Alternative Metals Ready for an explosion on nontraditional white metals in jewelry? That’s how Boulder Jewelry describes the expanding number of jewelry lines using precious-metal palladium and other white metals – stainless steel, titanium, and tungsten – as alternatives to platinum, silver and white gold. Soaring prices of gold and platinum are pushing consumers, retailers, and manufacturers to these more affordable options. Palladium – During World War II, it was in demand as an alternative to platinum, then a strategic metal restricted to military use. After the war, palladium sank back into obscurity (except for some activity in the 1980s among craft jewelers), used mainly for findings. Then, automakers in the late 1990s discovered platinum works well in car engines’ catalytic converters. That and the popularity of precious “white metals” pushed up platinum’s price – and created a new opportunity for palladium to shine. A lustrous precious metal, mostly mined in America, in the platinum metals group. It’s naturally white-gray, indeed, whiter than platinum, won’t tarnish or change color and is hypoallergenic. It’s lighter, more versatile, can produce more jewelry than platinum from the same amount of metal, and costs less than platinum or white gold and it will last a lifetime. Stainless Steel – Once considered avant-garde, but in the past decade its appeal has widened, spurred partly by white metals’ continuing popularity and by more stainless-steel sports, mid and luxury price watches. (Over half of Swiss watch exports are steel.) Most men wear steel watches, so, they accessorize with steel jewelry. Titanium – In recent years, it has grown in popularity, and today young people want something different than their parents had, and titanium has a different look and feel. Most of our customers are guys who didn’t like jewelry, but they like titanium, because it’s lightweight, comfortable, and won’t bend in sports or training. But it isn’t just men; more women are into extreme sports, and want something sturdy that won’t scratch or get deformed like gold rings can. There is also a sentimental reason, too, titanium is very strong, and that appeals to a lot of women, who it represents their strong bond of love with their husbands. Tungsten – A surprising trend in today’s jewelry market. A very heavy metal, steel-gray to white, exceptionally hard and strong. A lot of men and women work out, and wedding bands of gold or silver are soft and can warp. Tungsten is the strongest metal you can get, not flexible, and can be worn even when working out. It’s unmeltable, never scratches, and men love it.
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