STYLE
WITH Dorothée Rosen designer goldsmith
Palladium White Gold
W
hile yellow gold certainly has been making a huge comeback, I want to introduce you to an alternative: 18kt palladium white gold. This intriguing precious metal is one of the best-kept secrets in the modern jewellery connoisseur’s tool bag. It’s a metal so elegant and alluring — yet so durable — it’s hard to pass by, yet few know about it. Regular White Gold First, let’s consider regular white gold. Since 24kt gold would be too soft to wear as is, gold in jewellery is always alloyed with other metals in order to strengthen it. This creates 18kt or 14kt golds, whereby 18 or 14 parts out of 24, respectively, indicate the pure gold content. To make regular white gold, the whitening alloy is typically nickel. Nickel does provide added durability, but unfortunately is a common metal allergen. It also wears microscopically over time. What’s worse, a nickel white gold alloy generally creates a yellowish metal, requiring rhodium plating, which will require re-plating every year or so, depending on wear. I am not fond of the idea of putting a “façade” over anything, including the precious metal I work with. Why not work in a genuine precious metal that shines on its own? Palladium White Gold Palladium white gold is an alloy of pure gold with the very fine metal palladium, which is in the platinum family of metals.
The resulting alloy is beautifully dense and strong, with an alluring hue similar to platinum, but more unusual and not as heavy. Replacing the nickel means no issues with allergies, and no need for repeated rhodium plating. Palladium white gold with its elegant colour shines on its own. And as palladium is both more rare and more expensive than gold, when the two are combined, the heirloom quality and value of the piece will also increase. Colour and Properties I work with 18kt palladium white gold, which has a more pleasing look than its 14kt sibling. This genuine precious metal has a beautiful bright sheen with a darker, greyish hue. This is why, in Italy, it is called “grey gold.” The colour is not as bright white as rhodium, yet more saturated than platinum. This rich colour offers a bolder contrast to crisp white diamonds, and luscious 18kt yellow gold in two-tone pieces. It is the kind of metal that will make others notice it for its contemporary and sophisticated look — a real conversation-starter. Lastly, like platinum, palladium white gold is very strong, and beautifully dense — though not nearly as heavy as platinum — and resistant to scratches and tarnish. As a goldsmith, I am thrilled to be working with this rare and highquality precious metal. 18kt palladium white gold is a wonderful hypo-allergenic alternative to commercial white gold for those who have a nickel allergy, and an unusual alternative for those looking for a contemporary, sophisticated look.
Fun Facts
• Nickel is a cheap metal, and thus it cheapens your heirloom piece; a pound of nickel sells for CAD$10/lb, or $0.70/oz, whereas gold is $2,442/ oz and palladium is over $3,000/oz. • 18kt is 75 per cent pure gold and 14kt is just 58.5 per cent pure gold • Palladium is also alloyed with silver, creating a strong and tarnish-resistant palladium sterling silver, which I use in some OneFooter rings.
Dorothée Rosen, designer goldsmith, Halifax private studio visits by appointment 902.422.9460 hello@dorotheerosen.ca www.dorotheerosen.ca NSCAD University BFA 2005 Society of North American Goldsmiths Craft Nova Scotia Master Artisan
Find more information about precious metals and gems on my website! Find more information about precious metals and gems on my website Find more information about precious metals and gems on my website
Find more information about precious metals and gems on my website
STYLE
ReFINEd HALIFAX
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