Palladium v platinum v white gold

[britbf]

When I went to Robbins Bros they pushed VERY hard for all three of our rings (e-ring, wedding band and my man''s band) to be made out of Palladium.

They said it was much more difficult to scratch than platinum and it was a precious metal just the same and it seemed like a clear choice.

However since discovering PS I have discovered that they are cowboys so I was wondering what thoughts people had on this...

My fiancee just wants a classic four prong solitaire setting with no design features or anything...

 

[Maggie May]

Congrats on your engagement !

I''m no expert but there is a tutorial available.

Myself, all my rings are platnium, its durable, I like the weight and I believe the diamond is very secure when held in platinum. Also you''re making a significant investment in the diamond, why not the setting too.

I''m all for platinum if you can stretch the budget

 

[Dreamer_D]

Have you done a PS search on palladium? There are mixed things said about it.

 

[chocolatedelight]

Hi,

I too kept being told about getting my e ring made with palladium, as I really wanted platinum but budget was a bit tight, like maggiemay I love the weight of platinum, but once I read up on palladium I decided to just bite the bullet and go platinum.

If you can afford it in platinum then I think you really should consider doing so

 

[Lew Lew]

Date: 3/22/2010 1:52:35 AM
Author: dreamer_d
Have you done a PS search on palladium? There are mixed things said about it.

Yep, mixed reviews. Here''s a recent thread https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/new-problems-with-palladium.138686/, mostly positive. You will find some negative ones too. Not every jeweler likes to work with palladium.

 

[onedrop]

There are a lot of threads regarding this comparison on PS. Do a search for the old threads to get a feel for others'' experiences. My DH''s original wedding band was made in palladium, but he recently got a new one in white and yellow gold because the first one was just too tight for him. We found that his palladium band was much more prone to scratching than the gold band he has now.

 

[geckodani]

There are some good comments in this thread as well: https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/need-help-deciding-on-e-ring-setting.137204/

I''ve got a palladium Scott Kay ering setting. The things I love about the palladium is that it stays reeeally shiny, is lightweight, and was a lot easier on the pocketbook at the time we purchased my setting. I''m also a fan of the color.
The things I dislike... if you get a deep scratch - it''s there for good. You can''t polish it out completely. Platinum can be polished back to good as new, white gold can be rhodium plated and polished. You can do some minor buffing to palladium, but there''s no way to fix some of the deeper scratches I''ve gotten on my rings. Also, none of the local jewelers are comfortable working with it.

While I love my rings, If I could do it again, I''d get white gold or platinum.

 

[Black Jade]

The scratch thing sounds like a problem, if its true.
I have a platinum ring and my friend has a palladium and we recently compared. they looked very much the same--hers was a lovely design and looked like a high end ring. I didn''t much like the way it felt. Too lightweight for my taste. But then, I''m used to mine. and people don''t go around weighing your rings in their hands--unless you let them.

Palladium is bound to get more and more popular as the price of gold and the price of platinum continue to skyrocket. If it makes an otherwise unaffordable ring affordable, I can understand why people choose to buy it. I might avoid this particular jeweller though--Robbins Brothers? They sound like liars.

 

[512BB]

Palladium seems like a good budget choice to me. I personally don''t like white gold unless it is an alloy that doesn''t need to be plated. I prefer platinum, and if you have enough money, that is what I would recommend. I ended up biting the bullet and spending the extra money on platinum. A classic four prong solitaire that is plain should be able to be found for a very reasonable price in any metal, so it won''t hurt your wallet too much to spring for platinum.

 

[Laila619]

I like 18k white gold myself.

 

[RaiKai]

I prefer 18K white gold alloy that does not require plating unless desired (this can be palladium, or nickel if sensitivities are not a concern). They also make 14K white gold alloys that do not need plating. 18K is a little heavier, so I prefer it, but lots of people swear by 14K for daily wear too. I do like platinum for centre stone prongs/heads though in general.

I have never had to plate any of my good quality white gold. I have some white gold that was originally plated, and as it wore, I found I preferred it without plating and have left it. And, I am not that concerned about "losing metal" which is often one of the cons mentioned about gold, as metal will be removed when it scratches, etc as opposed to displaced as with platinum. Good jewelery these days should be built up well enough that it is not going to wear that thin in your lifetime, and I am not concerned about it lasting past my own lifetime. I also prefer the warmer colour white gold has to it when unplated, that it is quite scratch resistant (I don't like to have to be overly cautious with my hands!), and that the warmth and wear of my skin "buffs" my rings as I wear them.

