Platinum
The pirates of old may have heard of platinum (Pt) but are unlikely ever to have seen it. If they did come across any they might well have mistaken it for some form of silver alloy - the name originates from the Spanish platina, "little silver". Yet platinum is far rarer, being 30 times rarer than gold. Many rulers, leaders and fashion deigners have been captivated by platinum and it forms the setting for the famous Hope Diamond.Platinum has been known for many centuries, however it was for a long time considered a mysterious and possibly even mystical metal. It's alchemical symbol was a combination of those for both silver and gold.
Pirates do have a place in the history of platinum. One of the first people to study the metal scientifically was Spanish astronomer Antonio de Ulloa. During an expedition to Peru he discovered and wrote about the strange metal. When he left Peru to return home in 1745 his ship was captured by British privateers ("official" pirates). Ulloa was taken to England where he was eventually allowed to write about his discovery in 1748.
Today, even with modern mining and production methods, platinum remains significantly more expensive than gold. A whole ten tons of crude ore need to be mined to produce a single ounce of pure platinum. This rarity makes it is a symbol of wealth and status - and the price of platinum products is accordingly high. It may not shine quite as much as some other precious metals but instead projects an understated aura of wealth.
Plainum is often used in modern jewelry designs and is generally more wear and tarnish resistant than many other metals. This tarnish resistance combined with its rarity result in platinum being used frequently in the some of the best jewelry you can buy including rings, chains, earrings etc. One slight downside is that platinum jewelry is often heavier than a similar item in gold.
Although tarnish resistant, platinum is not immune to scratching and other damage. Always handle with care as you would any other precious metal.