Do any of you have palladium for a ring setting?

[Chrystal162]

Palladium was used years ago, & is in the same metal group as platinum. My understanding is that it is as strong as platinum, so the prongs will never be a concern. It's also whiter than white gold, doesn't need a rhodium coating, & will never tarnish.

When someone recently mentioned (in another thread) calling my ring an "Independence ring," I began thinking along those lines.

Years ago, I used to wear a solitaire with plain bands; one above & one below the ring. The new rings I'm going to get will be similar, with the follow specs:

Palladium Lucida setting with a 2 ct solitaire (moissanite; not diamond)
Palladium 5mm band above the solitaire
Palladium 5mm band below the solitaire

These will become my "Freedom Rings." Here's the symbolism:

1) I walked away from the 1st house I purchased in 2006.
2) I walked away from the fiance' I was going to marry in 2007.
3) I walked away from a job I finally tired of in 2008.

It seems I ought to feel at least a little traumatized; yet now, in 2009, I couldn't be happier.....I FEEL TOTALLY FREE!!!

I also looked at a 3 ct stone, but it looks too big for my hands. Maybe because I have a small bone structure.

I've not yet ordered these, but after I get them, will post some pics. In the interim, if anyone else has used palladium metal, I'd really love to see what your ring(s) look like.

[ChiChi143]

I'd be interested to hear if anyone has a palladium setting. I'm currently looking at engagement rings and palladium has been mentioned everywhere I've gone to look. If it's as strong as platinum and the prongs won't be a problem, I may pick palladium because it's cheaper than platinum!

[Chrystal162]

Originally Posted by ChiChi143

I'd be interested to hear if anyone has a palladium setting. I'm currently looking at engagement rings and palladium has been mentioned everywhere I've gone to look. If it's as strong as platinum and the prongs won't be a problem, I may pick palladium because it's cheaper than platinum!

Yes; the cheap part was certainly a factor as well. A couple problems I did note about palladium was that it had a much lower melting point and reacted with certain acids. I'd like to think my hand would not be exposed to those conditions tho! Still, nice to see if anyone has worn them for awhile, & does it still have the same visual appeal?

[luvshopping90]

I have a ring with palladium and I'm a little less than thrilled with it. I don't have any platinum so I can't compare that but I normally wear white gold and I find it grayer than white gold. I like the very "white" look of sterling silver and white gold seems to be whiter than the palladium. Mine could be different from others' results with it though.

I'll try and post a picture later.

[Chrystal162]

Originally Posted by luvshopping90

I have a ring with palladium and I'm a little less than thrilled with it. I don't have any platinum so I can't compare that but I normally wear white gold and I find it grayer than white gold. I like the very "white" look of sterling silver and white gold seems to be whiter than the palladium. Mine could be different from others' results with it though. I'll try and post a picture later.

Is the palladium an alloy (mixed with another metal?) I like sterling as well, but it isn't hard enough to hold a stone securely. Even gold prongs need to be checked periodically. White gold is coated with rhodium, giving it a whiter finish. Once it wears off, there's a yellowish tinge to it. For that reason, my platinum ring appears a little grey when held next to a well worn white gold ring.

I'd really love to see what your ring looks like. Please do post some photos soon. Thanks for sharing that info!

[prettystuff]

We bought my husband a palladium ring and it has performed great. We got it from MiaDonna and the only thing they told us was that "950 pure palladium" is the good stuff and you need to be sure that your jeweler is experienced in working with palladium because it is a bit different to work with. Im not sure if palladium is an alloy but I believe it is mixed with alloys. I do know that palladium will develop "Patina" which is a sheen that Platinum and Palladium develop over time that many people consider quite beautiful. We went with Palladium because my husband needed a hypoallergenic metal and something that was strong. The ring is a year old and I think it looks great. But we liked the look of platinum more than silver or white gold so that may be something you want to consider. I did a search in google images for Palladium rings and there were a tone of images in case you haven't tried that yet. As for stone security, Palladium and Platinum are harder than gold but when you bang a ring, gold will dent or even chip and is some what for giving while palladium and platinum are more likely to deform when struck yet retain all their metal. So I think any metal can release a stone if struck correctly, with minimum force.

