Many people believe that gold and platinum are always the best options. However, they fail to realize that there are other more affordable options available that are also high quality. It is ultimately up to you to find out what type of precious metal you would like for your jewelry choice. In this section we will give you the opportunity to see the pros and cons of each one (palladium, platinum and gold) and make the best decision that is right for you.

“Palladium” is derived from the Greek name “Pallas”, goddess of wisdom; Palladium was discovered by the British chemist William Hyde Wollaston in 1804. It took almost two centuries for this metal’s significance to be recognized. The use of palladium really took off in the 1970’s with the demand for catalytic converters. Palladium’s extraordinary properties played an important role as more and more automobile emission standards were introduced in the developed world. As these standards were tightened and applied globally in the 1990’s, demand for palladium stretched exponentially.  Palladium is a very precious metal from the platinum family. It is more prized than silver, whiter than platinum, and more rare than gold, is the epitome of modern elegance.

Palladium is a malleable silver-white metal that resembles platinum. It is the least dense and has the lowest melting point of the platinum group metals. It is soft and flexible when annealed and greatly increases in strength and hardness when it is cold-worked. Palladium dissolves slowly in sulfuric, nitric, and hydrochloric acids. This metal also does not react with oxygen at normal temperatures, but it will lightly tarnish in moist atmosphere containing sulfur. The metal has the unique ability to absorb up to 900 times its own volume of hydrogen at room temperature. It is thought that this possibly forms palladium hydride (PdH2) but it is not yet clear if this is a true chemical compound. When palladium has absorbed large amounts of hydrogen, it will expand slightly in size.

Palladium itself has been used as a precious metal in jewelry since 1939, as an alternative to platinum or white gold. This is mainly attributed to its white, naturally occurring properties. Because the metal is naturally a white precious metal, it does not need to be rhodium plated and it will stay white forever. White gold rings have a certain amount of nickel in them; however, palladium rings have no nickel in them and are the perfect choice for those with sensitive skin. At half the price of gold per ounce and a scarcity that is far greater than gold, it seems like the obvious buy for any precious metal fanatic.

Worldwide knowledge of platinum stretches back only a couple hundred years, versus the thousands of years people have known about gold. Despite being worked with some skill by South American Indians over 1,000 years ago, it was not until the Spanish conquest of the New World during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries did news reach Europe. This newly discovered metal was heavier than gold and virtually impossible to corrode with gases or chemicals, and in 1751, platinum was recognized as a newly discovered element.
During the eighteenth century, platinum industrial usage took off. It was used to make durable laboratory instruments in Berlin and in France it was an important part in glass production. During this time, platinum also began to grab the attention of jewelers and goldsmiths and by the early 19th century, new refining techniques increased platinum’s availability. It was soon being used in gun parts, sophisticated batteries and fuel cells, and the purification of hydrogen. Platinum jewelry remained rare until high-temperature jewelers’ torches were developed. After this, jewelry makers made quick advantage of platinum. As jewelers became more adept at using platinum, it quickly became the diamond setting of choice.

Platinum jewelry is normally 95% pure, unlike 18 carat gold for example, which is only 75% pure gold. Usually, metal is never sold in its completely pure state because all metals available for purchase are blends of metals, called alloys. Platinum has very few alloys, making it so pure that it does not fade or change color. Another great benefit of platinum is that it retains its shine for many years. The pure white luster of the metal reflects the true brilliance of diamonds and thus provides the best setting for them. For those with sensitive skin, platinum's purity really comes into play as it does not irritate skin. For every 10 gold mines, there is just one platinum mine. This means that each year only 88 tons of platinum are made into jewelry, compared with 2,700 tons of gold. It takes eight weeks to produce a single ounce (31.1 grams) of platinum.

If you are looking to purchase jewelry made of white metal, you should definitely consider platinum first. It is an extremely rare metal which means that it will always hold its value and worth over time.  It is strong, heavy and more durable than the other precious metals on the market. Most importantly, it does not tarnish with use over the years like other precious metals.  If you are looking for jewelry with an extremely high status and can afford the prices, then platinum is the way to go. 

The metal gold has a very complex and interesting history. It has always symbolized wealth and supremacy, thus giving power to many cultures and different nations. Archaeologists suggest that the use of gold began in the Middle East where the earliest known civilizations began. The Persian Empire was also a front runner in gold by frequent use of gold in artwork and in religious statues.
During the frontier period of the United States, the discovery of gold brought a huge rush of new settlers looking to strike it rich. These were known as gold rushes and occurred mostly in the Western states, such as California and the use of gold as a form of exchange came shortly thereafter.

The wonderful thing about gold is that it ranges in purity, especially when it comes to jewelry. Gold is metallic, with a yellow color when in a mass, but when finely divided it may be black, ruby, or purple. It is the most malleable and ductile metal. Gold in its purest form is 24 carat, however, in jewelry 24 carats is much too soft to work with. The use of different alloys come into play to make it more durable and workable and also to change its color if need be. Most gold jewelry consumers encounter is 14 carat, 18 carat and in some cases, as low as 10 carats. The smaller the numbers are, means that less pure gold is in the metal. For example, 14 carat would mean that out of the 24 carats of its pure state, 14 parts are pure gold and the other 10 are made up of other metals such as copper, silver, brass or nickel.

Some people prefer the color yellow for their choice of jewelry, and if that’s your preference, look no further than gold. There is still some power and prestige that comes with gold that can only be seen in its true yellow form. The choices usually come in 18 carat or 14 carat, but 18 carat is a bit more expensive than 14 carat since it is more pure.