I know lots of people love it, but I just don't like platinum (I don't like the patina, the easier denting/scratching or the colour) and think the price is at this moment insane. The local jewelers I have talked to like working with platinum, but find that lots of people come back with problems with it bending (particularly for narrower shanks), losing melee and so on - and usually with rings from reputable designers. But, of course, this also depends on what alloy is used with the platinum. It is heavier than white gold or palladium and some people really like this "heft". The fact that you "never lose metal" is also a benefit for some as well. As it is softer, it is recommended for prongs as they will bend rather than break off. But if you don't like the patina and want to get out deeper scratches or gouges (if you don't like them) you will have to have some of the metal removed anyway. I have a few friends who bought platinum after being convinced it was the best (often with the rationale that higher price means better....though this is a market demand issue as platinum has often also been cheaper than gold, etc) and have been disappointed in it or had problems with it. This may just be a result of not knowing enough about the metal to know what to expect though too, and I find on PS that most people really, really prefer platinum.

I think palladium performs more like platinum, and is considered a little more scratch resistant than platinum (but less than gold) and maintains its luster longer than platinum (but less than white gold). It is more comparable in weight to 14k gold. Today's palladium alloys are apparently better than those of the WWII era, and it is affordable for those who cannot afford platinum, do not want to rhodium plate white gold and.or don't like look of unplated white gold, etc. All that being said, palladium is its own unique metal with its own unique characteristics so it is a bit unfair to compare it to the others, as it is to compare the others to the others really.

Every metal has it's own characteristics, and you have to decide which ones work for you and which don't and find the appropriate metal for you. For me that is white gold, but for many that is platinum, etc.

 

[geckodani]

Date: 3/22/2010 10:02:26 PM
Author: Black Jade
The scratch thing sounds like a problem, if its true.
I have a platinum ring and my friend has a palladium and we recently compared. they looked very much the same--hers was a lovely design and looked like a high end ring. I didn''t much like the way it felt. Too lightweight for my taste. But then, I''m used to mine. and people don''t go around weighing your rings in their hands--unless you let them.

Palladium is bound to get more and more popular as the price of gold and the price of platinum continue to skyrocket. If it makes an otherwise unaffordable ring affordable, I can understand why people choose to buy it. I might avoid this particular jeweller though--Robbins Brothers? They sound like liars.

I''ve taken my ring to two local jewelers. Neither were able to polish more than the tiniest of surface scratches out. *sigh*

 

[RaiKai]

Date: 3/23/2010 3:22:35 PM
Author: geckodani

Date: 3/22/2010 10:02:26 PM

Author: Black Jade

The scratch thing sounds like a problem, if its true.

I have a platinum ring and my friend has a palladium and we recently compared. they looked very much the same--hers was a lovely design and looked like a high end ring. I didn''t much like the way it felt. Too lightweight for my taste. But then, I''m used to mine. and people don''t go around weighing your rings in their hands--unless you let them.


Palladium is bound to get more and more popular as the price of gold and the price of platinum continue to skyrocket. If it makes an otherwise unaffordable ring affordable, I can understand why people choose to buy it. I might avoid this particular jeweller though--Robbins Brothers? They sound like liars.

I''ve taken my ring to two local jewelers. Neither were able to polish more than the tiniest of surface scratches out. *sigh*

When I was just a lurker......I read many of your posts about your palladium buying experience as I was interested in the metal after seeing it in stores. And I loved looking at pictures of your Scott Kay (and as you tried to figure out what band to go with it!). I am kind of sad that it has not turned out as well as you hoped

 

[geckodani]

Date: 3/23/2010 3:52:26 PM
Author: RaiKai

Date: 3/23/2010 3:22:35 PM
Author: geckodani

Date: 3/22/2010 10:02:26 PM

Author: Black Jade

The scratch thing sounds like a problem, if its true.

I have a platinum ring and my friend has a palladium and we recently compared. they looked very much the same--hers was a lovely design and looked like a high end ring. I didn't much like the way it felt. Too lightweight for my taste. But then, I'm used to mine. and people don't go around weighing your rings in their hands--unless you let them.


