g Factor of the 2 + 1 State of 170 Hf

The $g$ factor of the ${2}_{1}^{+}$ state of $^{170}\mathrm{Hf}$ was measured by perturbed \ensuremath{\gamma}-\ensuremath{\gamma} angular correlation in a static external magnetic field. The result, $g({2}_{1}^{+})=0.28$(5), extends the systematics of $g$ factors of even-even Hf isotopes to $N=98$ and enables a better test of theoretical models. The $g({2}_{1}^{+})$ experimental values of these isotopes exhibit a remarkable constancy as a function of neutron number. This phenomenon, which was also observed for other isotopic chains in the Gd--W range, is explained in terms of a recently proposed empirical model.