#1 Palladium Earring Buyer in Las Vegas & Henderson
History
Palladium’s history may not be as long as that of other metals like gold and silver, but it is still among the most valuable metals globally.
We have the English chemist William Hyde Wollaston to thank for its discovery. In mid-1802, he used aqua regia (a mixture of a fuming liquid mixture of nitric acid and hydrochloric acid) to melt the platinum ore he brought back from South America, and upon studying its residue, he discovered palladium in the ore.
Publishing their work is the next logical thing scientists do upon discovering something, Wollaston, however, went on another route and anonymously sold samples instead. His fellow chemist Richard Chenevix despite being suspicious, purchased some samples and experimented on it then dismissed it as an alloy of platinum and mercury. Thus, it was only in 1805 when Wollaston publicly revealed that he discovered platinum.
Wollaston documented that palladium was named after the asteroid Pallas, which was discovered two months prior, and it is also the epithet of the Greek goddess of wisdom, Athena.
Prior to 2004, white gold jewelry manufacturers used palladium as a main ingredient, as platinum was a scarce resource during World War II, most jewelry ribbons were made of palladium. Prior to 1939, jewelers used palladium in making white gold because its natural white hue did not need a rhodium plating.
When the prices of gold and platinum sky-rocketed in early 2004, China began using palladium in making jewelry, thus consuming 37 tons of metal in 2005. Jewelers use palladium as a cheaper alternative instead of using platinum in making white gold, gold, silver, and in some high-quality jewelry.
Due to its similar properties to gold and being lighter than platinum, palladium can be formed into a metal leaf (about 100 nanometers) and is also used to make white gold. Palladium alloyed with gold is less dangerous for human use but is more expensive than alloys of gold and nickel, which is known to cause allergic reactions.
What Palladium Is
Palladium is a very rare metal characterized by its silvery-white luster. This metal shares similar properties with five other metals (platinum, rhodium, ruthenium, iridium, and osmium) known as the platinum-group metals (PGMs), among which, palladium has the lowest melting point and is also the lightest and softest.
Top Producers
Due to here rareness, the ore deposits of PGMs are quite scarce, and the largest ones are located in norite belt of the Bushveld Igneous Complex that includes the following:
- the Transvaal Basin in South Africa;
- the Stillwater Complex in Montana, United States;
- the Sudbury Basin and the Thunder Bay District of Ontario, Canada; and
- the Norilsk Complex in Russia.
The majority of the global palladium supply comes from Russia producing 44% and South Africa at 40%, while the other big producers are Canada at 6% and the United States at 5%. Recycling is also another source of palladium, and it comes mostly from discarded catalytic converters.
Characteristics of Palladium
Even though it is rare, palladium in jewelry making has other hallmarks, which make it one of the most sought-after metals today. Seen below is a list and a brief explanation of palladium’s unique characteristics.
Purity
As with other metals like gold, silver, and platinum, pure palladium is used in jewelry production, and establishing its purity is similar to that of platinum. When it comes to purity, reliable jewelry stores usually follow two standards:
- A jewelry piece with 95% pure palladium and 5% other metals.
- A jewelry piece with 90% pure palladium and 10% other metals.
Usually, palladium is alloyed with ruthenium and other hypoallergenic metals to produce harder and more consistent items.
Durability and Versatility
Palladium is among the easiest metals to work with as it is lighter and more malleable than platinum, thus, making it great for making intricate jewelry pieces. With having no memory, it stays in shape after the forging process making it one of the best metals to set gemstones in.
Wear-ability
Palladium and the rest of its PGMs cousins make a great choice for people who have certain skin sensitivities as it does not contain any allergens, unlike nickel (which is the common cause for allergic reactions) that is found in 14-karat gold jewelry. And when compared to white gold jewelry, palladium is better at resisting wear.
Color
While white gold jewelry contains rhodium plating (to prolong its bright white finish) that usually wears off, palladium’s natural white hue doesn’t require any plating.
Palladium Earrings
Earrings are historically worn by men and women in Asia; however, in the West (including Egypt and Israel), they were worn exclusively by women. Classical literature portrays earring wearing men as exclusively Middle Eastern. Ear piercing is one of the oldest known forms of body modification, even dating back to 5 millennia ago.
Earrings come in different forms and styles. Here are some of the most popular ones:
Stud Earrings
A minimalistic earring, studs go straight through the ear. It gives an illusion that it is floating and without any point of connection. It usually has a pointed end that penetrates the ear and another end with a simple design facing the front. It is locked in place by a small metal clutch called butterfly scroll.
Hoop Earrings
These are earrings that share a look with a finger ring, usually circular or oval in shape. It’s usually made out of a hollow metal tubing with a thin wire that penetrates the ear also serving as a lock. Hoop earrings come in a wide range of sizes too from a small 10mm in diameter up to around 65mm in diameter.
Dangle Earrings
This type of earring is designed to hang on the earlobe, with the majority of its parts hangs down like a chandelier. This type comes in different lengths (from one centimeter to shoulder length). A small hook is usually hooked to the ear as the hook design gives more support to its design. These earrings usually come with a variety of designs, too, from a simple singular line to intricate patterns.
Barbell Earrings
As the name suggests, a barbell earring is usually a thin metal bar with “weights” attached to both ends, the other back end functioning as a lock as well.
Are you planning to sell your palladium earrings?
Do you have old palladium earrings you want out of your hands? We’ll be happy to take them from you and even pay you for it! Here at Nevada Coin Mart, we are the #1 buyer of palladium earring, in Las Vegas and Henderson, even in the entire Nevada state!
We offer free in-store evaluation for your piece using state-of-the-art Thermo Scientific Niton X-Ray Spectrometer in order to accurately analyze and measure precious metal contents in your piece. This will ensure that you get top-dollar for your items.
We are open 365 times in a year from 9 am to 6 pm, so come visit us at Nevada Coin Mart® 4065 S. Jones Blvd Las Vegas, NV 89103 or call us up at 702-998-4000.
