When you dream of wedding rings, you probably think of gold or silver. Even so, a material that is rapidly gaining popularity on the market is none of these, and it is significantly less expensive than both. If you’re looking for something bold and different, online stores like Intellirings can help in finding the best one for you.
What is Tungsten Carbide?
Carbon is combined or alloyed with Tungsten, hard and dense metal with a high melting point, to produce Tungsten Carbide. Tungsten Carbide has a deep grey colour in its natural state, but it can be polished, sandblasted, or carved to achieve various aesthetic finishes.
Background of Tungsten Carbide Rings
Since the 1700s, Tungsten has been around. It was first extracted from ore, finding the element with the highest melting point of all metals.” Tungsten Carbide is synthesised for the first time in the 1800s, and it is “used for industrial purposes because of its intense toughness, such as cutting tools in the 1900s and advanced precise surgical tools.”
Tungsten Carbide Rings: What to pay attention
If you’re looking for a Tungsten Carbide ring, it’s crucial to look for one that’s at least 80% Tungsten. “At this purity, it’s ten times stronger than 18k gold and has a substantial and luxurious weight, equivalent to platinum. Dealers will substitute a costly filler for Tungsten in certain cases, lowering the ring’s value and credibility.
Pros – Tungsten Carbide Ring
- Tarnish-resistant and hypoallergenic
- Polish will never fade.
- Excellent Scratch resistance.
- High abrasion resistance
- Increased toughness and endurance
- Available in a wide range of designs and colours to fit a variety of interests.
Tungsten Carbide rings are therefore much less expensive than their gold and platinum counterparts. Plus, it never loses its lustre, making it much more comfortable to wear indefinitely.
Cons – Tungsten Carbide Rings
There are few drawbacks to buying a Tungsten Carbide ring. For instance, your supplier may be selling a ring with a purity level lower than 80 per cent.
Due to its intrinsic hardness, the ring is susceptible to cracking if dropped on a rough surface such as cement or marble. Tungsten cannot be resized because it is not malleable like gold. It’s also worth mentioning that these rings are usually very heavy, which can be a plus or a disadvantage depending on your preferences.
Tungsten Carbide vs Tungsten
While these two words are often used interchangeably, there are some distinctions between them. Tungsten cannot be used in jewellery in its pure form. Instead, it is transformed into tungsten carbide; a metal made up of roughly 85 per cent tungsten and 15 per cent carbon, nickel, or cobalt.
Since Tungsten is brittle, combining it with carbon decreases this property, making the metal more robust and workable. Nickel or cobalt serves as a binder, binding the metal together and allowing it to be formed.
Conclusion
Wedding bands made of tungsten carbide with a nickel binder are considered to be of the highest quality. Tungsten carbide with cobalt as a binder, on the other hand, is not recommended for jewellery because cobalt can cause skin irritation and staining when it reacts with body oils. Some vendors sell tungsten rings as tungsten carbide rings. So be cautious, as not all tungsten carbide rings on the market are carbide.