Properties of Palladium
The metal is actually from the same family of metals as Platinum with very similar characteristics. It’s hard wearing, though not quite as hard wearing as its brother metal. It does not tarnish because it does not react with oxygen and it has been recognized by the UK Assay Office with its own Hallmarks.
It is actually lighter than its brother. This can have advantages for people who are not used to wearing Jewellery and prefer the lighter touch. It also does not need rhodium plating or over time re-plating like white gold and keeps its colour throughout its life.
When scratched or dented unless the action is aggressively gauging, it has the curious ability to not lose its metal. The metal is just displaced which means that a little polishing by an expert jeweller will restore it to new condition.
What grades of metal are there?
There are essentially two grades of this metal used in Jewellery which are grades 500 and 950. Both are alloys and are combined with silver to make up the alloy. The 500 is 50% Palladium and 50% silver, the more precious and therefore more costly 950 is 95% Palladium and 5% silver. Both of these options are available on this website so, whatever your means, there should be an affordable option for you to own some of this remarkable metal.
