The RSC Faraday prize lecture of 1989 on platinum

In 1861, Michael Faraday gave one of his last Friday Evening Discourses at the Royal Institution of Great Britain, London, on platinum, which he described as this beautiful, magnificent and valuable metal''. More than a hundred and twenty years later (in 1989), the author re-enacted, at the Royal Institution, many of the demonstrations that Faraday carried out in his memorable Discourse. This article outlines many of Faraday's views on, and experiments with, platinum. It also describes the continuing importance and utilization of platinum, both as perceived in 1989 and from present perspectives.