Looking at Palladium for the future.
Properties:
(In pure form)
- Atomic Symbol: Pd
- Atomic Number: 46
- Element Category: Transition metal
- Density: 12.02 g/cm³
- Melting Point: 2830 °F (1554 °C)
- Boiling Point: 5365 °F (2963 °C)
- Moh's Hardness: 4.75
With palladium firmly placed in the family of fine jewelry
precious metals, let us review what the last few years have taught us.
The first and foremost lesson is that palladium is the best
metal to use instead of white gold. White gold carries significant
disadvantages. White gold has few if any lasting advantages over palladium. The
most common metal used to whiten gold is also the most common metallic
allergen. If we use palladium to whiten gold, it is expensive and a bit beside
the point. We are adding a lot of another precious metal needlessly. Over the
years, markets have varied. Overall 950 palladium has priced well below 14kt.
Sales staff and buyers still do not fully appreciate the
following facts.
1.
Palladium
is a platinum family metal that is very white and light.
2.
Palladium
is far more pure than 14kt, 95% pure instead of merely 58.5%.
3.
Palladium
is always naturally white and does not require plating for color.
4.
Palladium
jewelry is not going to have allergy issues.
5.
Palladium
is eminently workable and lends itself to great fabrication & styling.
Of course a metal this pure has some important limitations.
Palladium is difficult for the refiner to produce is a easily cast able form. Palladium tends to hold on to gas, which can
become porosity in the jewelry. What that means in a practical sense is that producers
of grain need to degas the metal as much as possible, and the palladium should
be cast in a casting machine that has full atmosphere control. Modern induction
centrifugal casting machines often have this feature. Casting palladium is much
more reliable when a vacuum is established and the casting chamber flooded with
a neutral gas like argon or nitrogen.
In the event of porosity, palladium responds very well to
soldering or laser welding. It will size easily, more easily than many kinds of
gold.
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