Choosing The Perfect Tungsten Carbide Wedding Band Ring
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.
