Yes. A plain platinum 950 band can be made larger or smaller by a jeweller, the way wedding rings have always been resized. The exception is a band set with stones all the way round, where there is nowhere to cut without disturbing a stone, so on those the size is settled when you order.
Sterling silver: Yes. A plain sterling silver band can be made larger or smaller by a jeweller, the way wedding rings have always been resized. The exception is a band set with stones all the way round, where there is nowhere to cut without disturbing a stone, so on those the size is settled when you order.
Either way, getting the size right first is the easy part: the free ring size finder measures it at home in a couple of minutes, and the resizing guide explains the differences between metals.
Sensitive skin and hallmarks
Platinum 950 is hypoallergenic and a common choice for sensitive skin. Sterling silver is hypoallergenic and a common choice for sensitive skin. The metal allergy guide explains what causes a rash under a ring.
Gold, silver, platinum and palladium are hallmarked by law above the exemption weights. The marks go inside the band, where you can read the fineness for yourself. The UK hallmarking guide explains each mark.
Our verdict
Platinum 950 if you want a white metal that stays white on its own, with no plating to renew. Sterling silver if you want a hallmarked precious ring on a small budget.
Not sure on width? The band width guide shows what each width looks like and weighs, and the metal chooser weighs the metals up against how you will wear the ring.
In these materials
Rings to look at
Rings made in, or available in, the two materials above, each with its current price, widths and finishes on its own page.
Explore the fit and weight
Common questions
- Is platinum 950 or sterling silver harder wearing?
- Platinum 950 has the harder surface: Mohs 4.5 against 2.75 for sterling silver, so it picks up fewer everyday marks. Sterling silver marks sooner, and any jeweller can polish it back.
- Is platinum 950 heavier than sterling silver?
- Platinum 950 is heavier, about 1.9 times the weight of sterling silver for the same ring. A 6mm band in size N comes to about 9.8g in platinum 950 and 5.1g in sterling silver.
- Is platinum 950 more expensive than sterling silver?
- Both are precious metals, so the difference is mostly how much gold or platinum is in the ring.
- Can both be resized?
- Yes. A plain platinum 950 band can be made larger or smaller by a jeweller, the way wedding rings have always been resized. The exception is a band set with stones all the way round, where there is nowhere to cut without disturbing a stone, so on those the size is settled when you order. Yes. A plain sterling silver band can be made larger or smaller by a jeweller, the way wedding rings have always been resized. The exception is a band set with stones all the way round, where there is nowhere to cut without disturbing a stone, so on those the size is settled when you order.
- Are both hallmarked?
- Gold, silver, platinum and palladium are hallmarked by law above the exemption weights. The marks go inside the band, where you can read the fineness for yourself.