SINGAPORE, Feb 27 (Reuters) Gold rose on Tuesday but hovered below the previous day's nine-month high as traders saw it preparing for a charge at $700 -- a level last seen in May.

-- Spot gold rose to $687.00/687.70 an ounce from $686.10/686.80 an ounce late in New York on Monday, when it had rallied to $689 an ounce on firm crude oil, tensions between Iran and the United Nations and a softer dollar.

-- Almost nine out of 10 central banks see ample scope for further currency and asset diversification of foreign exchange reserves, according to a survey of 47 central banks published by London-based Central Banking Publications on Monday.

[ID:nL26419012] -- Silver was at $14.67/14.72 an ounce, unchanged from late New York levels and off Monday's nine-month high of $14.72 an ounce.

-- The new benchmark gold futures <0JAU:> on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange, February 2008, fell 6 yen per gram to 2,692 yen, having hit 2,702 yen on Monday, its highest since Sept.

1985.

-- U.S. crude steadies above $61 on Tuesday after a four-day gain supported by a cold snap in the United States, gradually tightening supplies due to OPEC's export curbs and long-standing concerns over Iran's nuclear programme.

-- The euro was steady at $1.3196 .

-- Platinum rose to $1,236/1,241 an ounce from $1,235/1,240 an ounce in New York.

-- Palladium slipped to $353/358 from $353.50/357.50 an ounce.

REUTERS SBA RN0619