Platinum or Palladium wedding rings is a question I have been asked advice on, even though I'm not an expert, but as a wedding photographer the subject seems to come up quite regularly. I knew a little about the subject but didn't have a real insight until last year, and I was really surprised as to how little the Jewellers that sold the product actually knew.
Having got married myself last August, I thoroughly researched the Platinum Vs Palladium debate as each Jeweller we went to gave us contradicting information. If we could cut back on our wedding costs but not compromise the quality of ring for our day, and not compromise in long term value, that would be a bonus as well as a good investment.
I ended up getting reliable information from an alternative source who had studied metals as part of their education. The result was that technically there is a compromise in going for palladium, but that the difference is so small that after 50 or so years (and regular cleaning), you could still not tell the difference.
Having got married myself last August, I thoroughly researched the Platinum Vs Palladium debate as each Jeweller we went to gave us contradicting information. If we could cut back on our wedding costs but not compromise the quality of ring for our day, and not compromise in long term value, that would be a bonus as well as a good investment.
I ended up getting reliable information from an alternative source who had studied metals as part of their education. The result was that technically there is a compromise in going for palladium, but that the difference is so small that after 50 or so years (and regular cleaning), you could still not tell the difference.
Platinum and Palladium come from the same group of metals. Platinum is alloyed with another metal to improve its workability, while Palladium is alloyed with Platinum to add a bit more hardness.
Platinum is required to be 95 percent pure when alloyed with a metal with a Vickers hardness of 80-100. Palladium when alloyed with the least required metal comes in at 70-80 Vickers of hardness, although the hardness can be increased depending on the alloyed metal used.
Both metals will scuff and scrape if not cared for. Palladium is currently about 50 percent the value of Platinum but it's value over the last 15 years has increased from about 25percent, so the gap is closing.
Also, wearing Platinum and Palladium together on the same finger does not damage either ring as they are from the same group. Wearing metals from different groups (eg gold, silver) are what can cause damage. Any of the rings mentioned can be easily resized at little cost.
In the end I went for Palladium (couldn't be more pleased) and my wife went for Platinum (she got a ridiculously good deal!). Bear in mind that most Jewellers will give you their best sales pitch to sell a higher value product, and that some are not sure about the correct metal information themselves.
Shop around and you'll get a good deal without compromising on the quality of the ring, no matter which metal you choose. Having photographed a lot of wedding days and engagements, a ring that suits the person is the most important.
A smaller, elegant diamond Palladium ring can have as much beauty and emotion for your wedding day and married life, as a large diamond on a Platinum ring. Both can be as good as each other. The key is that the ring compliments the person wearing it.
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