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Quick answer: Platinum is naturally white and more durable long-term; 18k gold is lighter, more affordable, and comes in more colours but needs occasional replating if white. Prong settings maximise sparkle; bezel settings are the most secure and snag-resistant for daily wear.
Neither is objectively better; they trade off differently. Platinum is denser, naturally white, and holds a stone more securely over decades, but costs more and shows fine surface scratches (a soft patina) sooner. 18k gold is lighter, more affordable, and available in white, yellow, or rose, but a white-gold ring needs its plating refreshed every few years.
White gold is yellow gold alloyed with white metals and finished with a rhodium plating to look bright white; that plating wears off over time and needs re-dipping. Platinum is naturally white all the way through, so it never needs replating, but it's a denser, heavier, and more expensive metal.
A prong setting holds a stone with several metal claws (typically four or six) that grip it from the sides, exposing the most surface area and letting the most light reach the diamond. It's the most common engagement-ring setting because it maximises sparkle, though the prongs need periodic inspection since they're the main point of wear.
A bezel setting surrounds the stone with a continuous metal rim rather than individual prongs, fully protecting the girdle edge. It's the most secure and snag-resistant setting for active daily wear, at the cost of covering slightly more of the stone and letting in a little less light than a prong setting.
Bezel settings are generally the most secure, since there's no individual prong that can bend or catch and release the stone. For a balance of security and sparkle, a low-profile prong setting with six prongs instead of four is a common middle ground.
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