The shift from gold to a more suitable metal for jewelry coincided with the growing preference for white metal over yellow. Gold, a symbol of rarity, status, and wealth, has been the go-to metal for fine jewelry for centuries, accounting for approximately 90% of the market. However, as trends evolve, so do the materials used in jewelry making.
The perfect metal for white diamond jewelry should possess certain characteristics:
As a seasoned jewelry designer who has worked with various precious metals, including gold (yellow, white, and rose) in 9, 14, and 18k, platinum, and recently palladium, I can professionally assess and compare these metals. Here's my take on 18k white gold, platinum, and palladium based on the aforementioned characteristics:
Palladium and platinum are indistinguishable by color, while gold stands out. The higher the gold content (karat), the harder it is to bleach out gold's rich yellowness. If the gold content is reduced to achieve a whiter color, the resulting alloy loses its precious metal properties. High purity white gold is impossible (there's no 22k white gold), with 75% (18k) being the highest. Even the best white gold alloy isn't white enough and requires rhodium plating, which is a surface treatment that wears off.
Platinum and palladium naturally have the cleanest overtone of white color and are used in almost pure form (95%). The alloying 5% usually consists of metals from the Platinum Group Metals (PGM's), with Ruthenium and Iridium being the first choices. This results in a 100% noble metal content in the finished item. The highest purity white gold alloy has 75% gold, and often this is the only precious metal involved. Palladium gold alloys increase this percentage to about 87.5, but it's still far from 100% noble metal content. Jewelry with 100% noble metal content never tarnishes, changes color, and is completely hypoallergenic. Many white gold alloys contain nickel, a metal known to cause allergic reactions.
Gold, Silver, Platinum, and Palladium are the only metals with ISO (International Organization of Standardization) currency code, making them rare and precious. Their prices fluctuate daily based on availability and demand. At the time of writing, their price order is: Platinum, Gold, Palladium, and Silver. However, this order was different a few years ago. In late 2001, Palladium was at the top, preceding gold and platinum. Statistically, Platinum is 15 times rarer than gold, and Palladium is even rarer.
The ideal jewelry metal should be tough, abrasion-resistant, and suitable for high polish. Palladium fits all these criteria perfectly.
Palladium finished items are priced per gram in the vicinity of 14k gold and sometimes lower. Compared to platinum, its closest rival in appearance and quality, its cost is between 1/3 and 1/4 of the price per gram finished item. However, due to its lower density, it comes much cheaper if compared with an identical platinum item. The current low price of palladium is set to explode soon, making it wise to take advantage of it.
Like anything else, palladium has its drawbacks. It is more challenging to manufacture and demands advanced technology and materials. However, these difficulties do not affect the customer or the maintenance of the item after purchase. From the customer's perspective, palladium possesses all the right qualities.
Palladium is still relatively new as a solo jewelry medium. Its popularity and price are closely related. As its popularity grows, so will its availability and, unfortunately, its price.
Build your own engagement ring - Is the design really yours?
To build your own ring, as you are often invited on some interactive jewelry sites have nothing to do with taking part in its design. Although it sounds very much like you are part of the creative process it is in fact a facility allowing you to choose diamond that suits better your budget and the setting you want it set in.
Designer engagement rings - What`s the difference?
The title “designer” applied to any jewelry piece instigates ideas of high quality, exclusivity and individuality. It is however not properly clarified and sometime by my opinion misused. Marketers have their tools and use them shrewdly wherever possible. If you think of it, the design is the first process of creating jewelry and designer`s efforts (some more successful than other) lay behind every single piece, including the low end mass produced ones. Does that make them designer jewelry?
Countless Diamond Rings for Sale - The Downside of Overchoice
The field of diamond engagement rings is one of the most competitive one on the net. The supply is much higher than the demand which calls for diversity and lower prices. One can help but also notice the diversity of prices for similar products, which does not look very reassuring. Above and beyond the price the overdose of diversity itself might bring confusion. If you search the web for “diamond rings for sale “you will get about 750 000 results from Google alone.
