Engagement Ring /Wedding Band: Palladium vs Platinum vs 18k White Gold ?

Question

which is better ? i have heard that white gold looses its luster after a while and tends to loose its shape over time ... with palladium ive heard it has the same qualities as platinum but is about 25% cheaper in price ... is it better to buy palladium or should i just shell out the extra money in platinum?

Answer 1

I will just say that i had serious problems with my platinum ring. It bent out of shape VERY easily and i actually lost a diamond out of my setting because of it. I eventually traded in my ring to get a white gold one because of all the problems i had.

That being said i talked to a jeweler about all of this and this is what they told me. Gold is actually STRONGER than platinum. Platinum is very bendable so it can make the ring get out of shape easily. The advantage of platinum is that it wont wear thin...it keeps its weight in other words.

White gold is really just yellow gold with a wash over it. Becauase of this the ring can yellow a bit over time, however if you have a good insurance plan with the place you got the ring they can re-wash it in the stuff that makes it white gold easily and it should not cost you any money. If you have a good ring you should only have to do this once every 1-2 years so it really isnt a big issue. Now white gold can wear thing quicker than platinum, (which means over time it loses weight basically) but i havent had a single problem with my white gold ring as far as bending out of shape/losing diamonds/ and other problems.

The jeweler i talked to said she personally NEVER buys platinum as it generally has more problmes than gold. Platinum is more of status symbol because it is more expensive and it is in vogue right now.

In short...get white gold and a bigger diamond, thats what i ended up doing after a year of problems with a platinum ring.

Answer 2

Palladium Vs White Gold

Answer 3

1. So many people are warning against white gold because it loses its luster after awhile. But, to restore that luster, all you need to do is take it to a jeweler and have it dipped in rhodium again. It costs about $5 and you will probably need to do it about once every few years. My jeweler told me that it shouldn't be done more than once a year.

2. 18k gold is softer than 14k gold and will scratch more easily. The higher the gold, the lesser its strength. 14k gold is a safe bet.

3. No one cares what metal the jewelry is so long as it holds up. My fiancee is getting a stainless steel wedding band because it's scratch resistant and incredibly strong. If I could find a stainless steel ring in my size, I'd get one too! I'd rather have something that will stay in good condition (and that has a similar appearance to platinum) than get the real thing and have to baby it.

The lesson here: rare is not necessarily better. You want a wedding ring that will stand the test of time and of the above choices, you've overlooked stainless steel and tungsten, which are both scratch resistant.

Answer 4

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Engagement Ring /Wedding Band: Palladium vs Platinum vs 18k White Gold ?
which is better ? i have heard that white gold looses its luster after a while and tends to loose its shape over time ... with palladium ive heard it has the same qualities as platinum but is about 25% cheaper in price ... is it better to buy palladium or should i just shell out the extra money in...

Answer 5

Platinum is the creme de la creme in precious metals. But it is what you can afford. You could buy palladium, if you heard good things about it. 18K is softer and would dent easily. Actually it is the stone that really counts. Make sure you get a good quality diamond, with excellent clarity. Buy the diamond ring in a place where they have a good reputation. If you are anywhere near New York City, about 47th Street, the diamond district is the place to buy diamonds. You will get a great buy there. But if not, find a good jeweler and have the ring appraised by a reputable appraiser after purchasing it with the stipulation that if it comes in appraised less than what you paid, you can get a refund. Good Luck.

Answer 6

My ring is white gold and it does need to be re-coated every so often... but I have a lifetime warranty so it's fixed for free. My best friend has platinum and is always having problems with it. It will not keep it's shape and it too tarnishes very badly... way worse than mine. Her ring scratches very easily too (and yes it is real platinum). My engagement ring is almost two years old and it has not lost any of its shape what so ever... and my wedding band is over a year old without any changes. I don't know anything about palladium. Good luck and best wishes.

Answer 7

If you can go for the platinum. White gold needs to be refinished in time, it loses the "silver" look. Palladium sounds like a cheap knock off of platinum, and I heard that it does not age the same way that platinum does, so any other platinum will not age the same way. We went with platinum on our rings. If you have a one near you, try a jewelry outlet. We saved over $800.

Answer 8

White gold will lose its luster over time, and requires to be re-rodiumed every now and then, and most better jewelers can do this on premise. Palladium is a lesser member of the Platinum family, but not as pure, therefore it is less expensive. If you can afford it, Platinum is the way to go. The luster of Platinum is beautiful, stronger, and far brighter than either of your other choices, but as you already know, can be very expensive. Hope this helps.

Answer 9

Part of the appeal women have for Platinum is they are able to tell people it's platinum. Most have not heard of palladium, so that would be a big drawback when giving it to your fiance. It's not quite as hard as Platinum, some say not quite as white, but still that's not likely to be something anyone would notice.

Answer 10

White gold is an alloy of gold and some white metals such as silver and palladium. White gold can be 18kt, 14kt, 9kt or any karat. For example, 18kt yellow gold is made by mixing 75% gold with 25% other metals such as copper and zinc. 18kt white gold is made by mixing 75% gold with 25% other metals such as silver and palladium. So the amount of gold is the same but the alloy is different. The alloy is what makes it white.

Traditionally nickel was used in white gold, however, nickel is no longer used in most white gold made today as nickel can cause reactions with some people.

When white gold rings are new they are coated with another white metal called Rhodium. Rhodium is a metal very similar to platinum and Rhodium shares many of the properties of platinum including its white color.

The rhodium plating is used to make the white gold look more white. The natural color of white gold is actually a light grey color. The Rhodium is very white and very hard, but it does wear away eventually. To keep a white gold ring looking its best it should be re-rhodium plated approximately each 12 to 18 months. Most local jewelers are able to rhodium plate jewelry for a cost effective price.

Platinum is a white metal, but unlike gold it is used in jewelry in almost its pure form (approximately 95% pure). Platinum is extremely long wearing and is very white, so it does not need to be Rhodium plated like white gold.

Platinum is very dense (heavy), so a platinum ring will feel heavier than an 18kt gold ring.

Platinum is, however, very expensive. A platinum ring will be approximately twice the price of an 18kt white gold ring (excluding gemstone costs).

I'm not sure about Palladium - I think it's a softer form of platinum and is mostly used as an alloy.

If you can afford it - definately get platinum - remember your ring is an investment and you'll be wearing it for a long time. So it may seem like a lot now, but think about having to get your whtie gold ring re-Rhodium plated every year vs. gettting your platinum cleaned or pollished ever few years. Which will save you in the long run?!