Palladium

Deemed a smart, lighter alternative to platinum, palladium has gained immense popularity as a chosen metal for jewelry by women and men alike. Palladium is a precious metal that possesses an uncanny resemblance to platinum without the price tag. Its natural color is white, so this metal does not require rhodium-plating to render it into a fashionable jewelry shop novelty. Another appealing characteristic of palladium is that it is hypoallergenic (nickel free) and resistant to tarnish caused by prolonged wear and exposure.

At Brilliance, we have a wide selection of palladium jewelry pieces crafted considering quality, affordability, and unrivaled aesthetic standards. For shoppers who desire a stunning jewelry piece without having to pay an arm and a leg, Brilliance is the right stop.

Palladium Purity & Composition

In jewelry manufacturing, a palladium piece should ideally adhere to the 95% standard of purity, identical to the purity level used in platinum jewelry creation. Ruthenium is added to the palladium alloy, as well as other hypoallergenic and practical metals that produce greater hardness and consistency.

At Brilliance, each of our palladium rings boast a purity of 950, which denotes a palladium content of 95% and an alloy composition of 5%. When purchasing palladium, always confirm the purity level is above 90%, the industry standard, and does not contain too large a quantity of other metals.

Color of Palladium

Palladium is most similar in color to platinum. Like platinum, palladium has a bright white appearance regardless of whether or not it has a Rhodium plating. Over time, this bright white will take on a patina finish, but it will not yellow like white gold.

While some find the patina look desirable, a simple cleaning and polishing will return a palladium piece to its former luster and shine. The layer of Rhodium often applied to white metals helps to prolong the bright white finish on palladium.

Workability and Wear-ability

In terms of malleability, palladium scores high. It is known as one of the easiest precious metals to fashion into a specific shape or appearance. Moreover, it is best for gem setting purposes since the metal has little memory of form. This makes it perfect for men’s wedding bands, or simple women’s wedding bands, and classic solitaire engagement rings. However, the malleability factor does cause palladium to fall short with more intricate designs, where platinum or 14K white gold could be better options.

Wear-ability is another admirable characteristic of palladium. In fact, it scores 15% higher than white gold in this area. Whereas white gold has a specific gravity of 12.7, palladium only measures at 12.0, meaning that it is considerably lighter. Lighter jewelry feels more natural, and lighter rings spin less on your finger.

Care & Maintenance

Cleaning a palladium jewelry piece requires three basic tools: warm water, commercial jewelry cleaner, and a soft-bristled brush.

1. Soak the jewelry in a small container of cleaning solution for 5 minutes.
2. Using the soft-bristled brush, remove impurities and dirt from the piece’s crooks and surfaces.
3. Rinse the jewelry with warm water.
4. Dry with a paper towel.

Jewelry experts recommend that owners take their palladium pieces to an expert cleaner at least once every six months for a professional cleaning. Also, it is best to store these precious pieces in a fabric-lined jewelry or storage box.

History of Palladium

Palladium was discovered in 1802 by William Hyde Wollaston in South America. It was named after the asteroid Pallas and was initially questioned and suspected to be an alloy of mercury and platinum. Russia is the top producer of palladium, with countries like South Africa, the United States, Canada, Australia, and Ethiopia trailing distantly behind.

Palladium has been used as a precious metal in jewelry-making since around 1939. During World War II, platinum was declared a strategic government resource and palladium became more common in jewelry. Throughout the last 50 years, the price of palladium has fluctuated, and was often more expensive than platinum. However since early 2000, due to a spike in the price of platinum, palladium became an accessible and affordable alternative to platinum.

Other Applications

Aside from its practicality in the jewelry industry, palladium also serves other purposes in the fields of electronics, dentistry, watch-making, science and technology, hydrogen storage, and even photography.