The Colors of Precious Metals

Platinum is often used in rings and other jewelry.

Gold and silver aren't the only precious metals, and not all precious metals have applications in jewelry. So-called precious metals are metals that are rare on earth, and typically have some application. Some metals we think of as abundant in modern times have been considered precious throughout history, when the technology to extract it was not available. This was most notably the case for aluminum.

Palladium

Palladium is in the "platinum group metals."

Palladium is a lustrous, silvery white metal often used in jewelry in alloys marketed as "white gold." White gold is an alloy containing certain amounts of gold as well as platinum and/or palladium. Despite the beauty of this element, it is often found in catalytic converters on cars.

Platinum

Platinum and palladium share similar chemical properties, as they are in the same column of the periodic table.

Platinum is very similar to palladium; it is a lustrous silvery-white metal. It is ductile and malleable and often used in jewelry as a prestigious alternative to "white gold." It was often used in older catalytic converters but has largely less been replaced by the element palladium. Platinum is also known for its hardness and resistance to corrosion.

Gold

Gold ingots have often been used to back currencies.

Like many other precious metals, gold is lustrous, but it is known for its distinctive yellow color. It is perhaps the most well known and sought-after metal in jewelry, but its applications stretch beyond jewelry. Gold is particularly soft and malleable, and so is almost always combined with other metals into alloys. Another remarkable quality of gold is its heat and electrical conductivity, which gives it applications in electronics and engineering.

Beryllium

Beryllium is a shiny, steel-gray metal, and never found pure in nature. When exposed to air, it forms an oxidized layer that prevents further corrosion of the metal. Unlike many other precious metals it does not have applications in jewelry, but is used mostly in engineering because of its light weight, strength, resistance to corrosion and high melting point.

References

• Periodic Table of Elements and Chemistry
• Alphabetical list by name of the chemical elements of the periodic table