Calling all Palladium Owners. Pics? Comments? Are you happy with your metal?

[geckodani]

So, I'm seriously considering Palladium, as an alternative to White Gold. I flat out can't afford Platinum right now, and have never been happy with the color of WG. I've read every thread I could find on Palladium (This one is quite interesting) but most of them are older threads.

Really good info here too!

So - palladium ring owners, are you happy with your decision?

Things B&M stores have been claiming and my thoughts at the moment (not to worry, I don't take them seriously, but thought I would post what I've been told:

1. No one works with Palladium. I will admit, I'm having a hard time finding people in my area, but - if I go with a Scott Kay from Pearlmans, I assume that Pearlman's would probably be able to polish it for me in the future if needed...

2. It greys out over time or when heated. Well, assuming I ever have to have a palladium ring sized, I would send it back to those that made it, assuming that they are familiar with the way the metal reacts. In normal daily wear the temperature in MI rarely gets above 85, so I think I'd be safe.... anyone experienced their rings "greying" out?

3. It scratches like mad: From what I've gleaned on here, that does not seem to be the case - anyone care to prove me wrong?

4. It feels "cheap." That one cracked me up. From my reading here, the weight of Palladium is comprable to WG - which I have had and it definitely doesn't feel cheap.

5. It cracks. Huh?

I'm fairly certain most of the comments were simply to try and discourage me from purchasing a metal that the local stores are not familiar with....

Anyone have pics? Thoughts? Why did you go with Palladium over WG or Plat?

 

[pwendyp]

will pop my post in here too - as it''s more relevant here!

"oh dani

I am so sorry this ring didn''t work out for you - I was so hopeful!

I just saw you posted about palladium v white gold also - seems it''s a tough call, and unless you''ve seen and felt all the different metals, it''s hard to make a choice?

I''ve seen palladium in my own mall stores here in the UK, but only wedding bands so far here. It looks beautiful, and people are right when they say it''s midway between platinum and rhodiumed gold. It has a high shine to it, which will of course patina down.

I have one platinum ring, and one 18k white gold ring, which is non rhodiumed. The platinum is platinum! The non plated white gold is gorgeous. It''s a plain band that was made to sit with another ring, but that ring is engraved, and looks shinier, so it didn''t work out...the plain band sits in my jewellery box now!. It feels like silk, and is a beautiful ''greyish'' colour. It looks very chic - classy.

I believe my favourite, and metal of choice is platinum or non plated 18k white.

To get the grey ish look, it needs to be alloyed with palladium, not nickel...I know Whiteflash do it, and I think DimendScaasi also will make in palladium alloy. Those are the only two I know of...anyone know of any more?

What about the new white gold that Stuller is using...the X1 alloy - they do a few of their solitaire in this metal I believe?

I feel the look of the grey tone metal really makes the ring look a little more...I just really don''t care for the high gloss of rhodium plating.

The new mount you have seen is gorgeous too...fingers crossed you find something soon!"

 

[geckodani]

Thanks pwendyp! I''m still waiting to see if Diana will trim down that setting a little..... we''ll see! I''ve never really wanted a bigger setting, but dang, last night I sure did, LOL!

 

[pwendyp]

About how wide was the shank? Rough guess?

 

[geckodani]

3mm at the bottom, about 4-4.5 mm towards the head. Looked like a leaf. Very pretty - but my .75 would have been lost.

 

[pwendyp]

it sounds absolutely gorgeous...

4mm would be a little big for me too - even my 'big' stone!

But...not impossible!

ETA - Can I ask...and hope it's allowed, but which jeweller did you get to send you the ring, for the $450 price tag?
Helpful in comparison, if I decide to get someone to order me this!

Date: 9/12/2008 9:58:00 AM
Author: geckodani
3mm at the bottom, about 4-4.5 mm towards the head. Looked like a leaf. Very pretty - but my .75 would have been lost.

 

[geckodani]

They''re local, called Skyline Diamond Setters. I *think* they got the price straight from Diana though, but I could be wrong.

It really was lovely - just - poor lil .75, LOL!

DEFINITELY make them order a sample of whatever setting you choose -they both looked COMPLETELY different in person thatn on the site!

 

[krockie]

My set is palladium. I love it! I don''t see any of the issues that your jewelers have been telling you. I think the color is beautiful, and its so much lighter than platinum weight-wise, so the rings feel less bulky and heavy to me. We never even thought about using it until our custom designer suggested it. I''m glad we made that choice. We did my husband''s band with it, too.