[Chrystal162]

Originally Posted by prettystuff

We bought my husband a palladium ring and it has performed great. We got it from MiaDonna and the only thing they told us was that "950 pure palladium" is the good stuff and you need to be sure that your jeweler is experienced in working with palladium because it is a bit different to work with. Im not sure if palladium is an alloy but I believe it is mixed with alloys. I do know that palladium will develop "Patina" which is a sheen that Platinum and Palladium develop over time that many people consider quite beautiful. We went with Palladium because my husband needed a hypoallergenic metal and something that was strong. The ring is a year old and I think it looks great. But we liked the look of platinum more than silver or white gold so that may be something you want to consider. I did a search in google images for Palladium rings and there were a tone of images in case you haven't tried that yet. As for stone security, Palladium and Platinum are harder than gold but when you bang a ring, gold will dent or even chip and is some what for giving while palladium and platinum are more likely to deform when struck yet retain all their metal. So I think any metal can release a stone if struck correctly, with minimum force.

Do you have any photos you can share?

[prettystuff]

I dont have a picture yet. But I found a post by a guy named John. I believe he works for Whiteflash from what I got from his post. Anyway scroll down the page and he has a nice visuall comparison set up showing yellow and white gold next to 18K palladium white gold and the 950 pure palladium. I noticed most people saying that if you dont like the Patina it develops you just re-polish the ring like any other. In the post I definitely like the look of the 950 pure palladium compared to the 18K palladium WG.
Here's the link:
http://www.pricescope.com/idealbb/vi...?topicID=60127

Hope that helps.

[VeryChic]

One thing you may want to take into consideration is the feel of the ring. I recently read somewhere that Palladium is 40% lighter than Platinum (sorry i dont have a link, ill try to dig it up), and similar in weight to white gold. I tend to like heavier pieces, the heft lends a sense of quality in my mind, and while platinum's weight isnt significant enough to be uncomfortable, its enough that you wont forget the ring is there, which may be nice if the ring will have special meaning to you .

You should really go into a jewelry store and ask to feel the difference between a Platinum and Palladium or 14k ring, the difference is significant and may change your mind.

With regards to the patina, alot of people really like the finish that is developed over time, I think it gives the ring character. If you dont like it you can indeed just polish it, and on the bright side its just a polish, its not a replating like you have to do with a gold ring to maintain the finish.

Hope that helps, Would love to hear what you end up going with and see some pictures!

-VC

[Chrystal162]

Originally Posted by prettystuff

I dont have a picture yet. But I found a post by a guy named John. I believe he works for Whiteflash from what I got from his post. Anyway scroll down the page and he has a nice visuall comparison set up showing yellow and white gold next to 18K palladium white gold and the 950 pure palladium. I noticed most people saying that if you dont like the Patina it develops you just re-polish the ring like any other. In the post I definitely like the look of the 950 pure palladium compared to the 18K palladium WG. Here's the link: http://www.pricescope.com/idealbb/vi...?topicID=60127 Hope that helps.

Thanks . . . It was nice seeing an older piece. From the photo, it still appeared nice.

[Chrystal162]

Originally Posted by VeryChic

One thing you may want to take into consideration is the feel of the ring. I recently read somewhere that Palladium is 40% lighter than Platinum (sorry i dont have a link, ill try to dig it up), and similar in weight to white gold. I tend to like heavier pieces, the heft lends a sense of quality in my mind, and while platinum's weight isnt significant enough to be uncomfortable, its enough that you wont forget the ring is there, which may be nice if the ring will have special meaning to you . You should really go into a jewelry store and ask to feel the difference between a Platinum and Palladium or 14k ring, the difference is significant and may change your mind. With regards to the patina, alot of people really like the finish that is developed over time, I think it gives the ring character. If you dont like it you can indeed just polish it, and on the bright side its just a polish, its not a replating like you have to do with a gold ring to maintain the finish. Hope that helps, Would love to hear what you end up going with and see some pictures! -VC

Thanks. I already have several pieces of both platinum & white gold. Weight is not really an issue with me. It's the strength of the palladium & its whiteness (& price tag) that I found attractive. I was curious about its long-term wear (appearance).