Hand Engraved Wedding Band Rings
by AURELL
Palladium is a rare and lustrous silvery-white metal.
Palladium, along with platinum, rhodium, ruthenium,
iridium and osmium form a group of elements
referred to as the platinum group metals (PGMs).
Platinum group metals share similar chemical
properties, but palladium has the lowest melting
point and is the least dense of these precious metals.
Palladium’s precious metal qualities and
appearance generate significant consumption in the
luxury jewelry market.
Palladium bullion has ISO currency codes of XPD
and 964. Palladium is one of only four metals to
have such codes, the others being gold, silver and
platinum.
The numerous applications and limited supply
sources of palladium result in palladium drawing
considerable investment interest.
Palladium is a soft silver-white metal that resembles platinum. It is the least dense and
has the lowest melting point of the platinum group metals
Palladium itself has been used as a precious metal in jewelry since 1939, as an
alternative to platinum or white gold. This is due to its naturally white properties, giving
it no need for rhodium plating. It is slightly whiter, much lighter and about 12% harder
than platinum. Similar to gold, palladium can be beaten into a thin leaf form as thin as
100 nm (1/250,000 in). Like platinum, it will develop a hazy patina over time.
Palladium is one of the three most popular metals used to make white gold alloys.
(Nickel and silver can also be used.) Palladium-gold is a more expensive alloy than
nickel-gold, but seldom causes allergic reactions.
When platinum was declared a strategic government resource during World War II,
many jewelry bands were made out of palladium. As recently as September 2001,
palladium was more expensive than platinum and rarely used in jewelry also due to
the technical obstacle of casting. However the casting problem has been resolved, and
its use in jewelry has increased because of a large spike in the price of platinum and a
drop in the price of palladium.
Prior to 2004, the principal use of palladium in jewelry was as an alloy in the
manufacture of white gold jewelry, but, beginning early in 2004 when gold and platinum
prices began to rise steeply, Chinese jewelers began fabricating significant volumes of
palladium jewelry.
Summary::
Palladium is a member of the Platinum group metals. It is precious, rare, and pure.
Palladium is a white metal. It doesn't require Rhodium plating and it will stay white,
unlike White Gold that will bleed yellow with time.
Palladium shares the same mill ability and wear ability properties like Platinum and
Gold.
Palladium has a proven history of having investment value.
WHY TO USE PALLADIUM: