About Palladium Jewelry

Palladium jewelry gained popularity during WWII, when platinum became a strategic metal and reserved only for military use in during World War II. Grouped in the platinum medal family, rings and jewelry made of this material are of exceptional quality typically contain 95% palladium and 5% ruthenium and called 950 palladium (PD950).

At Larson Jewelers, all of our palladium wedding bands are made with PD950 to create lightweight, malleable and hypoallergenic jewelry from seamless tubing by jewelers located in the United States. Our delivery times are short and there is no concern about the quality issues. Just like the other top-quality precious metal wedding bands featured at Larson Jewelers, every PD950 wedding band comes with our industry leading warranty against defects and a 30-day guarantee of satisfaction or your money back.

Vs. White Gold

Based on size and shape, 14k white gold rings and palladium rings weigh virtually the same. PD950 rings are made with 95% pure PD950, while 14k white gold rings are made with only 58% pure gold. Besides having higher precious metal content, this means PD950 jewelry is hypoallergenic. White gold is made of 42% other metals, including a high amount of nickel, which causes allergies in many people. If having a naturally white colored metal is important, then PD950is the way to go. Palladium is naturally white and does not need to be plated with another metal to give it its color.

White gold on the other hand, is naturally a yellow color, so it needs to be plated with Rhodium, also a platinum group metal, to make it look white. Gold is also trading at an all time high right now as well, so despite having less purity, it is still more expensive than palladium jewelry. According to the chart above, PD950 is a 4.75 out of 10 on the Mohs hardness scale and gold is a 2.5 (diamonds are a 10). The harder something is, means the more durable it is. The more durable a metal is, the more scratch resistant it is. Therefore, PD950 is more scratch resistant than white gold. If high purity, naturally white color, hypoallergenic properties, price and durability are important to you, then palladium is the right choice.

Vs. Platinum

In virtually all jewelry circles, platinum is the king of metals. platinum rings are approximately 60%-70% heavier than gold or palladium wedding bands. It is much more durable than gold. Due to the worldwide demand for platinum, the price of this precious metal is higher than ever before, making platinum wedding bands a great investment. If your budget allows, platinum is still the most highly prized and expensive of all metals.

On the flip side, PD950, offers many of the same desirable characteristics of platinum, at a much lower price. Both platinum and PD950 rings are 95% pure. Both metals are true natural white metals that do not need plating. Both metals are hypoallergenic. Both metals are about equal in scratch resistance, palladium is actually slight higher. Platinum is heavier in weight than PD950 and the metal is valued higher on the metals market.

Because of its everlasting white color, hypoallergenic properties, and affordable price, PD950 rings for women and men make wonderful platinum wedding band alternatives. If you need to have all the qualities PD950 offers, but also need to have a ring that has higher intrinsic value, then choose platinum. If not, then take a look at our selection of palladium rings to find the wedding band that will last you a lifetime at a fraction of the price.

Vs. Tungsten

Many people tend to get confused about the differences between these two metals because they are both relatively new metals to be used in making wedding rings. The main selling point of tungsten is that it is the hardest metal on earth. It measures an 8.5 on the Mohs hardness scale. Only diamonds and some other very hard crystals can scratch it. The other selling point is that it is even more affordable than PD950. The drawback is that tungsten is not as white as PD950. It has a grayish hue to it. Basically, if you have to have the most scratch resistant ring and you are on a tighter budget, tungsten is the way to go. If you need to have a ring that is affordable compared to other metals, but has a naturally bright white color, palladium is the way to go.

Vs. Tungsten

When it comes to titanium, pretty much the same points used to differentiate tungsten from palladium can be used. Titanium is also more scratch resistant, but is only about a 6.0 on the Mohs hardness scale, so it is less scratch resistant than tungsten. It is much lighter than all other metals used in jewelry. You won't believe it is metal because of its lightness. It is whiter than tungsten in color, but grayer than PD950. As for affordability, it is in about the same price range as tungsten. If light weight and affordability is your main concern, titanium is a good choice. Otherwise, go with palladium.