Platinum can be found in the periodic table of the elements under the atomic number 78 and the symbol Pt. It belongs to the category of transition metals and is a heavy metal that has a grey-white colour. Platinum is very popular in the jewellery sector because it is a high-quality and versatile material with special properties. The name platinum comes from the Spanish word platina which is a negatively connoted diminutive of silver. In the past, the value of platinum was often misjudged and even used to adulterate gold. The heavy metal is corrosion-resistant, can be forged and has a special softness. Platinum is extremely stable at high temperatures, but is attacked by the acids aqua regia, hydrochloric acid and nitric acid in the presence of oxygen. Since platinum is the most valuable precious metal even before gold, it is of course natural to use this element as a material for high-quality jewellery. The fact that platinum is much more robust and harder than gold also makes it a valuable material. In addition to the field of jewellery, platinum is also used in catalytic converters, in chemical apparatus engineering, in analytical equipment, in crucibles, in pacemakers or in thermocouples.