Palladium is bound to get more and more popular as the price of gold and the price of platinum continue to skyrocket. If it makes an otherwise unaffordable ring affordable, I can understand why people choose to buy it. I might avoid this particular jeweller though--Robbins Brothers? They sound like liars.

I've taken my ring to two local jewelers. Neither were able to polish more than the tiniest of surface scratches out. *sigh*

When I was just a lurker......I read many of your posts about your palladium buying experience as I was interested in the metal after seeing it in stores. And I loved looking at pictures of your Scott Kay (and as you tried to figure out what band to go with it!). I am kind of sad that it has not turned out as well as you hoped

Aw! Not to worry - it doesn't make me love my rings any less! I'm still madly in love with my setting and wedding ring. I stare at them l lot...

I wouldn't have been able to afford my setting in any other metal either.

Next time, I'll save up and get platinum, since I keep chewing through settings, LOL. For the record, my wedding band still looks fantastic. It's just the smooth surface of the solitaire that has gotten a bit munched.

I'm also a complete spaz, as my mother looked at me like I was crazy when I mentioned the scratching, LOL.

 

[RaiKai]

Date: 3/23/2010 3:57:45 PM
Author: geckodani

Date: 3/23/2010 3:52:26 PM

Author: RaiKai

Date: 3/23/2010 3:22:35 PM

Author: geckodani

Date: 3/22/2010 10:02:26 PM


Author: Black Jade


The scratch thing sounds like a problem, if its true.


I have a platinum ring and my friend has a palladium and we recently compared. they looked very much the same--hers was a lovely design and looked like a high end ring. I didn''t much like the way it felt. Too lightweight for my taste. But then, I''m used to mine. and people don''t go around weighing your rings in their hands--unless you let them.



Palladium is bound to get more and more popular as the price of gold and the price of platinum continue to skyrocket. If it makes an otherwise unaffordable ring affordable, I can understand why people choose to buy it. I might avoid this particular jeweller though--Robbins Brothers? They sound like liars.

I''ve taken my ring to two local jewelers. Neither were able to polish more than the tiniest of surface scratches out. *sigh*

When I was just a lurker......I read many of your posts about your palladium buying experience as I was interested in the metal after seeing it in stores. And I loved looking at pictures of your Scott Kay (and as you tried to figure out what band to go with it!). I am kind of sad that it has not turned out as well as you hoped

Aw! Not to worry - it doesn''t make me love my rings any less! I''m still madly in love with my setting and wedding ring. I stare at them l lot...

I wouldn''t have been able to afford my setting in any other metal either.

Next time, I''ll save up and get platinum, since I keep chewing through settings, LOL. For the record, my wedding band still looks fantastic. It''s just the smooth surface of the solitaire that has gotten a bit munched.

I''m also a complete spaz, as my mother looked at me like I was crazy when I mentioned the scratching, LOL.

I am glad you still love them so much!

Yes, I notice those little details so much more too. Oddly enough, I care more about getting a gouge or a deep scratch on my rings than I do on my "still quite brand new" Mazda. My husband will be like "...oh...you have a new door ding!" and I will just shrug my shoulders.....but if I accidentally scrape my ring against the cheese grater I will stop in my tracks, drop the cheese on the floor, and look at my ring it to make sure it is okay!!!! Despite this, I try not to worry too much about those little dings and such...it is just part of that daily wear and kind of fun when it takes on that worn in charm

 

[yssie]

Gecko, can I ask if you''ve had any issues with this brittleness I keep hearing about?



Are your prongs palladium, and do you worry about them? How do they compare to wg prongs?



Palladium is my first choice of metal for my new set - this is really my only hangup!

 

[geckodani]

Date: 3/24/2010 8:53:12 AM
Author: yssie
Gecko, can I ask if you've had any issues with this brittleness I keep hearing about?



Are your prongs palladium, and do you worry about them? How do they compare to wg prongs?



Palladium is my first choice of metal for my new set - this is really my only hangup!

I think the the brittleness is showing itself in the way that the ring is chipping, if that makes sense? My prongs are palladium. I haven't had any issues, and I don't worry about them any more than I would any other metal.

If you're getting a setting with very little detail like a solitaire, I would really suggest a different metal. The nature of palladium is that is stays really shiny, which shows the scratches. If you're getting pave, sidestones etc. You'd probably be okay. My bezel band still looks fantastic.

ETA: RaiKai, charm is overrated.