The "snowy" white brilliance combined with superior hardness and durability make platinum an extremely exciting, valuable, and rare metal. In this series we would like to take the reader into the workshop to illustrate how jewellery comes to life. Working with platinum is unlike working with any other precious metal, it demands specialized skills from the metalsmith.

	1. Anneal the prepared platinum at 900°C until it glows bright orange. This is done in order to make the metal soft enough for the forming that it will undergo.
	2. Wrap the platinum around a mandrel to create the inner ring.
	3. Once the inner ring has been sized, a very thin piece of platinum is wedged into the seam and welded into place.
	4. After the ring is made round and preliminary sanding is done the quality mark is stamped onto the inside of the ring.
	5. The outside of the ring is finished and shaped.
	6. The ring is now polished to a high luster.
	7. The next step is to make the outer portion of the ring. This is done by cutting a suitably sized piece of platinum using a jeweller's saw.
	8. This piece is now bent making sure all measurements are exact, so there is no space between the two rings (inner and outer).
	9. The inner and outer rings are welded together using a torch as viewed above.
	10. With the jeweler's saw, excess platinum is trimmed from the ring.
	11. The ring is now smoothed and checked for any irregularities.
	12. Now we will make the setting for the diamond by welding and shaping platinum wire
	13. At this point the setting is finally welded in place.
	14. After polishing and stone setting, the ring is ready to wear.