Is Platinum Magnetic? And Can Platinum Be Magnetized Under Certain Circumstances or Not?

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Platinum isn’t magnetic. It’s paramagnetic. Platinum is weakly attracted to a magnetic field and doesn’t retain magnetism once the field is removed.

In practical terms, this means pure-platinum objects don’t stick to a magnet due to their minimal magnetic properties.

Below are the common questions people have about magnetizing platinum items and jewelry and whether it’s really possible.

Is Platinum Magnetic? And Can Platinum Be Magnetized Under Certain Circumstances or Not?
Is Platinum Magnetic? And Can Platinum Be Magnetized Under Certain Circumstances or Not?

Can Pure Platinum Ever Become Magnetic?

Pure platinum can never become magnetic. It’s a paramagnetic metal that doesn’t noticeably magnetize when exposed to a magnet.

Pure platinum is immune to magnets, but things change when this precious metal is alloyed with other magnetic or ferromagnetic metals.

Under Which Circumstances Platinum Magnetizes?

Platinum magnetizes when it’s alloyed with ferromagnetic metals and materials. For example, platinum is often alloyed with cobalt, nickel and iron and the presence of these ferromagnetic metals makes the entire platinum object respond to magnets.

The magnetic reaction happens even when the alloy consists of 90% platinum and just 10% of ferromagnetic material, for example cobalt.

10% cobalt mixed with platinum is enough for a weak but noticeable magnetic effect. Obviously, the more ferromagnetic metal used, the stronger the platinum item’s attachment to magnets. For example, a platinum alloy that consists of 50% platinum and 50% cobalt is very magnetic.

Platinum remains immune to magnets when it’s alloyed with non-magnetic metals like gold (gold is a non-magnetic precious metal), silver (silver is non-magnetic precious metal), palladium (palladium is also non-magnetic), rhodium (rhodium is a paramagnetic metal), iridium and others.

I bet you like platinum since you’re reading my guide on its magnetic properties? Check this out next if you answered yes!

Important if you’re an American citizen with a worry about the economy and a healthy interest in precious metals as inflation hedge.

Is 999 Platinum Magnetic?

No, 999 platinum isn’t magnetic. It’s paramagnetic.

999 platinum is the purest platinum form containing at least 99.9% pure platinum content. Pure platinum isn’t magnetic as there’s only 0.1% room left for any other metal. 999 platinum is used for creating bullion for investment purposes, and in fact roughly 20% of newly mined platinum goes into making investment-grade platinum coins and bars.

Is 999 Platinum Magnetic?
Is 999 Platinum Magnetic?

Is 950 Platinum Magnetic?

No, 950 platinum isn’t magnetic, but paramagnetic when 95% of pure platinum is alloyed with 5% of other non-magnetic metals (gold, silver, palladium…).

Platinum 950 becomes magnetic when 95% of pure platinum is alloyed with 5% of ferromagnetic materials and metals like iron, cobalt, nickel and some stainless steel forms. But in that case the magnetic effect will be weak and you’ll need a strong magnet to elicit a noticeable reaction from your PT950 jewelry piece.

Is 950 Platinum Magnetic?
Is 950 Platinum Magnetic?

Is 900 Platinum Magnetic?

No, 900 platinum isn’t magnetic, but paramagnetic when 90% of pure platinum is alloyed with 10% of other non-magnetic metals (gold, silver, palladium…).

Platinum 900 becomes magnetic when 90% of pure platinum is alloyed with 10% of ferromagnetic materials and metals like iron, cobalt, nickel and some stainless steel forms. But in that case the magnetic effect will be weak and you’ll need a strong magnet to elicit a noticeable reaction from your PT900 jewelry piece.

Is 900 Platinum Magnetic?
Is 900 Platinum Magnetic?

I bet you like platinum since you’re reading my guide on its magnetic properties? Check this out next if you answered yes!

Important if you’re an American citizen with a worry about the economy and a healthy interest in precious metals as inflation hedge.

Is 850 Platinum Magnetic?

No, 850 platinum isn’t magnetic, but paramagnetic when 85% of pure platinum is alloyed with 15% of other non-magnetic metals (gold, silver, palladium…).

850 platinum becomes magnetic when 85% of pure platinum is alloyed with 15% of ferromagnetic materials and metals like iron, cobalt, nickel and some stainless steel forms. In that case 15% of ferromagnetic metals within the alloy is enough to elicit a moderate magnetic reaction, especially if you point a powerful magnet at your PT850 jewelry piece.

