Palladium vs White Gold

Palladium and white gold are two prominent white metals for engagement rings.

They have similar colors and shines.

They are both precious metals.

Deciding between them is non-trivial because of this high level of closeness.

• Is Platinum better than white gold?
• Is Palladium a good metal for wedding rings?

These are two of the top questions you’d want answered before finalizing your decision.
In this post, we compared palladium vs white gold, focusing on the most important differences and similarities!

What is palladium?

Palladium is a popular choice for white jewelry, especially for wedding bands.

It is an element with the atomic number 46. Its chemical symbol is Pd on the periodic table.
It has a lustrous silvery white color.

Palladium is a precious metal just like gold, silver and platinum.

It belongs to the Platinum group of metals where it is joined by the remaining members rhodium, ruthenium, iridium, and osmium. The 6 elements in this group share similar chemical properties.

The English chemist William Hyde Wollaston found palladium in 1803. The origin of the name comes from the asteroid Pallas. This orb was discovered in the previous year, in 1802 by the German astronomer and physician Wilhelm Olbers. It was named after Pallas, an epithet of Athena from Greek mythology, the goddess of war, handicraft, and practical reason.

Palladium finds place in many areas, from the automotive industry to dentistry, from the energy sector to jewelry.

Palladium 950 and Palladium 500 are the most-used alloys in jewelry.

The purity of palladium is expressed in thousands. So, palladium 500 and 950 have 50% and 95% palladium content in their composition, respectively.

What is white gold?

Gold is a beautiful metal that catches eyes with its distinct color and shine.

It is a precious metal with the symbol Au for Latin Aurum.

Its atomic number is 79 on the periodic table of elements.

It is a rare metal that is found in natural yellow deposits. South Africa, North America, East Asia and Australia have the most important gold reserves.

In its pure form, gold is a malleable metal which is too soft for jewelry.

Thus, we make alloys of gold to increase durability and hardness. Yellow gold, rose gold and white gold are the durable and popular choices used in jewelry.

White gold may have silver, nickel, zinc, platinum, palladium in its mix.

White gold jewelry pieces are often electroplated with rhodium for protection, better shining white finish and superior durability.

This thin inert rhodium layer protects the core from getting scratched and from negative effects of chemical agents like abrasives or strong acids.

Karat is the unit for measuring the purity of gold.

This unit of measure is used for every type of gold, no matter the color, shape or weight.

1 karat represents 1 in 24 of the piece by weight.

Thus, 1-karat gold chain is made of 4.17% gold, with the remaining part coming from other metals.

24k or 24 karat gold is 100% gold.

The most used karats are 10k, 14k and 18k white gold alloys.

These have 41.7%, 58.3% and 75% gold purity, respectively.

Pros and Cons of Palladium and White Gold

1. Weight

For the same volume, palladium is more lightweight than white gold.

The former has a density of about 12 g/cm³.

White gold’s density will change with temperature, karatage and coating but to give a general idea, we can say it’s about 16 g/cm³.

Hence, palladium engagement rings will be about 25% lighter than their white gold counterparts.

2. Hardness and Color

When it comes to resistance to wear and scratches, palladium and white gold wedding bands have both their pros and cons.

Palladium has a 5 grade on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness. This indicates it has a better scratch resistance performance than gold which has a 3 grade. Yet, neither of them are used for jewelry in their pure state. So, there is more to their comparison in durability.

Palladium 500 and 950 are two foremost alloys.

These have, respectively, 50% and 95% palladium in their composition.

Of these two, palladium 950 is more durable than palladium 500.

It is less prone to scratch risk.

Nevertheless, this does not mean it should be handled without care.

When we look at white gold items, they are often coated with rhodium.

While rhodium is not a precious metal, it is very close to palladium as they are in the same Platinum family of metals.

Rhodium has multiple benefits.

It brings a more uniform look, increases luster and protects the inner precious metal core.

Rhodium’s high reflectivity is the reason for the extra lustrous look. This specialty of rhodium will help your diamond or moissanite bands to pop even more.

Unfortunately, this extra layer has a downside: it is brittle.

With everyday wear and tear, the layer will slowly diminish. Eventually, this will let the gold show up.

This loss of coating will require a visit to your local jeweler for a re-plating session.
While it is a simple task, there is practically no escape from this.

For palladium, you will probably only need to go to the jewelry shop for scratches, if any, or to remove patina if you desire so.

For unplated white gold pieces, hardness increases as the gold purity level decreases.

Thus, a unplated 10k white gold bracelet will have a higher hardness grade than a similar unplated 18k bracelet.

Lower purity gold pieces will also have a closer color to white.

Gold purity and price change inversely to white color and hardness.

What is patina?

After palladium jewelry gets scratched with time, the metal moves to cover the lost parts.

This leads the piece to gain a cooler look called patina.

Some prefer this gray appearance, while some fancy the shinier look more. If the former duller appearance is your preference, a simple polishing session will suffice to bring back the bling!

