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Why Palladium?
Palladium is a platinum group metal. It does not tarnish or lose whiteness when worn.
Palladium is naturally white, and therefore does not require repeated rhodium plating to maintain its whiteness.
Palladium’s colour is very similar to platinum and it is impossible to detect the difference based solely on this. Palladium can also appear very close in colour to high nickel white gold or rhodium plated white gold. This image shows a palladium sample in the centre, with a nonrhodium plated palladium white gold sample to its left and a platinum sample to its right. It is easy to see the differences between the white gold and palladium and platinum samples.
Palladium wears similarly to platinum. As with any piece subjected to daily use, palladium jewellery will show surface wear over time. Surface wear is easily restored by cleaning and re-polishing.
Palladium is comparable in weight to 9 and 14ct white gold, making it very comfortable to wear even larger pieces.
Palladium alloyed for jewellery is mostly 95% pure. Common alloy ingredients are ruthenium and iridium which are also platinum group metals.
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Hallmarking
In July 2009, the Hallmarking Act was amended to include palladium into the metals
that require hallmarking alongside the traditionally hallmarked metals of gold, silver and platinum. The need for compulsory hallmarking will then begin from 1 January 2010. From the time of the amendment in July, all UK assay offices will be able to apply the palladium hallmark.
Appearance of the Hallmark
A legal UK hallmark must comprise three marks: sponsor’s mark, a fineness mark and an assay office mark. These are termed the ‘compulsory marks’. For palladium, the fineness mark will take the form of the fineness number. |
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Palladium History
Palladium is named after Pallas, who was accidentally slain by the Greek goddess Athena. In sorrow, she took the name and added it to her own.
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