I don''t have a photo with the w-band, but its curved to fit into the nook of the e-ring, if that makes sense. Kind of looks like a wave.

 

[geckodani]

Thank you so much for posting that! I really love the design of your ring! May I ask where you got it? ETA: I just read a little more closely and realized it was a custom job- very cool!

I had a feeling the B&M places were just covering up a lack of knowledge.

Have you had to get it polished yet? Or is it holding up pretty well?

Thanks again for posting!

 

[krockie]

Date: 9/12/2008 4:27:08 PM
Author: geckodani
Thank you so much for posting that! I really love the design of your ring! May I ask where you got it?

I had a feeling the B&M places were just covering up a lack of knowledge.

Have you had to get it polished yet? Or is it holding up pretty well?

Thanks again for posting!

Thank you! I love it, and it makes me happy when other people like it too!
We got it from a local place in NYC that does custom work. Its called Little King. My husband designed it.

We''re married just a few weeks shy of a year, so I''ve had the e-ring for about two years. I''ve never had it polished, and the metal seems just as lustrous as when I first got it. There is what I would consider normal wear and tear on any piece of jewelry that''s worn every day... I NEVER take it off, ever. And I''m pretty clumsy and hard on the ring, too.

 

[geckodani]

Date: 9/12/2008 4:31:56 PM
Author: krockie

Date: 9/12/2008 4:27:08 PM
Author: geckodani
Thank you so much for posting that! I really love the design of your ring! May I ask where you got it?

I had a feeling the B&M places were just covering up a lack of knowledge.

Have you had to get it polished yet? Or is it holding up pretty well?

Thanks again for posting!

Thank you! I love it, and it makes me happy when other people like it too!
We got it from a local place in NYC that does custom work. Its called Little King. My husband designed it.

We''re married just a few weeks shy of a year, so I''ve had the e-ring for about two years. I''ve never had it polished, and the metal seems just as lustrous as when I first got it. There is what I would consider normal wear and tear on any piece of jewelry that''s worn every day... I NEVER take it off, ever. And I''m pretty clumsy and hard on the ring, too.

I''m really, really hard on jewelry too, LOL. Another reason I want to try a new metal! Thanks again so much for posting!

 

[jcarlylew]

hey dani
I am hoping to get a scott kay ring that is pallidium as well! My BM store associate didnt have a bad thing to say about it! In fact, she suggested it for the ring i chose.

i think for metals, it is all up to preferance!!

 

[geckodani]

Date: 9/12/2008 4:40:50 PM
Author: jcarlylew
hey dani
I am hoping to get a scott kay ring that is pallidium as well! My BM store associate didnt have a bad thing to say about it! In fact, she suggested it for the ring i chose.

i think for metals, it is all up to preferance!!

AWESOME! I just have bad luck with employees I think, LOL!

I''m trying to decide whether or not to get the Scott Kay and a plain band, or a cheaper setting and a diamond band... budget right now won''t let me do both.

 

[LD]

This probably isn''t going to help at all ........... but I''m having a ring made in Palladium as we speak! Like you, I really had my doubts because I''d have preferred Platinum but the ring I want needs a lot of solder so Platinum wasn''t a great option as the cost of lasering would be higher than normal. I didn''t want something that would dull or yellow in time so he suggested Palladium.

The jeweller has told me that it will feel lighter than white gold or platinum but that it''s very durable. He doesn''t plate the Palladium but says that some places do. His advice was that it shouldn''t grey (which was also one of my concerns) but he did say it depended what the Palladium was mixed with. He uses 950 parts Palladium (not sure what the other metal mix is). His advice was that the ring wouldn''t tarnish and would be almost as hard wearing as Platinum.

If you do have something made I''d love to see the result please! My ring won''t be ready for about a month ..........

 

[geckodani]

Date: 9/12/2008 4:43:43 PM
Author: LovingDiamonds
This probably isn''t going to help at all ........... but I''m having a ring made in Palladium as we speak! Like you, I really had my doubts because I''d have preferred Platinum but the ring I want needs a lot of solder so Platinum wasn''t a great option as the cost of lasering would be higher than normal. I didn''t want something that would dull or yellow in time so he suggested Palladium.

