I have a platinum engagement ring. I was told that it was more durable than white gold. However, I was also told I have to be more careful with it at work, because when it scratches, you can’t ever get it looking nice again. I was also told that the prongs might be more prone to bending. I am confused, and I want some real answers about platinum vs white gold as far as durability and how it will look in the long run. Thanks

For starters there is no such thing as white gold!
There are however gold alloys which appear white, silvery, or grey. When jewellers speak of white gold, they mean white gold alloys or mixtures. In most other major languages these alloys are described as grey rather than white. And contrary to what some might think, white gold is not dyed yellow gold.

White gold alloys became fashionable in the 1920’s, mainly as a substitute for platinum, which had itself recently become fashionable. Platinum is quite expensive, needs greater temperatures than gold, and is generally considered harder to work with than gold, although it is ideal for use in diamond settings. At least three patents were issued for different "recipes" of white gold alloys during the 1920’s, using different components to produce the whitening effect.

The most common metal which causes a significant bleaching effect in gold is nickel which some though tend to be alergic to.

It is common practice to rhodium plate all white gold jewellery, and some platinum. Rhodium is very bright, and highly reflective. When the rhodium plating wears through, the colour of the actual "white" alloy can be seen. This varies from gray through to distinctly yellowish gray. On some cheap jewellery, yellow gold alloys are rhodium plated, so that when the plating wears out, the natural yellow colour of the alloy appears.
http://www.24carat.co.uk/whatiswhitegold…

One of the most frequently asked ques­tions about Platinum concerns scratching. It seems the consumer equates durability with scratch resistance and is then disap­pointed when the Platinum jewelry scratches and shows signs of wear.

Let me say that all metal scratches. From the finest steel to the finest Platinum! no metal is immune to scratching. There are, however different alloys that have a. different hardness and thus a greater scratch resistance.

As Platinum scratches, it will develop a patina-like appearance that will last. This is the reason why many designers prefer satin finishes, brushed and sand-blast finishes over the bright polished look.

Polished Platinum especially the iridium alloys, Will display a bright natural white color. In spite of daily wear and scratching, this finish will endure for a long time.

In order to polish Platinum successfully, some points need to be addressed. It is important that all scratches are removed at the work bench. This can be done with different and assorted abrasives using increasingly finer grits.

Once the scratches are removed, it is important to burnish the surface of the Platinum. This is done with a polished tungsten burnisher by hand, or with tum­bling devices. If it is done by hand, the tool of choice is a Tungsten burnisher, which rubs a highly polished rod of Tungsten over the surface of the Platinum. Before you start, though, be sure the burnisher’s surface is highly polished; if It’s at all scratched, you will transfer those scratches to the ring. Using a light oil for burnishing, such as oil of wintergreen will prevent the burnisher from skipping and marring the Platinum.