Is 850 Platinum Magnetic?
Is 850 Platinum Magnetic?

Is 600 Platinum Magnetic?

No, 600 platinum isn’t magnetic, but paramagnetic when 60% of pure platinum is alloyed with 40% of other non-magnetic metals (gold, silver, palladium…).

600 platinum becomes magnetic when 60% of pure platinum is alloyed with 40% of ferromagnetic materials and metals like iron, cobalt, nickel and some stainless steel forms. In that case 40% of ferromagnetic metals within the alloy is enough to elicit a strong magnetic reaction from your PT600 jewelry piece.

Platinum items and jewelry hallmarked 600 Plat. 400Irid means that they’re made from an alloy consisting of 60% platinum and 40% iridium. PTIRD jewelry items are non-magnetic as pure platinum is paramagnetic and pure iridium is paramagnetic.

Is 600 Platinum Magnetic?
Is 600 Platinum Magnetic?

I bet you like platinum since you’re reading my guide on its magnetic properties? Check this out next if you answered yes!

Important if you’re an American citizen with a worry about the economy and a healthy interest in precious metals as inflation hedge.

Is Raw Platinum Magnetic?

No, raw platinum isn’t magnetic. It’s paramagnetic.

Raw platinum extracted from the ground can be contaminated with ferrous metal particles, but it’s not enough to cause a magnetic reaction.

Raw platinum isn't magnetic
Raw platinum isn’t magnetic

Are Rings Made of Pure Platinum Magnetic? What About Other Types of Jewelry?

No, rings made of pure platinum aren’t magnetic. They’re paramagnetic.

Platinum rings and any other type of platinum jewelry (bracelets, chains, necklaces, pendants, earrings, broches…) made of platinum alloyed with ferromagnetic materials magnetize when exposed to magnets.

For example, see below an example of a Redditor who claims they bought a platinum bracelet made of a mixture of pure platinum and pure authentic gold. Neither platinum nor gold are ferromagnetic so the bracelet should be 100% unresponsive to magnets.

And yet, this person says the platinum part of their bracelet responds to a magnet and she can pick up the entire bracelet with a single magnet.

Obviously, her “pure platinum” bracelet is platinum-coated and the base metal is reactive to magnets. Or the platinum portion of her bracelet is made of fake platinum.

Platinum-made bracelet that can be magnetized- example from Reddit.
Platinum-made bracelet that can be magnetized.

Fake platinum is rampant on the market, but knowing genuine platinum doesn’t magnetize gives you an edge. I already described how to test platinum at home with magnets so I won’t repeat myself here.

Testing platinum at home with magnets.
Testing platinum at home with magnets.

I bet you like platinum since you’re reading my guide on its magnetic properties? Check this out next if you answered yes!

Important if you’re an American citizen with a worry about the economy and a healthy interest in precious metals as inflation hedge.

Is Platinum More or Less Magnetic than Palladium?

Platinum is less magnetic than palladium. 

Both precious metals are paramagnetic to nearly the same degree and you’ll need a powerful magnet and laboratory equipment to detect the slight difference in magnetism in palladium’s favor.

In practical terms there’s no difference between platinum and palladium when it comes to their magnetic properties.

Is Platinum More or Less Magnetic than Palladium?
Is Platinum More or Less Magnetic than Palladium?

Is Platinum Magnetic? Can Platinum Be Magnetized Under Certain Circumstances or Not? (Conclusion)

Platinum is paramagnetic, not magnetic. It’s weakly drawn to a magnetic field and loses that pull once the magnetic field is gone. Pure platinum (.999 fine) never magnetizes. However, platinum jewelry alloys can react to magnets if mixed with ferromagnetic metals like cobalt, iron, or nickel.

Small amounts (around 10%) create a noticeable effect, while non-magnetic alloy partners like gold, silver, palladium, rhodium, or iridium keep the platinum piece magnet-resistant regardless of purity grade (950, 900, 850, 600,). Coins, bars, and raw platinum stay non-magnetic as they’re made from .999 platinum.

Nikola Roza

Nikola Roza is the owner of Nikola Roza- Everything You Can Learn About Precious Metals. He writes for people who love precious metals and jewelry and who're interested in adding gold, silver platinum and palladium to their retirement portfolios. Nikola is passionate about gold IRAs and investing in multiple asset types for a safer financial future. He also runs a successful online jewelry store where you can buy precious metal jewelry and various replicas of famous coins and bars. Learn about Nikola here.

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