South Africa’s first branded range of palladium jewellery was launched by Aumor Jewellery at this year’s Jewellex Exhibition held at the Sandton Convention Centre in July.

Aumor Jewellery, a South African fine jewellery house specialising in the manufacture and design of palladium jewellery, unveiled its “Goddess” range to retailers at the four-day expo.

Stephan McCabe, managing director of Aumor Jewellery says, “Palladium has often been called platinum’s sister metal because they have identical chemical properties, but palladium is a metal in its own right. It is more design-friendly because it is 40% lighter than platinum, which gives designers more creative and technical room for intricate designs, multiple diamond and gemstone settings and thicker mountings that are not uncomfortably heavy. This makes for more opulent and delicate fine jewellery pieces.”

Unique qualities

According to McCabe, palladium is 30-times more rare than gold, and is whiter, brighter and lighter than white gold. Palladium also offers excellent consumer value in that it allows for superior design quality and significantly outwears white gold.

Palladium is mined as a Platinum Group Metal (PGM) and is out-of-the-ground pure white. White gold is 75% yellow gold alloyed “bleached” with 25% or more of other white metals, which is then plated, and the plating eventually wears off. Palladium alloy combinations typically consist of 95% palladium and 5% either ruthenium or iridium (also platinum group metals). It is non-allergenic and does not tarnish or lose its whiteness with wear.

Contribution to economic development

Aumor Jewellery is a tenant of the incubator set up by the Platinum Trust, formed in 2003, and supported by the SEDA Technology Programme, a division of the DTI. The broader significance of the launch of Aumor Jewellery’s palladium range is that it brings to fruition the SEDA Platinum Incubator’s value-adding undertaking, in line with government’s mineral beneficiation strategy of improving pre-export raw materials.

South Africa is the second largest producer of palladium in the world. Due to increasing prices of platinum and gold and the growth in demand for white metal jewellery, the palladium jewellery market has surged in the last three to five years.

South Africa’s Department of Minerals and Energy Affairs has reported that the worldwide demand for palladium jewellery has grown from 215 000 ounces in 1998 to a high of 1.43 million ounces in 2005, largely driven by demand in China.

In the US, palladium producers, refiners and jewellery manufacturers have formed the Palladium Alliance International, a forum that has consolidated facts, standards and manufacturing techniques specifically for palladium.

McCabe says, “Palladium’s status as an all-natural, precious white metal is an opportunity for South African jewellery manufacturers and designers to make a strong impact on the global jewellery industry.”

“Aumor Jewellery plans to harness local design talents and drive consumer and industry knowledge on palladium, to secure a formidable position in the global jewellery market.”

Former Miss South Africa and socialite Vanessa Carreira has been announced as the face of Aumor Jewellery. This super stylish beauty will be the company’s representative and the face of its advertising campaigns for the next year. Vanessa will be wearing custom-designed Aumor Jewellery bridal pieces for her wedding to businessman Chris Coutroulis set to take place in Greece later this month.

Celebrated South African designer, Amanda Laird Cherry also incorporated various Aumor Jewellery pieces into her show range for the Sanlam South Africa Fashion Week in August 2007.