I’m sure you’ve heard Thomas Tusser’s observation, “Tis an ill wind that blows nobody any good.”  Of course, when we quote from his Elizabethan book on gardening, “Five Hundred Points of Good Husbandry”, our reference to the “wind” is usually an allegorical reference to fate or events tragic for some but beneficial to others.  And so I must begin my look at platinum.  Until the late 19th century platinum was little used – even though Louis XIV of France had pronounced it the metal of kings.  The problem stemmed from the high temperatures required to melt it and to work it – temperatures too high to be produced by the little alcohol “blow torches” used by jewelers for centuries.  Platinum could be cast into an ingot that could then be flattened and cut into sheets and wires of the metal.  Then a jeweler of rare skills could fabricate platinum jewelry from “sheet and wire” using gold or silver to marry the parts.  In the late 19th century, however, industry became interested in platinum for its density, strength, inert character and its unique catalytic properties.  This led to a search (successful) for new sources of platinum – a “wind” that was far from “ill” for jewelry makers as it coincided with the development of “new” hot torches that made it far easier to create jewelry from platinum.  So it was that in the early 20th century platinum jewelry became available to the masses. Remember, however, that industry initially drove the platinum market; and this remained a constant.  As a consequence, the availability of platinum has ebbed and flowed with industry’s needs for it.  This was especially during during the Second World War; our country’s need for platinum was so great that the U.S. Government allowed the whole of the jewelry business only 1 ounce of platinum each month, a limitation that continued throughout the Cold War.  Though platinum has been more readily available since the early 90s, its price still fluctuates with demand, leading me to my “ill wind”.  In this case it is  the tremendous change we’ve seen in petroleum prices.  Today’s fuel prices have brought about a great decline in the demand for automobiles in the United States and elsewhere; one that has driven some automobile manufacturers to their knees.  With unsold inventories, they’ve cut back on manufacturing and closed some of their plants  as the asking price for their publicly traded stocks have plummeted.  An ill wind, indeed, but some have benefited from it – jewelry buyers.  Puzzled?  It all goes back to our current demands for “clean” exhaust emissions.   The catalytic converter in your car uses a few hundred dollars worth of platinum to reduce nitrogen oxides to nitrogen and oxygen, oxidize carbon monoxide into carbon dioxide and oxidize unburnt fuel.  It may not sound like much money compared to the cost of the average automobile; but in 2007 the automobile industry used about 80 tons of the slightly more than 130 tons of platinum mined that year.  That’s about 60% of all of the platinum produced in 2007; and if you think about it, it’s clear that the automobile market drives the price of platinum.  The obvious corollary is that if automobile demand nose-dives, the price of platinum must also; and that has been the case.  Today it’s selling for more than one-third less than it did a year ago today.  Thus this “ill wind”, the decline in platinum’s price, has had the effect of reducing the cost of platinum jewelry a bit; but don’t expect anything dramatic.  The metallic worth of a ring with a quarter of an ounce of platinum in it has declined by a little more than $100; and if is set with any diamonds, even small ones, increases in the prices of diamonds over the last year will have eaten up the “savings” in platinum.  Of course, whatever you pay for platinum, its worth it – to both industry (for its utility) and consumers (because platinum holds diamonds so well and is so durable).

Then there are diamonds.  Their durability outshines all of the precious metals; but all diamonds are not created equally.  If you want to experience diamonds at their best, they must be Hearts On Fire.  They’re the world’s most perfectly cut diamonds and that’s not just another of those dry diamond facts.  The execution of a diamond’s cut is the source of its brilliance, fire and scintillation; and the perfection of the Hearts On Fire’s cut makes it outshine and out sparkle all others.   It’s the most beautiful diamond you can buy; and its heart-stopping beauty lets it speak for you, saying, “I love you,” perfectly.  Check out our Hearts On Fire collection on line at hurstsberwynjewelers.com; then phone us at 708.788.0880 for an appointment to select the Hearts On Fire you need to do the talking for you.  Christmas layaways are currently being taken on purchases of $1000 or more.