Pure gold is only suitable to a limited extent for the production of jewellery, as it is too soft and susceptible to scratches. Therefore, the use of silver, copper and other materials added to fine gold is often resorted to in jewellery making. The Permanent White alloy type is characterised by the addition of 14% palladium to 14 carat white gold jewellery. Unlike a normal alloy of 15 carat white gold, where the surface is coated with rhodium, jewellery with the Permanent White alloy has no surface coating. Due to the high palladium content, the possibility of a colour change through abrasion, which can occur, for example, through everyday wear, is low and the jewellery retains its shine even after years and does not tarnish. Tarnishing is unavoidable with a surface coating of rhodium, which makes the colour contrast of bi- or tricolour jewellery weaker. The only visible difference is in the colour tone. Jewellery with the Permanent White alloy is slightly cooler than those with a standard white gold alloy, which have a lighter and warmer shade of white. Compared to standard white gold alloys, they are also slightly more expensive, as palladium is more expensive than silver as well as gold, and here it is mainly the colour stability that can be guaranteed.
