Why Pick A Palladium Wedding Band?
Palladium is not completely new in the jewelry industry; indeed back in 1939 it is known to have been used in jewelry manufacture. Palladium is part of the Platinum Group Metals (or PGM’s) and is mined and extracted from the same mineral deposits as platinum and sometimes even gold. Being part of the PGM’s, palladium bears a remarkable resemblance to platinum, both physically and chemically. Like platinum, palladium has a lustrous silver-white colour and it is ideal for use in jewelry. As palladium jewelry is manufactured from 95 – 100% pure palladium, the mens palladium wedding rings are hypoallergenic. This means that it is the ideal metal for people with sensitive or irritable skin.
There are some significant differences between platinum and palladium however, advantages that are causing jewelry manufacturers around the world to incorporate palladium into their men’s palladium wedding bands design. Palladium is a very hard metal; in fact, it is 12% harder than platinum. It is also 40% lighter than platinum, a statistic that translates into a significant saving when it comes to purchasing palladium jewelry. Jewelry is priced not only according to the labour that is involved in manufacturing an item of jewelry (particularly in the case of hand-made jewelry) but also according to the weight of metal used. Therefore, when compared to an identically designed platinum ring, a palladium ring will weigh significantly less and will thus cost less. Additionally, the price of palladium is a fraction of the price of platinum. Currently (August 2009), the palladium price is a quarter of the price of platinum and a third of the price of gold. Not only is palladium cheaper per ounce than gold, it also has a variety of other advantages over gold.
Gold, in its natural form, is a metallic yellow colour. Thus, to create white gold, gold must be alloyed with a number of white metals such as palladium, nickel and silver. However, with 18k white gold being 75% gold and 25% alloy (palladium, nickel and silver), it is impossible to turn gold a pure white colour. Thus, all white gold is electro-plated with Rhodium (another Platinum Group Metal) resulting in the bright metallic white colour we know so well. Over time however, this rhodium-plating wears off, leading customers to believe their gold has “tarnished”. Because palladium is a naturally white metal, there is no need to rhodium-plate it and palladium jewelry will keep it’s colour over time. Palladium is thus a cost-effective, yet valuable metal ideally suited to engagement rings and men’s palladium wedding ring and what better time to invest in a ring than now, when the prices are low and palladium rings are still unique.
Palladium versus Platinum: Much of platinum’s cache is due to its purity. Jewelry cast using pure gold (i.e., 24K) is soft and subject to damage, which threatens the overall look and luster of the jewelry piece. To combat this, gold is commonly mixed with copper or silver to strengthen it. The concerns over gold’s softness are why gold jewelry is typically crafted using 14 or 18 karat gold. Palladium is attractive to consumers in the same way as platinum because it is a purer material that is not fabricated or man made. Another benefit of palladium is that it is over 40% lighter than platinum, a characteristic of palladium that has jewelry designers excited. Weight is a consideration that is especially important in earrings as heavier metals and bigger designs can stretch the ear lobe and be too heavy to wear. Larger stones can be set in a palladium design and, because it is less dense, the piece won’t feel overly heavy to the wearer. The biggest downside to platinum is its price. Often, consumers seeking that white-metal appearance had to settle for white gold or sterling silver because of platinum’s high price tag. Palladium is set to take a large share of the market because of its affordability. Palladium is less expensive than platinum and white gold – a trend that should continue for the near term.
As a platinum group metal, palladium offers customers a host of benefits that white gold and platinum can’t touch. Are customers ready for a white metal that is less expensive than platinum and hypoallergenic unlike white gold? Many jewelers and jewelry stores are banking on it. Palladium’s steel-white appearance makes it an attractive jewelry alternative to white gold and platinum. However, palladium was difficult to cast with and had not been fit for jewelry casting until recently. Innovations in developing a castable palladium alloy produced 950 palladium, which is ideal for jewelry. It is expected that, within the coming months, consumers will begin to hear more about palladium and its benefits; and palladium could very well be the next revolution in jewelry. Much of this relies on the fact that palladium is in the platinum group of metals and shares many of the same attributes as platinum – high purity, good luster, and white appearance.