The jeweller has told me that it will feel lighter than white gold or platinum but that it''s very durable. He doesn''t plate the Palladium but says that some places do. His advice was that it shouldn''t grey (which was also one of my concerns) but he did say it depended what the Palladium was mixed with. He uses 950 parts Palladium (not sure what the other metal mix is). His advice was that the ring wouldn''t tarnish and would be almost as hard wearing as Platinum.

If you do have something made I''d love to see the result please! My ring won''t be ready for about a month ..........

Hey - at least it''s in the works, LOL! My stone is chillin in the safe.

In all seriousness though, it''s good to know that others are getting and have had success with Palladium. It solidified my resolve.

 

[elsie]

In my (limited) experience, it seems like the quality of the ring might have to do with the who makes it. I have a simple plain palladium wedding band I got from e-weddingbands.com, and after wearing it for about 4 months, it just looked scratched up and dull, so I bought one in white gold.

However, I also have a handmade palladium ring (link) that looks wonderful (although I admittedly do not wear it every day). Still, this handmade ring feels more "solid" (possibly more dense) than the band, and I can hardly tell there are any scratches on it.

I chose palladium because I didn''t want to shell out the $$ for platinum, but didn''t want to have to redip WG all the time (although I realized I kinda like the yellowy color of worn WG). I would buy another palladium band/ring in the future, but probably would go with a jeweler that really knows how to work with it.

Hope that helps!

 

[geckodani]

Date: 9/12/2008 4:47:44 PM
Author: elsie
In my (limited) experience, it seems like the quality of the ring might have to do with the who makes it. I have a simple plain palladium wedding band I got from e-weddingbands.com, and after wearing it for about 4 months, it just looked scratched up and dull, so I bought one in white gold.

However, I also have a handmade palladium ring (link) that looks wonderful (although I admittedly do not wear it every day). Still, this handmade ring feels more ''solid'' (possibly more dense) than the band, and I can hardly tell there are any scratches on it.

I chose palladium because I didn''t want to shell out the $$ for platinum, but didn''t want to have to redip WG all the time (although I realized I kinda like the yellowy color of worn WG). I would buy another palladium band/ring in the future, but probably would go with a jeweler that really knows how to work with it.

Hope that helps!

Excellent point! And another mark in favor of the Scott Kay... And yes, it definitely helped - thank you!

 

[neatfreak]

I have both palladium and platinum, and here is my analysis after wearing them for a number of months:

1. My platinum ring "patinas" while my palladium ring scratches. By this, I mean that my platinum ring after awhile looks like it has been brushed with a brillo pad or something, all even tiny little scratches everywhere. My palladium ring on the other hand has fewer scratches, but the scratches look like scratches, NOT like a uniform patina.

2. It can be hard to find someone to work with palladium, but it isn''t a reason not to get it as long as you are aware of the limitations. Remember, a lot of places send out platinum stuff too, so it really isn''t a big deal as long as you have a jeweler you can trust.

3. It is noticeably lighter than my platinum ring, but I wouldn''t in any way say it feels cheap. Like someone said, it feels like gold weight wise.

4. The color is certainly "grayer" than platinum, but this isn''t necessarily a bad thing, just a different metal color just like white gold looks different than platinum if put side by side.

Overall, I am very happy with my palladium ring (which houses my sapphire and is worn alongside my wedding band about half the time instead of my platinum ering). If the ring has a lot of smooth areas, I think I would still prefer platinum, but if it''s out of the price range then palladium is a great alternative IMO. The scratches are the only downside I can see and I wouldn''t let that stop me from buying it again in the future. I''ll try and see if I can convince my DH to take some macro shots of both rings so you can see the difference in the scratches vs. patina, but it might not happen till next week...

 

[geckodani]

Date: 9/12/2008 4:51:36 PM
Author: neatfreak
I have both palladium and platinum, and here is my analysis after wearing them for a number of months:

1. My platinum ring ''patinas'' while my palladium ring scratches. By this, I mean that my platinum ring after awhile looks like it has been brushed with a brillo pad or something, all even tiny little scratches everywhere. My palladium ring on the other hand has fewer scratches, but the scratches look like scratches, NOT like a uniform patina.

2. It can be hard to find someone to work with palladium, but it isn''t a reason not to get it as long as you are aware of the limitations. Remember, a lot of places send out platinum stuff too, so it really isn''t a big deal as long as you have a jeweler you can trust.

3. It is noticeably lighter than my platinum ring, but I wouldn''t in any way say it feels cheap. Like someone said, it feels like gold weight wise.

