Working With Palladium
Palladium has been used since the late 1930s, during World War II. The war limited the availability of gold and platinum in the use of jewelry, so palladium was used instead. In the early millennium, the prices of platinum soared, bringing the popularity of palladium back. Palladium provides similar qualities to platinum but at prices comparable to 18K gold. Palladium is hypoallergenic, naturally white in color, and 10 percent stronger than platinum. The light weight of palladium, lends itself to be able to create intricate designs in jewelry. However, due to its strength, palladium can be difficult to work with. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Platinum level eye protection
- Mask for metal fumes
- Torch
- Cast
- Platinum rouge
Instructions
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Put on your platinum level eye protection and mask for metal fumes. If you are working in a well ventilated area, a mask is not necessary.
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Place the palladium into the cast and heat with the torch until melted. Palladium casts around 1,350 degrees Celsius, compared to 14K gold which casts at 950 degrees Celsius.
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Allow the palladium to cool. If the palladium is cast too hot it may crack. Fill the cracks by melting more palladium into the cracks.
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Tips & Warnings
The heated color of palladium takes some training of the eye to tell when it is properly heated.
Palladium may also shrink after being cast, requiring it to be filled in.
Take caution when using the torch and handling hot substances.
