Meet the Family
Palladium is a precious metal within the platinum family, known as Noble metals. It’s around 30 times more rare than gold, harder than platinum, and is considered hypoallergenic as it contains no common allergens for metal sensitivities. Like all other precious metals, the price of palladium changes daily depending on market activities.
How is Palladium Different to White Gold?
Gold is naturally yellow coloured, there is no such thing as mined white gold. In order to achieve a whiter colour, it’s combined with other white metals to create ‘White Gold’ but will still have a yellow hue. The other metals often include zinc and nickel, along with copper to improve its malleability for jewellery making.
White gold is also normally plated in rhodium, masking the real alloy underneath. This is to achieve a crisp white colour, brighter than platinum. The rhodium plating, however, doesn’t last: you will need to have your ring electroplated (aka ‘dipped’) every 2 years or so, in order to maintain the colour. The plating doesn’t wear off evenly, either – you’ll find patches of discolouration in the areas that are rubbed up against the most.
Palladium is naturally silver-white in colour, very similar to platinum. Also like platinum, it’s a metal that patinas rather than scratches, meaning over time the metal doesn’t ‘wear thin’ like gold, it just develops a distinctive texture on the surface.
Palladium White Gold is created by combining pure gold with palladium. Unlike traditional white gold, it doesn’t contain nickel or other inferior alloys that will tarnish and wear quickly. Because of this, it doesn’t need to be plated in rhodium.
What Difference in Colour Can I Expect?
The colour of our 18ct palladium white gold is affected by the high (75%) pure gold content. When palladium, with its silver-white colour, is mixed with gold (naturally deep yellow), it will take on a slightly warmer tone. It's often referred to as a 'neutral' coloured alloy. You’ll notice this difference if you’re wearing it next to rhodium plated white gold (since what you're seeing is the rhodium, not the alloy underneath).
So, Why Do We Work with Both White and Palladium White Gold?
We decided to include a palladium white gold option as an ideal middle ground between traditional white gold and platinum.
We love traditional rhodium plated white gold for its crisp colour and relatively affordable price point, despite the regular maintenance that comes with it.
On the other hand, palladium white gold gives our customers the option of having a piece of gold jewellery that better withstands the ups and downs of everyday living, decade after decade, showing its true colour throughout.
Click to Shop Palladium White Gold Rings
Whichever piece you choose, we hope you enjoy wearing AïANA jewellery, as much as we love creating it for you.