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SINGAPORE, Sep 6 (Reuters) Platinum rose to its highest level in more than three months on Wednesday on the back of strong gains in Tokyo futures, while silver paused for breath after rallying the previous day to above $13 an ounce.

Bullion was firmer and dealers reported buying interest from main consumer India ahead of the wedding season that started in October, when parents give gold ornaments to their daughters for financial security.

''We have inquiries from India now and then. Demand has picked up and some suppliers have started to raise the premiums. There's also light demand from Thailand,'' said a dealer in Singapore.

Spot gold rose to $639.00/640.00 an ounce from $638.20/639.20 late in New York on Tuesday.

Premiums for gold bars were quoted by some dealers at 10 U.S. cents an ounce to the spot London price, compared with zero last week .

''The market perceives that we are about to enter a seasonally strong period of demand which, when coupled with the already tight supply chains, means prices are almost inevitably going higher,'' Investec Australia said in a daily report.

Benchmark gold futures on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange, currently August 2007, rose 46 yen per gram to 2,420 yen, reflecting gains in New York's COMEX market.

Platinum rose to its highest level since May 31 at $1,270 an ounce as the benchmark contract on Tokyo futures hit a record high of 4,732 yen per gram.

The metal was last quoted at $1,268/1,272 in New York.

Some dealers in Japan said platinum's bullish technicals as well as the end of summer holidays spurred new buying from speculators and retail investors on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange.

''Buying from individual investors started today. They initially hesitated to enter the market,'' said Yukuji Sonoda, precious metals analyst at Daiichi commodities in Tokyo.

TOCOM platinum moved in a tight range in July and August but the technical climate improved after the key contract reached a record high on Friday.

Jewellery makers in China and Japan were also in the cash market to build up stocks ahead of the holiday season later this year, dealers said, adding that spot platinum was poised for more gains.

''I think $1,300 is an easy target,'' said Sonoda, adding that platinum could eventually reach around $1,320 later in September.

Platinum, used mainly in jewellery and to clean car exhaust fumes, hit a record high of $1,336 an ounce in mid-May.

Silver hit its highest level since May 30 at $13.22 an ounce on Tuesday as U.S. investors returned to the market after the Labor Day holiday, before dropping to $12.89/12.96 late in New York. In Asia on Wednesday it edged up to $12.99/13.06.

''When gold was hanging around $620, silver outperformed it because people ditched bullion. What happens now is the opposite. People are selling silver to buy gold after it broke resistance of $630 yesterday,'' said a dealer in Hong Kong.

Speculators have been betting on silver on hopes a new exchange-traded fund launched on the American Stock Exchange in April would attract more investment and reduce supply.

Palladium was unchanged at $348/353 an ounce.

Precious Metals Prices by 0320 GMT* Metal Last Net change Pct Move Gold 639.00 1.20 +0.19 Platinum 1269.00 1.00 +0.08 Palladium 348.00 0.00 +0.00 Silver 12.98 0.03 +0.23 Change so far in 2006 Metal Latest bid End prev year Pct Move Gold 639.00 517.20 +23.55 Platinum 1269.00 968.00 +31.10 Palladium 348.00 254.00 +37.01 Silver 12.98 8.81 +47.33 * The closing prices used to calculate the net change may differ from New York's last quoted prices.

REUTERS CS DS1402