History of Palladium

Palladium is a member of the platinum family and so it is a noble metal with the atomic number 46, its chemical symbol is Pd and it is 4.75 on the Mohs hardness scale. William Hyde Wollaston discovered palladium in 1803 and he named it after the asteroid Pallas, which was named so after the Greek story about the goddess Athena who killed Pallas. As the story goes, Athena and Pallas were playing a game in the garden and Zeus appeared between the two girls, distracting Pallas, she didn’t dodge when Athena’s spear came towards her and so Athena accidentally slew Pallas. Athena was full of sadness and remorse and from that moment on renamed herself Pallas Athena so that Pallas would always be remembered. The hallmark for Palladium bears the head of Pallas Athena so that it is easier to distinguish from platinum, as it is also stamped with the number 950.

Palladium can be found in ore deposits all over the world in countries such as South Africa, Russia, some states in the US and also Ontario in Canada.

Palladium is very malleable and has often been used as an alloy to make white gold along with other metals like silver and nickel but recently it has been appreciated more for its own characteristics and so was given the status of having its own hallmark. Palladium is a better option as an alloy for jewellery when compared to nickel, as it is a hypoallergenic metal. About 15% of the population are actually allergic to nickel and so some customers may complain of rashes or black stains upon the skin after wearing an item of jewellery. This reaction with the skin can happen within days or even after a few years. Palladium is not only used in jewellery but also a lot of engineering products such as catalytic converters, computers, mobile phones, dentistry and other vital pieces of engineering which are used widespread.

Palladium is a newly hallmarked metal since July 2009 and it now classed as a precious metal. It is a good alternative for Platinum for engagement rings as it retains the same natural colour within the metal, a steely white brightness, which is a natural property of the element and so has no need to be rhodium plated like white gold. (This is another general bonus for us all as rhodium plating is not environmentally friendly as it involves using harsh chemicals, which are hard to dispose of).

Palladium does not tarnish like silver as it is non reactive with elements in the air and so it naturally keeps its colour. Palladium is 40% less dense than platinum and has the lowest melting point out of the elements in its group. Due to this characteristic it is easier to wear, especially if you are not used to wearing rings or pieces of jewellery, as the weight of the metal does not drag down on the wearer as much, which to some people, can be quite distracting. It is almost half the price at today’s metal prices so if the customer has a smaller budget but would like their jewellery to have the luxury of platinum’s colour, then this is an excellent choice. Palladium is currently less expensive than 18ct white gold and so you save money again on the rhodium plating.