Hypoallergenic metals
DID YOU KNOW ?
Practically all manufacturers choose to useNickel (Ni) in their white gold jewelry for its whitening properties? Despite this, St-Onge Jeweller has elected to replace nickel by a far superior alloy: palladium.
NO NICKEL
The white gold used for the manufacture of our jewelry is hypoallergenic and does not tarnish since it contains a palladium alloy in replacement of nickel which can cause itching and redness.
Why replace nickel in the creation of white gold jewellery?
A large majority of manufacturers still use nickel in their white gold pieces of jewelry but very few people are aware of the fact that nickel is the most allergenic of metals. In fact, more than 12% of the population (the majority being women) are allergic to nickel. Oxidation is the other phenomenon caused by nickel: the gold rapidly tarnishes to a yellow hue. The application of nickel has been disrupted in Europe for a few years already, which is not the case in North America. Please note that 24Kt gold is pure gold. When we refer to an 18Kt, this signifies that it is composed of 18 parts of pure gold and 6 parts of other metals such as nickel, palladium, silver, copper, etc. A carat (Kt) is a quality mark indicating the purity of gold, not to be mistaken for the unit of gem (Ct).
WHAT IS PALLADIUM?
Well-known for its hypoallergenic properties, palladium is naturally white and considered as a precious metal. Closely related to platinum, palladium is often applied in the fabrication of medical surgical equipment. Palladium is a pure metal as it obtains its colour and lustre directly from nature. It does not react to oxygen and subsequently does not oxidize and keeps its whiteness throughout its lifetime.
WHY IS IT THAT ST-ONGE JEWELLER IS ONE OF THE ONLY USING PALLADIUM ?
Due to the fact that using palladium involves a complex process, very few manufacturers of jewelry use it in their white gold creations. After having invested many years in palladium research, St-Onge Jeweller is more than proud to be in a position to offer this exceptional product. Given that our objective is to always offer superior quality, we will continuously pursue its evolution. It should also be noted that nickel is never used in our yellow or rose gold.