New 950 palladium alloys top the growing list of white precious metal solutions and spurs a
new series

BY MARK AND LAINIE MANN

Of late, an increasing number of white precious metal alloys have been introduced into the jewelry marketplace in answer to industry cries for a true white counterpart to the ever-popular yellow gold. The search has been on for a workable white alloy that stays white, is hypoallergenic and priced more agreeably than the often prohibitive platinum. Alloys emerging include mixtures of 50/50 platinum and palladium, ‘585 platinum’ with cobalt and copper and several alloy combinations in between. Surveys indicate consumers appreciate the purity of 900 to 950 platinum, and would prefer the purity of a 950 palladium alloy if considering an alternative.

The arrival of newly developed 950 palladium alloys, along with the rise of 950 palladium jewelry manufacturing in large-scale facilities around the world and smaller custom design/manufacturing shops, signals the need to review 950 palladium jewelry manufacturing methods and techniques.

This launches a monthly series focused on the working properties of 950 palladium alloys. This series will feature palladium jewelry manufacturing as related to:
• Casting
• Gemstone setting
• Design considerations
• Fabrication and assembly
• Repair and reconstruction
• Finishing and polishing

Technical information on 950 palladium as well as reports and customer response from retailer’s featuring palladium jewelry and designer/manufacturers working in the medium will be included.

Why 950 Palladium?
Palladium, a platinum group metal, was first used for jewelry when platinum was declared a strategic metal and reserved for military use in 1939. Developing palladium alloys for jewelry typically contain 95% palladium and about 5% ruthenium and have trace amounts of other metals proprietary to their developers. These 950 palladium alloys are white, noble, malleable, lightweight, hypoallergenic, easy to finish and polish, furthermore they do not require rhodium plating, and have desirable, platinum-like setting and forming characteristics.

The specific gravity of 950 palladium is close to that of 14k white gold and nearly half the weight by volume of platinum. At press time, the daily market price of platinum was $892.00, gold was $440.00, while palladium was listed at $182.00 per ounce. The lightness of the 950 palladium alloys and pricing considerations make them prime candidates for use in fashionable, affordable and classically influenced jewelry designs.

Some retailers have replaced white gold bridal inventories with 950 palladium bridal inventories. The 950 palladium will stay white, never requiring the “renewed whitening” via rhodium plating white gold does. If you offer the plating as a free service for gold, this will reduce or eliminate plating costs and the staff time involved.

This new series will highlight jewelry projects made with 950 palladium demonstrated by a range of jewelry design and manufacturing experts. This month, we feature a three-stone ring – an oval pink tourmaline center stone flanked by round brilliant diamonds – with sapphire trillion accents. The design is accented by 14k yellow gold elements. In addition to this 950 palladium ring project, see “Welding Technologies” on p. 74 which focuses on fusion welding of 22k yellow gold granulation on a 950 palladium wedding band.