Palladium is a rare, naturally white and lustrous metal. Unlike white gold, palladium does not need to be alloyed or plated for protection or coloring. This is good news for jewelry lovers allergic to nickel, which is often used in creating white gold.
Nickel allergies are fairly common—in fact, one in eight people will experience an allergic reaction to white gold alloyed with nickel. Although nickel is non-toxic, the body mistakenly believes it’s a harmful substance. Often inherited, the allergy appears more in women than in men—but this may so because women tend to wear more jewelry than men. Usually, a reaction occurs 12-48 hours after prolonged exposure to the offending metal.