I have been working a lot in 18k palladium white gold this spring for enagagement ring and wedding ring commissions. I'm really having a new love affair with the alloy and discovering a myriad of reasons why the combination of palladium, a member of the platinum family, and 18k white gold make this a superior choice to regular white gold alloys.
first, 14k and 18k white gold both contain a percentage of nickel...not compatible for many with sensitive skin. when alloyed with palladium, white gold needs no nickel.
second, in my opinion, white gold has the color of dirty dishwater. that is why traditionally jewellers plate white gold with rhodium. this imparts a fabulous white luster, however, the rhodium will wear away rather quickly and the piece will need to be plated again and again. this is not only tedious, but a bit costly.
third, white gold is notoriously brittle. i hand forge almost everything i create, thus i really prefer a malleable alloy. platinum is amazingly malleable, yet extremely dense, which is a great combination from the metalsmith's point of view. alloying white gold with palladium, (a member of the platinum family)
- Increases its melting point
- Increases its modulus of elasticity
- Increases its strength
- Increases its hardness
- Turns yellow gold white (depending on the amount added)
there's more, but here's a picture of the first of this spring's finished palladium white gold wedding rings and this client's email to me upon receipt.
man's wedding ring in 18k palladium white gold"I just got the ring today!! it's exactly what I was looking for and fits great! thank you sooooooo much!"
-Ryan Flanigan
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