Platinum is a rare, silvery-white metal that's extremely valuable and doesn't tarnish or corrode. It's rarer than gold, which makes it more expensive and more prestigious. Jewelry makers prize platinum for engagement rings and fine watches because it stays brilliant and beautiful without fading.

The metal is also remarkably useful beyond jewelry. Platinum helps convert harmful car exhaust into safer gases, makes medical equipment that can safely stay inside human bodies, and enables crucial chemical reactions in laboratories and factories. Scientists value it because it can withstand incredibly high temperatures and resist damage from powerful chemicals.

Because platinum is so rare and valuable, the word has come to mean the highest level of achievement. When a music album sells over a million copies, it “goes platinum.” Credit card companies offer platinum cards to their most valued customers. In video games, achieving platinum status often means you've completed every possible challenge.