Platinum versus Palladium – the other white metal

Hi Danny, I’m shopping for an engagement ring and my girlfriend really likes the look of the Legera Pavé setting from Brian Gavin, and has indicated that she wants platinum because she is allergic to white gold, but I’m wondering whether ordering the ring in palladium is an acceptable option, because I’m trying to save money wherever I can and stay on target in terms of budget. It might not seem like a lot, but the slight difference between the cost of the ring in platinum and palladium, is a lot of money to me. Can you tell me if palladium is hyper-allergenic like platinum? How does it hold up to wear? What differences is she likely to notice between palladium & platinum? – David W.

950 Palladium Jewelry is Hypo Allergenic:

Until recently the only option available to people who are allergic to the various metals which are mixed with gold to create a more durable alloy, was to purchase jewelry made out of platinum, however many people found the cost of platinum to be prohibitive.

One of the clear benefits of using palladium to manufacture jewelry is that palladium is hypo-allergenic, just like platinum, and thus it can be worn with confidence in place of white gold by people who suffer from metal allergies.

950 Palladium Jewelry Stays Whiter than White Gold:

950 Palladium, which consists of 95 parts palladium, and about 5 percent ruthenium, with some trace elements of other metals, depending on which proprietary blend of palladium is being used, produces jewelry which is a nice, bright white, which does not require rhodium plating as white gold does in order to maintain its like new appearance.

White gold can yellow with time, because the chemicals released by our skin, react with the various metals which are mixed with gold to create a gold alloy which is hard enough to be worn as jewelry. To combat the yellowing effect which is caused by this chemical reaction, jewelers routinely rhodium plate white gold jewelry to keep it looking whiter longer. The problem is that the rhodium plating eventually wears off, and thus the white gold jewelry has to be re-plated in order to maintain its white appearance.

950 Palladium Jewelry is Light Weight:

Palladium is light weight, with a specific gravity of 12.0 which is closer to that of white gold which is 12.7, and thus jewelry made out of palladium is about 40% lighter than if it were made out of platinum. This is something to take into account when deciding whether to order a ring in platinum or palladium, because some people prefer the heavier, more substantial feel of platinum, while other people like the lighter feel provided by palladium. The specific gravity of platinum by the way, is 20.7

Palladium is Harder than Platinum:

Despite the fact that palladium is lighter than platinum, it is actually harder, and thus it is naturally resistant to scratching. It almost seems counterintuitive that a ring which is lighter might actually be harder to scratch, but platinum rates a 4.25 on the Moh’s hardness scale, while palladium comes in at 4.75, which means that palladium will scratch platinum.

There is another scale used to measure the hardness of substances in terms of how they hold up against impact, which is the Vickers hardness scale, and on that scale platinum has a hardness of 549MPa, while palladium is 461MPa, and is therefore softer. However the amount of force required to dent either a platinum or palladium ring is substantial enough that the condition of your ring is going to be the last thing you are worried about if you incur that kind of situation… the possibility of scratching your ring is much more common.

Should you choose platinum or palladium?

As you can see, there is more than just cost to consider when deciding between platinum and palladium for an engagement ring. Both metals are suitable for making jewelry, and each has their advantages. The reality however is that in most cases, you don’t need to spend a significant amount of time weighing the differences between the two metals, both platinum and palladium are great choices if you prefer white metal for an engagement ring.