Not many are aware that Palladium is a pure white metal, belonging to the family of platinum group. Certain characteristics like corrosion resistance are similar to platinum. It is called hypo-allergenic because it does not cause allergy to sensitive skin. Maintaining palladium jewelry is very easy and has no issues as compared to gold. It does not need to be re-plated frequently as is required for white gold, which is yellow gold that is plated with rhodium. This material is known for its strength and hence can be used in its pure form unlike the gold, which needs to be mixed with either copper or silver to strengthen it. Palladium is a cheaper option when compared to platinum or gold. palladium is 472 USD as on 13 august 2010 for an ounce. Where as the gold costs around 1214 USD and platinum costs around 1525 USD for an ounce on the same day.
Palladium engagement rings are already a craze, and it might further be in demand for its quality and endurance. So a wise option is to invest in palladium for jewelry.
The pros and cons of this metal can be thus summarized
- It can be considered cheaper version of platinum rings. Platinum is considered superior to gold.
- It is a strong metal and is corrosion resistant as opposed to gold.
- Not a difficult jewel to maintain, as gold requires frequent polishing to retain look and shine of it.
- It has a bright future for investment.