When we consider precious metals to use within jewellery, palladium might not be one that springs to mind immediately, but it really is a great metal that makes amazing jewellery. The soft, silvery colour metal is similar to platinum in many ways, so it really makes amazing looking jewellery pieces. Palladium is a chemical element with the symbol Pd and atomic number 46 used to create beautiful pieces of jewellery that people want a silvery-white colour, as opposed to gold as many people are looking for jewellery that is unique or looks a little different.
The History of Palladium
Palladium was discovered in 1802 by William Hyde Wollaston, for this, he was awarded the Copley medal by the Royal Society. Palladium has many uses besides jewellery; it is an important metal to industry, used in catalytic reactions. But its use in jewellery has been prevalent since the 1940s. In 2010 it was given a hallmark by the UK assay office – a great accolade that has helped the popularity of palladium to grow. Even to this day palladium is to be found in Russia, South Africa, Canada and the United States. Palladium wasn’t always a popular choice of metal for jewellery making due to the difficulty in casting it. However, we now have a cast able palladium alloy which is ideal for jewellery. As the metal has such steel white colouring, it is an affordable alternative for fans of platinum and white gold. It is thought that the metal gained its name from Athena, the Greek goddess of War. She was renamed Pallas after her battle with a giant who tried to capture Mount Olympus. She defeated him and then had a sculpture to celebrate her achievement and to protect the city from future attacks.
Looking After Palladium
Palladium is a softer metal which means it can be displaced and look like the metal is scratched – however, be assured that no metal is lost, so the metal will not wear down. Over time, as the jewellery shows signs of you may find that these small marks form a slight patina over the surface – however, this isn’t offensive and in fact, many people who like palladium really like this. You can return the jewellery back to its original look without too much hassle. The best way to do this is to polish it, however, make sure you use the right products to do this – it is also recommended you get your palladium jewellery professionally cleaned every now and then if you are able to. As it is a soft metal, the correct storage is vital for ensuring your piece doesn’t get damaged. It is recommended that you invest in a chamois bag or separate jewellery box if you are able to. If you store lots of jewellery together this can cause pieces to get damaged by each other, so certainly something you want to avoid. If you decide to wash your jewellery rather than take it to a professional cleaner, you should avoid any harsh chemicals – especially if you have any gemstones in your jewellery as chemicals could cause these to become discoloured.
The Spiritual Meaning behind Palladium
The traditional meaning of the word palladium is ‘guardian or charm to protect or preserve’, so for many years people have believed palladium jewellery to bring good luck. Many people choose palladium wedding bands as it is thought to promote a lifetime of marital happiness.
Where Should I Buy Palladium From?
Most jewellers with a good range of jewellery should have several pieces of palladium for you to choose from. However, you should always do your research and make sure you are buying from someone offering legitimate products. Make sure you have a browse of their website and see what product guarantees they offer. They should give you plenty of information on where pieces come from what quality they are – many even offer a 14-daymoney-back guarantee to help give you some peace of mind. Palladium and other precious metals within jewellery are often an investment piece – given to a loved one for a special occasion etc. so it makes sense that you’ll want to ensure you’re getting good value for money and a product you can rely on to last a good number of years. Thankfully doing your research – checking their social media, reading online reviews etc. Should give you a firm idea of what a company is like and help you decide which jeweller you should buy from.