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BULLION PRICES ROCKET and will effect wedding ring prices


While generally lacking in confidence the financial markets maintain their interest and confidence in precious metals i.e bullion, driving up prices. This year we have already seen huge gains in the market prices of Platinum, Gold and perhaps the surprise star Palladium.


The DiamondGeezer.com metal buyers recommend couples, looking to secure their wedding rings, do so sooner rather than later to avoid further hikes in the speculative bullion market. Rememeber that the prices of bullion as a trading commodity are set twice a day in London & New York and new values, while not immediately passed on, are instantly reflected in the prices all jewellery manufacturers, including DiamondGeezer.com have to pay.

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DiamondGeezer.com Signature Diamond Solitaire in Hallmarked Palladium

Leading UK online diamond jeweller & jewellery manufacturer DiamondGeezer.com welcomes the new compulsory hallmarking of palladium jewellery which became law in the U.K on the 1st January 2010.    There has been a voluntary hallmark for Palladium since July 2009 and over 40,000 pieces have been voluntarily hallmarked in the last six months. DiamondGeezer.com believes that this demonstrates the potential popularity of this newly recognised precious metal.

Hallmarked Palladium & 18ct Yellow gold Celtic wedding ring design by DiamondGeezer.com

DiamondGeezer.com has been successfully manufacturing diamond rings & wedding rings in Palladium for the past 5 years. Much of the jewellery industry see this pure, noble white metal as a threat to more expensive platinum sales, whereas DiamondGeezer.com offer it as an alternative to 18ct white gold. Being naturally white, unlike white gold, Palladium is a hard, low maintenance metal that meets current trends and opens up huge opportunities to create affordable, practical, innovative pieces of fine diamond rings, wedding rings & diamond jewellery using the metal.

From January 1, 2010 hallmarking became a compulsory legal requirement for all palladium articles weighing over 1 gram.  The recognised fineness standards are 500, 950 or 999 parts per thousand, the 950 standard is the recognised quality for fine jewellery. Palladium has much in common with Platinum – it is very white, does not require plating and does not tarnish. It is less dense and less expensive and the consequences of mistakenly identifying Platinum as Palladium are eradicated by the new hallmarking shape which was introduced on the 1st January 2010 and replaces the initial trapezium shape.

Platinum Fineness Marks

Palladium Fineness Marks 2010 onwards

Hallmarking has protected the U.K consumer and ensured the U.K. jewellery industry operates exacting, high standards for over 700 years. No piece of fine jewellery can be sold as silver, platinum or gold in the UK unless it has been hallmarked (subject to certain exemptions). The palladium mark is made up of three compulsory symbols, the sponsors mark, identifying who submitted the item for hallmarking, the town mark, indicating which Assay Office tested and hallmarked the item and the fineness mark which denotes the purity of the metal alloy.

For more information about Palladium hallmarks go to DiamondGeezer.com/palladium or anyone of the four UK Assay Offices.

www.assayofficelondon.co.uk
www.theassayoffice.co.uk
www.assayoffice.co.uk
www.assayofficescotland.co.uk

At last Palladium has now been officially acknowledged as the latest precious metal trend for the fine jewellery industry with the advent of a hallmark to guarantee its fineness. From today, 22nd July 2009, the four UK Assay Offices can mark Palladium articles with a legally recognised Hallmark, applied under an amendment to the Hallmarking Act 1973.

The interest in Palladium both within the jewellery trade and among consumers and especially DiamondGeezer.com clients has grown steadily in recent years, driven by an increased demand for quality jewellery in white precious metal. Palladium, part of the platinum group metals is tarnish resistant, white and durable. It also has low density, and is less expensive than Platinum, enabling DiamondGeezer.com designers to produce stunning pieces which are durable, beautiful and affordable.

ABOUT PALLADIUM
Palladium is a rare and lustrous silvery-white metal that was discovered in 1803 by William Hyde Wollaston, who named it palladium after the asteroid Pallas. Palladium has been used as a precious metal in jewellery since 1939, as an alternative to white gold. Its naturally white properties mean no need for rhodium plating. It is slightly whiter, lighter and about 12% harder than platinum. 950 Palladium is more durable than white gold. Wear testing has shown a 15% longer wear ratio. Like platinum, it will develop a milky patina over time which many like. Over time palladium will show the signs of everyday wear, but the surface is easily restored to the original lustre by cleaning and polishing, a service we are happy to provide.

Given its precious, noble metal status and our complete enthusiasm for the material DiamondGeezer.com are champions of palladium and support the current move to make it a legal requirement, as with platinum, gold and silver to have it hallmarked. This legislation is currently on the long route through the House of Commons and a Revised Impact Assessment is about to go back to the Ministry. If approved, the Ministry will consult with the rest of government and the trade (again).

Hallmarking has protected the consumer and ensured the U.K. jewellery industry operates exacting, high standards for over 700 years. No piece of fine jewellery can be sold as silver, platinum or gold in the UK unless it has been hallmarked (subject to certain exemptions). The palladium mark is made up of three compulsory symbols, the sponsors mark, identifying who submitted the item for hallmarking, the town mark, indicating which Assay Office tested and hallmarked the item and the fineness mark which denotes the purity of the metal alloy.

Palladium Showcase
Dragons’ Den diamond lapel pin

Colette asks………..

> Is your palladium 14k palladium?  Thank you.

Palladium purity is NOT measured in carats which is reserved for gold as in 9k, 14k, and 18k etc. but as parts per 1000, where 1000 is pure, just like platinum, which is a related metal.

The highest quality used in jewellery and rings is 950 (950/1000) which all DiamondGeezer.com palladium products are made of.

Hallmarking of palladium is almost certainly to be a legal requirement in the UK from April 2009, which certainly meets gets the approval of DiamondGeezer.com

Palladium is a rare and lustrous silvery-white metal that was discovered in 1803 by William Hyde Wollaston, who named it palladium after the asteroid Pallas.

Palladium, along with platinum, rhodium, ruthenium, iridium and osmium form a group of elements referred to as the PLATINUM GROUP.

Palladium is also tarnish resistant, electrically stable and resistant to chemical erosion as well as intense heat. Palladium itself has been used as a precious metal in jewellery since 1939, as an alternative to platinum and white gold. Its naturally white properties mean no need for rhodium plating. It is slightly whiter, lighter and about 12% harder than platinum. 950 Palladium is more durable than white gold. Wear testing has shown a 15% longer wear ratio. Like platinum, it will develop a milky patina over time which many like.

Over time palladium will show the signs of everyday wear, but the surface is easily restored to the original lustre by cleaning and polishing, a service we are happy to provide.

Given its precious, noble metal status and our complete enthusiasm for the material DiamondGeezer.com are champions of palladium and support the current move to make it a legal requirement, as with platinum, gold and silver to have it hallmarked.  This legislation is currently on the long route through the House of Commons and a Revised Impact Assessment is about to go back to the Ministry. If approved, the Ministry will consult with the rest of government and the trade (again). Our best guess is that we will see a palladium hallmark requirement by the summer of 2009.

Just watch what happens to the level of use and the price after that happens!