Precious and Pure

As far back as we remember, from the days when primitives strung bones together and displayed them around their necks, jewelry design is a process of discovery and imagination. Ask any innovative jewelry designer to create and they will begin by checking for the availability of new and exciting medium. So when new men's bridal jewelry styles began to appear in lower value metals, like Titanium and Tungsten Steel, some in the jewelry industry embraced them as a lower cost alternative to Platinum. One problem with that viewpoint is that Platinum is precious, pure, and rare. These alternative metals are not. So, in effect, it's like comparing an apple to a pear. In fact, the intrinsic value (actual scrap market value) of a Titanium or Tungsten ring is negligible. So, applying simple rules of economy, even though it is much more expensive, Platinum offers better dollar value for the consumer.

What happens when Platinum is not an option? The alternative might very well be a relative to Platinum itself. Palladium is a white metal that lives in the family of Platinum group metals, in other words, it is mined in some of the same places as Platinum and shares similar scientific qualities with the other metals in this group.

Palladium makes great jewelry. It stays white, is durable, and as time goes on, new jewelry applications for this metal are inevitable. Yet, the most exciting thing about Palladium is that it is precious and pure, so you can make an apple to apple comparison of it's relation to Platinum.

So, when you are choosing your wedding bands, you want white metal, and you have ruled out Platinum, you may want to jump on the Palladium wedding band wagon. Here are some Palladium facts to help you make up your mind:

• Palladium is one of the earth's great white precious metals.
• Palladium jewelry offers some of the finer qualities of platinum but currently costs less.
  
• While Platinum will always remain the hallmark for white metal jewelry, Palladium is a close relative that can step in and get the job done.
  
• Palladium is Hypo-Allergenic.
  
• Palladium is naturally white, so Rhodium plating is not necessary.
  
• Palladium is durable, so wedding bands made of Palladium will stand the test of time.
  
• Palladium's purity and preciousness make it an extremely attractive value when compared to the lesser non-precious jewelry metals, like the titanium and tungsten steel that spots the market today.