3. Hypoallergenic property

Palladium, gold and rhodium are all hypoallergenic metals.

This means they are considered safe for people with sensitive skin.

Although it can not be guaranteed, they are unlikely to trigger any skin allergies. They are not expected to cause any skin irritations.

Some metals like nickel, lead or copper may cause unease when in contact with sensitive skin.

If there are symptoms like itches, rashes, blisters, color change, nickel is the first culprit that comes to mind.

Approximately 10% of the United States population is affected by nickel allergy.

Even trace amounts of nickel can initiate skin allergy and cause an allergic reaction after a threshold level of absorption is reached by the skin.

This is why restoring the rhodium layer in white gold pieces is important.

It was the rhodium layer which prevented contact between the skin and the gold core whether it contained nickel or not.

Palladium does not have such an issue. It is inherently safe, especially palladium 950 thanks to its very high purity level.

4. Care and Maintenance

Palladium and white gold do not corrode.

Also, they do not tarnish like sterling silver. Thus, they demand little to no extra care.

You can clean your palladium jewelry with mild hand soap and a soft piece of cloth, just like your white gold pieces.

The single clear distinction comes from the rhodium plating. As this coating is brittle, it will disappear with time and ask for a re-plating session.

5. Price

Palladium, gold and rhodium are actively priced by traders worldwide in the metals market.

The price difference between these two precious metals depends on market conditions.

at the time of comparison.

At the time of writing, palladium was about 10% more expensive than gold.

Thus, we’d expect a palladium 950 ring to have a roughly 10% higher price than a similar white gold ring.

But of course, gemstones, brands, collection scarcity, weight, white gold’s karatage and rhodium coating will factor in.

A 18k white gold engagement ring will cost more than a 10k one, as it has a higher percentage of gold.

The added non-gold part is an inexpensive metal mix cheaper compared to gold.

If you are leaning towards white gold, make sure you check our post on 14k vs 18k white gold.

When we look at the rhodium plating cost, it will obviously increase with thickness. This is more an issue if you want a thicker, more durable plating at a restoring operation.

Conclusion: Palladium vs White gold: Which One Should You Choose?

Palladium and white gold are two good options if you are looking for white jewelry.

They both check the mark for precious metals

In their pure states, they are both hypoallergenic metals which are trusted by people with sensitive skin.

The more rich alloy palladium 950 offers a better performance in this regard over palladium 500 which is only 50% rich in precious metal.

White gold jewelry may include trace amounts of allergenic metals that may cause skin allergies. This is why you should check that your item is free from allergenic materials starting from nickel and lead.

Unlike palladium pieces, white gold pieces are many times plated with a thin layer of rhodium.

This extra coating cuts contact with the skin, elevates luster, gives the piece a more uniform look, protects the core and extends the hypoallergenic property to a much higher level.

On the minus side, the brittle nature of rhodium is destined to lead to its demise. With daily wear, the plating will slowly subside. At the end, the gold core will come under daylight and touch the skin.

This loss will also take away the initial luster. So, there is no escaping from a re-plating session. While this is a cheap and simple task, it is bound to arise at some point in time.

In dollar terms, prices fluctuate daily. Their price tags can easily switch with changes in supply and demand dynamics. Even if palladium is priced higher today, this can easily change.

To end with, both palladium and rhodium plated white gold are popular choices for wedding rings and jewelry.

They both offer a sparkling basis for gemstones and can serve you many years.

You will have very little problem finding your dream design.

Maybe the only significant difference between palladium and white gold is the latter’s rhodium plating which can easily be restored. This can be a con and a pro depending on where you look at it from. While it offers protection and wonderful shine, you know it can’t last forever. However, it can easily be replenished!

In the end, it comes to your personal preference and both alternatives are splendid options for wedding rings and other pieces of jewelry. We hope you’ve found this post beneficial, and you enjoy your decision to the fullest!

Related questions

1. Is Palladium better than white gold?

Palladium jewelry is a wonderful option for weddings. It does not have an outer layer like rhodium plated white gold pieces.

Thus, there won’t be any re-plating needed after the loss of coating.

Palladium 950 rings are also purer than most white gold pieces as they are 95% pure.

12k white gold may be comparable in purity to palladium 500 as it includes 50% gold.
To summarize, palladium incarnates many benefits against white gold. But, only gold is gold.

2. What’s the difference between palladium 500 and 950?

The number at the end shows palladium’s purity level in thousands.

Palladium 500 is an alloy which has 50% or 500 parts in 1000 palladium in its mix.

Likewise, palladium 950 is 95% pure.

The latter offers a better hypoallergenic level and superior shine, at the expense of a higher slice of your budget.

3. Do palladium rings scratch easily?

Palladium rings do scratch, but this leads to a unique look. The metal tends to cover the lost/scratched areas which gives the piece a matte shade. This is called patina. Some prefer this cool appearance over a shinier one.