Partner Article

How to choose between titanium and tungsten

One aspect that has to be borne in mind when shopping for wedding bands is that you have to take care of it. The costlier bands or rings you purchase, the more becomes your responsibility to look after it. If you prefer stones on the rings then the need for maintenance is even more. Using warm sudsy water to soak it and then brushing with a soft tooth brush is the way of keeping it bright and shining always. Do not forget to wipe it and pat it dry after washing with a soft cloth piece.

New metals for jewelry

Gold and silver rings are particularly prone to scratches while platinum rings are much harder and almost scratch free. But platinum is just too costly and not what most people can afford. Often a coating of rhodium is applied on gold and silver jewelry to reduce the possibilities of scratches but cannot prevent it. To overcome this problem, metals like titanium and tungsten are being widely used as these guarantee complete protection from scratches, corrosion and tarnishing besides being much more affordable.

Both titanium and tungsten rings are popular in the men’s jewelry market today as it displays contemporary fashion. The two metals are named in the same breath due to some similarities of properties and are mostly preferred due to its affordability and style quotient. Some of the similarities and dissimilarities of these metals have been discussed in this article.

Color

The metals have almost similar colors. Both have a light grey shade that looks like natural gunmetal that can be even converted into black for exclusive designs. Rings made from tungsten can be made to resemble platinum or white gold very closely.

Hardness and scratch resistance

Tungsten and Titanium are seen as cheaper substitutes for platinum as both metals are extremely hard and can withstand all kinds of abrasion. When you wear wedding bands made from these metals you are guaranteed for lifetime for scratch resistance with tungsten being even harder than titanium. Tungsten is almost one and a half times harder than titanium.

Hypoallergenic properties

Rings made from tungsten use a compound of tungsten and carbon in equal proportions to obtain a powder known as tungsten carbide. This is then formed into a compound by using nickel as binder. Although used in very minute quantity the presence of nickel cannot assure that tungsten is one hundred percent hypoallergenic like titanium.

Weight

Tungstenis heavier than titanium and this has to be considered when selecting between rings made from these metals. If you prefer a weighty feeling on your finger then tungsten is suitable for you. But for durability coupled with light weight, titanium is a better choice.

Crack resistance

Tungsten is very hard but brittle that is completely the opposite for titanium. If rings of tungsten are subjected to very high pressure or hits against a hard surface it does not bend but cracks. This has to be kept in mind during selection.Be careful about selecting the right size of rings made from tungsten as these cannot be resized.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Evans Walsh .