What's the difference between silver & platinum?

For those who prefer something other than the traditional gold for jewelry settings, there are a number of metals and alloys that give a "white" gleam to their stones or settings. Chief among these are silver and platinum .
All of the above are similar in appearance, and although termed as "white", they are actually more of a metallic silver color, which are hard to tell apart just by observation. What can give you a clue , is the price of an item you are looking at, whether it is a ring, necklace, or candlesticks. Now we will talk about the difference between silver and platinum seperately.
Platinum
Platinum is a white metal, but unlike gold it is used in jewelry in almost its pure form (approximately 95% pure). Platinum is extremely long wearing and is very white, so it does not need to be rhodium plated like white gold does. Platinum is very dense and heavy metal, so a platinum ring will feel heavier than an 18kt gold ring. Platinum is, however, significantly more expensive than gold. With all other things being the same, a platinum ring will be approximately twice the price of an 18kt white gold ring.
Platinum is a prestige choice and is often chosen for its sophisticated appeal and popularity amongst the rich and famous. It is normally not used in the full range of jewelry products due to its higher price. It is mainly used in ladies engagement rings, ladies wedding rings and men's wedding rings. Platinum can also be used to make dress rings, though it is not commonly used to make earrings, pendants, bracelets or necklaces.
Silver
Sterling silver is a white-grey colored metal which is less expensive than gold, platinum and titanium. Silver is a softer metal than gold, titanium and platinum and does not have hardness that the other metals do.
Silver is also more prone to oxidization, sometimes causing the silver to turn black. The silver jewelry can easily be made to look like new again if you use a silver jewelry cleaner or if you have your jewelry cleaned by a local jeweler who owns the jewelry store.
However, the demand of both the metals-platinum and silver, is increasing with each passing day, thus becoming a viable investment option for people.