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[T1368]Tungsten Carbide Wedding Band

by Ken Ken, Ken

When you decide to marry, one of the most important decisions will be about your ring. Traditionally, gold, white gold, silver and platinum have been used in wedding bands. But today, the selection of metals is broader, reflecting the change in our tastes and lifestyle. Tungsten carbide is one of the new metals from which jewelry designers have begun to craft wedding band rings, offering a wide variety of styles and designs that fit every taste and budget.

What is Tungsten Carbide?

On its own, tungsten is a very hard and dense metal, with the highest melting point of all metals - 6,100 degrees Fahrenheit. Alone, tungsten is vulnerable to scratches and damage just like any other metal, it gains its extreme hardness by being combined with a carbon alloy, transforming it into tungsten carbide, with a hardness between 8.5 and 9.5 on the Mohs hardness scale. The strength of tungsten carbide has made it widely used for decades in industrial applications - it is four times harder than titanium, twice as hard as steel and almost impossible to scratch. The resulting metal can be designed into wedding band rings that are both visually stunning to please the eye and durable enough to withstand everyday use. These rings can only be damaged through extreme measures, such as abrasion from diamonds or being struck with a hammer.

Choosing Your Tungsten Carbide Wedding Band Ring

Make sure you ask your jeweler which metal was used in the finishing or binding process. Many manufacturers of tungsten carbide wedding band rings use cobalt as a binder, mostly because it is cheaper to produce. The problem with cobalt is that it bonds with oils in the skin and leeches out of the ring resulting in oxidation. The oxidation appears similar to tarnished sliver, but cannot be removed by polishing or grinding. The better choice is nickel-binder tungsten carbide which is chemically inert, will not oxidize and because it is hypoallergenic, there is no danger of irritation to the skin. Be careful about dealing with a jeweler that doesn't specify that their tungsten wedding bands are made with the nickel binder alloy. Many jewelry stores do not know which alloy they are selling, and if they don't know, it is most likely cobalt alloy or pure tungsten, which lacks the hardness of tungsten carbide and are easily scratched.

Because of tungsten carbide's extreme hardness, wedding bands made from this metal cannot be sized like gold, silver or platinum rings. When you are ready to purchase, make sure that you take extra care in determining the proper size. In regards to engraving a tungsten carbide ring, it is possible, but the results will be very faint and difficult to read.

Finally, since your tungsten carbide wedding band ring is not indestructible, it makes sense to get a warranty, especially against breakage. Under normal usage there should be little or no wear on both the polish and the textures of your tungsten carbide wedding band ring and you will never need to use your warranty.

When shopping for a tungsten carbide ring, make sure you ask your jeweler which metal was used in the finishing or binding process. Many manufacturers of tungsten carbide wedding band rings use cobalt as a binder, mostly because it is cheaper to produce. The problem with cobalt is that it bonds with oils in the skin and leeches out of the ring resulting in oxidation. The oxidation appears similar to tarnished sliver, but cannot be removed by polishing or grinding. The better choice is nickel-binder tungsten carbide which is chemically inert, will not oxidize and because it is hypoallergenic, there is no danger of irritation to the skin. Be careful about dealing with a jeweler that doesn't specify that their tungsten wedding bands are made with the nickel binder alloy. Many jewelry stores do not know which alloy they are selling, and if they don't know, it is most likely cobalt alloy or pure tungsten, which lacks the hardness of tungsten carbide and are easily scratched.

Sizing and Engraving Your Tungsten Ring

Because of tungsten carbide's extreme hardness, wedding bands made from this metal cannot be sized like gold, silver or platinum rings. When you are ready to purchase, make sure that you take extra care in determining the proper size. We recommend that you use a standard narrow ring gauge (commonly known as a womens sizer) to accommodate for our comfort fit. We often find that people who guess their ring sizes or base them off of normal jewelry (such as silver rings etc.) find themselves ordering a ring that is usually one half size too large. To avoid having to return and exchange your ring, make sure that you take steps in determining what ring size your tungsten ring should be. In regards to engraving a tungsten carbide ring, it is possible to do with a laser engraver. Do not use a non laser engraving methods as these tend to cut too deep and at times have been know to damage rings.

Other Online Tungsten Retailers

Over the past two years the Internet has seen a large number of new retailers join the like of long established online stores. Most stores claim to have a lifetime warranty like other reputable stores however over the years I have seen stores come and go, leaving their customers out to dry with no lifetime support. has been selling and producing quality tungsten carbide jewelry since before it was popular. Whomever you select to be your tungsten ring provider, make sure that they have been in business long enough to warrant credibility. Tungsten Direct has been in business since 2002, making it one of the first tungsten carbide specialists.

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About Author

Both Ken Ken & Stewart Goodwin are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Ken Ken has sinced written about articles on various topics from Engagement Rings, Wedding Bells. Suneva is a part-time copywriter at Titanium Kay that specializes in .. Ken Ken's top article generates over 40500 views. to your Favourites.

Stewart Goodwin has sinced written about articles on various topics from Jewelry, Wedding Bells. Stewart Goodwin is a tungsten jewelry specialist. He has been involved in the designing and manufacturing of tungsten rings since 2002. His personal collection can be found at. Stewart Goodwin's top article generates over 40500 views. to your Favourites.