The pure alloy, palladium, also known as 950 palladium and identifiable with the marking of "Pd" somewhere on the ring (usually inside the shank), is a metal that more and more men are asking for, when it's time to buy their wedding ring. Here are 8 top reasons why it's so popular with grooms.
- It's a precious metal
Like gold, platinum, and sterling silver, palladium, too, is a precious metal. There are only four precious metals--also known as the "noble metals." Therefore, when it comes to jewelry, all the rest-- for example, copper, titanium, stainless steel, cobalt, aluminum, tungsten carbide, etc.--are not considered precious metals. If you check Kitco, you'll see that gold, silver, platinum, and palladium are the top four metals listed, with daily price quotes on what each is selling for.
- It's very affordable
Although palladium is part of what's referred to as "the platinum family," palladium is far more affordable than platinum--again, you can check Kitco to see what it's currently selling at per ounce. The six platinum group metals--you'll sometimes see the letters PGM--are platinum, palladium, iridium, osmium, rhodium, and ruthenium. FYI: Those last four platinum metals are not used in fine jewelry, though white gold may have a plating of rhodium sometimes, but just a plating or overlay.
- It's highly durable
Many men, especially those who work with their hands in their daily professions, want a wedding band that's extremely durable and something that can take everyday wear. Perhaps ironically, although palladium is far less expensive than platinum, it's actually 12.6 percent harder than platinum. Men, who work in jobs where they're outdoors a lot, should definitely consider a palladium wedding band.
- It's comfortably lightweight
Again, this is a big plus for men whose work requires they use their hands a lot. But men who don't wear much jewelry--yes, there are some of those!--tend to want a wedding band that's so lightweight, they don't even know it's on. That's palladium. And the thing is, the jewelry won't be hollow--it's just that palladium has a low density. So, in fact, it's 40 percent lighter in weight than platinum.
- It won't tarnish
Palladium is one of those metals that will look the same years later, same as the day you purchased it. Unlike sterling silver, it doesn't tarnish or oxidize due to elements in the air. And it doesn't yellow or become duller over time, as may happen with some white gold rings. Palladium is naturally white--nearly identical to the color of platinum.
- It's hypoallergenic
While some metals used in jewelry contain possible skin-irritating metals, palladium does not. Some karat golds, for example, have a percentage of metals like cobalt, nickel, or zinc, and at least ten percent of the population tends to have an allergic reaction to them--despite that the amount of those other metals may be small.
- It's pure
As I said in my introduction, here, palladium is also often referred to as 950 palladium. That's because, in North America and in western Europe, the current standard for all palladium jewelry is that manufacturers must use a 950 alloy--meaning, your wedding ring has a 95 percent purity, as it's 95 percent palladium.
- Top jewelry brands are making palladium rings
Palladium really has become one of the "metal darlings" in the fine jewelry design world. A group, Palladium Alliance International, was created within the last five years, and it works with designers as well as retailers, who are interested in jewelry made with this precious metal.
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