[Jewelry making - Article 00039] - Re: [Orchid] Platinum vs Palladium for engagement rings

[Teresa Frye]

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Hi Daniel

>     I think they are both generally suitable for engagement rings but
>     after spending a year working with palladium I threw in the towel.
>     I was unable to get a satisfactory product that I was happy with
>     all the time. 

    I am curious about what specific issues caused you to throw in the
    towel. I have feedback from so many bench jewelers that they love the
    way the metal polishes and sets, that it's in fact quicker to work
    than platinum. The most significant bench issues that seem to cause
    problems (as another part of this thread notes) would appear to be
    soldering and sizing. 

    At this point, the serious areas of challenge are casting and alloy
    selection. Both of these can be addressed, however, with the right
    casting process and the right alloy formula. And I do mean both. Gee,
    does this seem a little like platinum in the early nineties? Casters
    were pulling their hair out and bench jewelers were exasperated with
    the amount of time it took to finish a piece in comparison with gold.
    I think palladium, like platinum, will have its own evolution in
    manufacturing, and when it is all said and done, we will have a solid
    home for the last precious metal our planet gave us that is suitable
    for fine jewelry. 

Teresa Frye
TechForm Advanced Casting Technology
www.techformcasting.com
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