ArtFire

Since this bracelet was first offered, Palladium has increased in price by over 300% I can't make another for anywhere near the current price. If you've wanted to own a piece of jewelry made from a rare member of the platinum group metals, now is the time to buy. You will not find cheaper prices any time soon.

The is a neo-classical loop-in-loop design developed and published in Jean Stark's book "Classical Loop-in-Loop Chains and their Derivatives", which I rendered in 950 Palladium. The bracelet is 8 7/8" long.

Palladium is a Platinum Group Metal, very rare, much rarer than gold, but curiously, at this moment in time, much cheaper. It has not always been so, and may not be so in the future.

Palladium shares the color of Platinum, but not it's weight. It has about the same "heft" as silver.

It is classified as a "White Metal", but it is not light in color. The whiteness refers to the neutrality of the hue, the lack of yellowness.

I have pictured the bracelet between a platinum ring and a fine silver bracelet, so that you can compare the colors.

Palladium is a noble metal, and therefore hypoallergenic. It will not tarnish.

The bracelet design can be worn by both men and women. It can be easily sized down by a local jeweler, if need be.

Weight: 18 grams.

Express mail insured shipping included in the price.

I enjoy chain making, especially loop-in-loop designs. Each link requires one's full attention during each stage of the process. I usually work in Fine Silver, or very high karat gold (22K or 24K). Working with pure metals adds to the meditative quality of the chain making experience.

I had heard a lot about Palladium, both because of it's rarity and nobility, and because of it's current favorable market pricing relative to gold and platinum. So I decided to try my hand with it.

950 palladium requires much, much higher temperatures to accomplish annealing and fusing than either silver or gold, so hot, in fact, that I had too purchase special goggles to view the work in progress without damaging my eyes. It's also much stiffer, and harder, even after annealing.

It takes a fantastic polish though, and has a wonderfully durable surface.

950 Palladium,TruPD