4. The color is certainly ''grayer'' than platinum, but this isn''t necessarily a bad thing, just a different metal color just like white gold looks different than platinum if put side by side.

Overall, I am very happy with my palladium ring (which houses my sapphire and is worn alongside my wedding band about half the time instead of my platinum ering). If the ring has a lot of smooth areas, I think I would still prefer platinum, but if it''s out of the price range then palladium is a great alternative IMO. The scratches are the only downside I can see and I wouldn''t let that stop me from buying it again in the future. I''ll try and see if I can convince my DH to take some macro shots of both rings so you can see the difference in the scratches vs. patina, but it might not happen till next week...

Thank you neatfreak! WG scratches like that too, and it doesn''t drive me nearly as batty as the yellowing, so I think I can handle it.

Good point that many jewelers send things out to be worked on - my brain hadn''t processed that yet.

If you manage to get pics, that would be great, but no worries. The info was very helpful.

I heart PS.

 

[HollyS]

I don't think any of those 'problems' with Palladium are a reality, and I'll tell you why: my DH has one, loves it, wouldn't want to trade it for gold. It does not scratch (he has a tiny miniscule scratch after a year of daily wear); it feels weighty in the hand like platinum; it has not turned color, it is exactly as bright and shiny as the day I bought it for him. And it was cheaper than gold. Palladium is a great alternative.

 

[HollyS]

I think this is the one I gave him. Came in gold, platinum, or palladium. Paladium was the perfect choice; wears better than gold and looks like platinum.

 

[Elmorton]

Love my palladium band. It''s extremely thin, so I worried a lot about that, but I haven''t had ANY problems. I would totally do an e-ring in palladium if I had to do it again.

 

[E B]

Hey gecko!

I mentioned it in CS, but I''m having a palladium RHB (right hand band) made as we speak, and I chose it for the same reasons that have been mentioned: no need for rhodium plating and wallet-friendly. Whiteflash is making for me, and they didn''t have a negative thing to say about palladium, so I trust that it''s going to be a fabulous, cost-efficient alternative to platinum.

I say go for it!

 

[geckodani]

Thank you everyone for your input - I''m sold! Palladium it is!

Thanks again for all of the insight - I truly appreciate it!

 

[Cass]

I have rings in white gold and platinum, but my fiance decided to go with palladium for my engagement ring- and I absolutely love it. I must say, when it comes to jewelry though, I''m not picky. I''m just so happy he didn''t go with white gold.

I rarely take off my ring. I sleep with it on and shower with it on. The only time I take it off is when I put on lotion or clean. And I think it has held up very well.

Here is a pic of my ring. You can find more if you search my username.

 

[beaujolais]

I love palladium. I have a Knox solitaire in brushed palladium and the brushed, slightly grey color really makes the shine of the diamond POP. No, it does not scratch. Your local jeweler can work on it, they say it is like working on platinum - a little more difficult than gold but definately do able. It greys when they use a torch on it but all metals do. They clean that off - just like when you have any work done.

Was looking into X1, people say it is too hard to work with - resize (you can only use X1 soder). I have a simple band in X1 because I wanted to try out X1. It certainly is white and nice, though. I'd only do X1 on a ring you think you'd never have to resize or get shots or anything.

 

[Loves2Laugh]

"They''re local, called Skyline Diamond Setters. I *think* they got the price straight from Diana though, but I could be wrong."

Although I don''t have anything to contribute to the topic, I noticed that you were working with Skyline Diamond Setters and I just wanted to add my two cents that they''re wonderful. We just had DH''s ring re-done there after a not so great experience with another local place and we''re 110% happy with the outcome. Good luck!!

 

[geckodani]

Cass- thanks for the pic!

Sonoma- thanks for the info! I''m really looking forward to the palladium - and good to know about the X1, since I''d been looking into it as well.

Loves2Laugh - Small world! I''ve been totally impressed with Skyline so far. It looks like I might be going with a Scott Kay setting, which Skyline does not carry, but I''m going to have them set my Grammy''s star sapphire for me.

 

[jcarlylew]

dani
Which setting are you hoping to go with from scott kay?

 

[geckodani]

I''ve got it narrowed down to these 2. The Scott Kay is on the left. The one on the right is from Novori.

I like the 6 prongs on the Novori, but it''s the ONLY thing I like better than the Scott Kay...

It''s also $550 more... so I can get the Scott Kay with a plain band, or the Novori with a Diamond band...