Precious Metals
The jewellery maker Henrich & Denzel specializes in platinum creations.
They are one of the few jewellery makers in the world who use platinum
exclusively as white metal. This specialisation has enabled Henrich & Denzel
to acquire a high level of competence in the creation of platinum jewellery
over the last few years. For yellow material, gold with a fine content
of at least 75% (18 carat) is used.
Platinum
rare
Platinum is rare, much rarer than gold. Platinum is 30 times
rarer than gold and is only found in a few places on earth, mainly in
South Africa and Russia, and to a lesser extent in Zimbabwe, Canada
and South America. Every year only 88 tonnes of platinum are crafted
into jewellery, compared with 2,700 tonnes of gold. From the extraction
of the ore to the production of pure platinum it is a complex process
which takes almost six months and involves 150 different steps, during
which 99% of the material is lost: from 300kg of ore extracted only
1kg of platinum is produced.
unique
But it is a process which is worth the effort, because platinum
is an extraordinary metal which has unique properties: an extremely
high melting temperature – its state only changes when it reaches
a temperature of 1,773°C. This makes it a preferred material in
the fields of medicine and industry. But for the jewellery maker it
poses a particular challenge, because it is more difficult to work than
other metals.
dense
At 21.45g platinum is the metal with the highest specific weight – a
solidity which one feels as soon as one picks up a piece of platinum jewellery.
This is the reason why platinum is the first choice for pieces of everlasting
value. No other material is so durable. Scratches and marks are only a
form of material displacement. Such traces of everyday wear only serve
to give the jewellery a more individual character.
pure
It is the purity of the metal which makes platinum such a special
material (platinum is 95% pure, whereas 18 carat gold is “only” 75%
pure). This purity makes platinum hypoallergenic and therefore ideal
for those with sensitive skin which reacts allergically to other materials.
It is a wonderful feeling to know that one is wearing jewellery made
of the purest precious metal in the world.
