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About Thomas
Expertise
Have a question about jewelry repair or working with precious metal jewelry and gemstones? I am a working professional bench jeweler, involved everyday with setting stones in mountings, designing and making jewelry, repairing and limited custom manufacture. Over 30 years experience. If you work with jewelry as a hobby or as a profession, I might be able to help. I deal with the retail business, not mass production. Ask privately if you wish. See the box for that: It keeps your question between us. Please DO NOT ask MAKER'S MARKS, but metal quality marks are fine to ask. Please DO NOT ask diamond prices. See a gemologist for that.
Experience
I have near 35 years experience at the sort of jewelry work I do.
Education/Credentials
Education is English/Physics! Started in human resources, to advertising, to jewelry...wow, what a road. Now a jeweler for many years. I have had formal training in jewelry work and many shared experiences with top grade jewelers. We just never know were we will go or be. Follow your best, your dreams, with some discretion! Don't let the work tear up your body along the way.
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You are here: Experts > Style > Jewelry Making > Jewelry, Gems, & Minerals > 18 k White Gold, Palladium or Platinum
Expert: Thomas - 11/7/2009
Question
There is so much information and different opinions out there re: these metals. I am more concerned about the wear, durability, lustre, color (white)... than price. Should I have my engagement / wedding ring made of 18k White Gold, Palladium or Platinum?
Thank you in advance for any help!
Answer
Crystal, I answered a question similar to this one a while back. If I can find it on the net I will use the follow-up option to send you a copy as supplemental information to what I say here today.
To get right to the truth of it all, let's make some direct comparison of the metals.
SHINE
18K White will maintain a shiner look the longest and is the easiest to have re-polished.
Platinum will be shiny to begin with or satin. With either finish, do not expect it to last a truly long time. Yes, the metal will endure but the polish/satin will not. The general look after a year is nicely white metal with a dull appearance.
Palladium will perform very much like platinum.
COLOR
18k depends on the gold recipe used in the first place. Only a few high karat white gold alloys stay truly white appearing for a long time. Most white gold is given a rhodium finish by the factory to improve the white color. The lack of white will show as a very slight yellowish tinge, sometimes more obvious and sometimes hardly noticed. New white golds which maintain a white color from now on due to the new and advanced gold recipes are Precise White™ by the W.R. Cobb company and a gold called X1 by Stuller Findings.
Here is a .pdf on X1:
http://www.stuller.com/apps/images/kbpdfs/x1.pdf
Here is a web page on Precise White:
http://www.precisewhitegold.com/
The problem is getting what you want in these new whiter gold alloys. Both companies can be contacted by a legitimate jeweler and it may be determined what they do or will produce in those metals. Remember, some other white gold is still white enough but "how white" may be difficult to determine if in a showcase and with a factory rhodium surface finish.
Platinum will be the whitest and maintain its color of the three metals considered here.
Palladium will maintain its color but that is not white. The metal has a definite gray to bluish tint. If you like that, it is a fine metal to choose within other considerations.
STONE SECURITY
Any of the metals will hold gemstones very well if the design is proper in the first place. Palladium is the softest in my opinion and settings should not be very fine or bending will happen in time. Platinum wears the best over time. 18k will wear differently than platinum but may be build up readily in 18k gold if needed.
SUMMATION
As much as some people are being drawn to palladium because it is a less expensive alternative to platinum, keep in mind that perfection in brazing materials used to change finger sizes is not perfected, not just yet. The joining line may show faintly as a slightly different color than the ring body. Also, many jewelers have little if any experience with the metal and many simply do not want to work with it, despite all the marketing the manufacturers use to praise the metal.
I would choose either 18k white or platinum. But, Crystal, look at a lot of rings. Even if to see color, etc. See what sort of lovely design you want and see what a jeweler can offer in platinum, regular 18k or the newer ones mentioned already. You may like the look of palladium and if so that is a legitimate choice, keeping in mind what I have said already.
Best wishes in this difficult choice.
God Bless and Peace in all coming to and for you. Thomas.
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