Nice palladium alloys

Jewelry Discussion
1

Hello all,

I have been using palladium more and more. I have worked with a few
palladium alloys. Just now I am using 5% copper and I wonder what
else I could use.

As far as finess is concerned 95% is good, but what about other
mixes.

I would love to experiment a bit, but I thought I’d try and see if
somebody has any hints.

For instance, how would these work: 95% palladium and silver, gold,
sterling, white gold alloy, white gold, platinum, and platinum group
metals. I am not too fussed about cost. I am limited by heat,
(oxy/butane).

Are there any favourite alloys? How about 750. I have noticed pure
plat and a lot of palladium is hopelessly soft. I’d prefer to offer
an alloy of only white precious metals (or gold), if possible.

If I can hazard a guess 730 palladium and 270 hard pd/white gold
(thinking 750 pd end result) would be nice.

It seems a useful alloy, but the properties of white gold are much
better in most cases. It takes an age to polish yet it is soft.

Side issue - I have also had no luck rhodium plating palladium. I am
happy to leave it, but apparently I should have been able to plate
it. Odd.

Looking forward to your responses,

Phillip

2

Hi Phillip

I have been using palladium more and more. I have worked with a
few palladium alloys. Just now I am using 5% copper and I wonder
what else I could use.

I have tried a few Pd 950 Alloys and the best I have used is
Palladium 95% Ruthenium 4.5%. I have tried the Pd/Ag (too soft and
sticky and hard to polish), Pd/Cu/Iridium (a little soft and a little
hard to polish), Palladium/Au (similar to Pd/Ag). I have a formula
that I haven’t tried yet that uses pd/Cu and either Ru or Co, which
is said to work well. They are all (the alloys) hard to melt into bar
and ideally this should be done in an inert atmosphere, if possible.

The Pd/Ru alloy works a little like hard 18kt white and polishes a
lot easier than Pt.

Hope that this helps
Lawrence (In sunny Perth, Western Australia)