At Clean Origin, we offer 14k and 18k white, yellow, and rose gold, as well as platinum. While we don’t carry palladium for our rings and jewelry, we want to make sure you are knowledgeable about all engagement ring metal options!

After you pick out the perfect lab grown diamond and setting, your next big decision is picking out metal for your ring. The most popular metal choice for many brides-to-be is gold, with white gold, rose gold, and yellow gold as your options. Other options are palladium or platinum. Platinum is a popular choice with its naturally white metal. A metal that is similar in appearance to platinum, but much less known is palladium. Although platinum and palladium are similar visually, they are actually quite different. Confused as to which metal to go with? We’ll guide you through the pros and cons and key points of each, so you can be 100% sure you made the right choice for your ring.

What Is Platinum?

Platinum is a fantastic choice if you’re looking for a ring that is resistant to corrosion, is durable and significantly harder than other metals such as silver or white gold. Platinum is also much more expensive, anywhere from 40-50% more expensive than white gold, since platinum is created with a higher percentage of precious metal (90%). However, this price can be well worth it if you live an active lifestyle, or have sensitive skin, since platinum is hypoallergenic because it is pure metal.

What Is Palladium?

Palladium is a lesser-known precious metal for many people and has a white, silvery appearance. Although it has been around since 1939, it is a difficult metal to find on the market from most US jewelers. Palladium is used mostly for industrial uses like car manufacturers, which has led to its price increase over the years due to the industrial demand. This precious metal is rarer than white gold but similar to platinum as palladium resists corrosion, is extremely durable, and also hypoallergenic.

Which Metal Is Best?

There is no “best” metal when it comes to palladium vs platinum, and both have their own unique qualities that will appeal to different types of ring wearers. If you are looking for a metal that is higher quality, durable, and a bit heavier in weight, platinum may be best for you. If you’re looking for a metal that has that beautiful silvery color, durable, but noticeably lightweight on your finger, palladium could be the one. With palladium vs platinum rings, the metals are very similar visually and look great as engagement or wedding rings. It is important to note that although palladium and platinum may look similar, each precious metal has its pros and cons, which we will go over below.

Appearance:

If you compare two rings side by side, platinum and palladium, you will hardly spot any difference between the two metals. Both metals offer a similar aesthetic of a white, silvery look. If you really want to get critical, palladium will look slightly darker than platinum, but again with both rings polished they will look very similar.

Durability:

Both precious metals are hard and durable, however, palladium will be slightly harder, and thus slightly more durable. This means that palladium will be more resistant to scratches, but not invincible. If you do wear your engagement ring or wedding ring daily, expect some wear and scratches on the band. Both platinum and palladium will patina a bit (develop a sheen with age and wear). And if you don’t like the looks of the patina, you can easily polish your metal and it will look shiny again!

Weight:

Palladium is lighter in weight when compared to platinum, which will make the ring feel lighter on your finger. If you like the feeling of a heavier band, platinum rings will weigh about twice as much as a palladium ring.

Cost:

When comparing palladium vs. platinum today, the prices will be fairly similar for engagement rings and wedding bands. Until recently, palladium would have cost you less than platinum. But the price of palladium has gone up over the last few years, becoming more popular for both jewelry and industrial uses. Both palladium and platinum are two of the more expensive precious metals you can use for rings and jewelry. You will pay significantly more for these, versus rings or jewelry made of 14k or 18k gold. For example, at Clean Origin our Classic Solitaire in platinum will cost you $929.00 compared to 14k white gold which will cost $525.00. Remember that, whichever metal you choose, price does not reflect that one metal is better than another. If you are looking to save money when it comes to deciding on a metal, 14k gold is the best choice and will look good for years to come!

Availability:

While platinum is more commonly found by jewelers, palladium is much harder to find. In fact, palladium is about 30x rarer than gold and 15x rarer than platinum, thus is not commonly found for wedding and engagement rings because of its limited supply. At Clean Origin, we only offer platinum, not palladium. 

Resizing:

While resizing is fairly common for wedding bands and engagement rings, there are some metals that are easier to resize. If you are considering a ring made from palladium, it is very important to note that it will be more difficult to resize, due to the lack of jewelers that work with this precious metal and also because of its characteristics. For that reason, be sure that the size you order is the correct size to avoid any resizing issues. Platinum, on the other hand, can be resized easily (within reason). Generally, for platinum and gold metals, it is easier to size down than it is to size up, so keep that in mind before buying your ring. However, if you resize a platinum ring to make it larger, this involves adding more platinum into the band, which will cost you more than a gold band would because platinum is a more expensive metal. With palladium and platinum, we recommend that you get the correct size upon purchase to avoid any issues or added costs. Our ring sizing guide will help you figure out your ring size, or figure out your future fiance’s size secretly.