Clearing the Air about Tungsten Wedding Rings- Frequently Asked Questions
Tungsten wedding rings have to be the hottest thing in the world of jewellery today. There is a multitude of wedding rings for you to select from; rest assured that you are going to be completely spoilt for choice. The ring that you decide to take home with you is going to be informed by your personal tastes and preferences. Choosing a tungsten ring can be a little bit of a hassle, especially if it your first time to come across such rings. A majority of people walk into jewellery stores with gold and silver rings in mind, but when they get to see tungsten rings, they are thrown completely off balance.
These rings are stylish, unique, very simple, but extremely sophisticated. They are the best thing that could have happened to wedding rings. You do not have to limit yourself to those traditional wedding rings. They are pretty and all, but sometimes it is always good to veer off the tradition a little bit. Tungsten wedding rings present a myriad of styles for you to select from. It is an assurance that you are going to be impressed.
Where are the questions
When shopping for tungsten wedding rings, there are a number of questions that you are bound to have like what tungsten carbide is. It is hard to like something that you do not understand, right? So, to clear the air regarding these rings, here are some commonly asked questions regarding tungsten wedding rings:
- What is tungsten carbide?
This is a compound of tungsten (a metal) and carbon. It is one of the strongest materials in the known universe second only to diamond. It is hard to break tungsten carbide- it requires a lot of energy. Tungsten carbide rings contain a binder- a metal that is used to give the compound its lustrous look. Most often, the preferred binder is nickel because it is also a strong metal and it gives a high quality binding. The end product is just stunning. Other metals can be used as binders, but they are not all that exciting.
- What is black tungsten?
Naturally, tungsten carbide has a shiny silver-grey colour. Black tungsten has a rich dark colour. The making of black tungsten is a bit too technical and irrelevant for this article. However, the end result is a material that creates very handsome wedding rings. Generally, black tungsten wedding bands are very resistant to the regular scratching and typical wear. Nevertheless, the reason why many people value this option is because of its lustrous shine, sleek designs that it comes in and the rich colour it has to offer. It is a very popular option for brides and their grooms who want to get wedding bands that speak uniqueness.
- What about white tungsten; is it inferior to the black one?
White tungsten also takes a lot of time to produce. It does not have that grey colour that is characteristic of tungsten carbide. Instead, it brings with it a rich and lavish white shiny. The problem with the white tungsten is that it is not as resistant to scratches as the black and grey tungsten wedding bands. Even so, it still delivers the brilliant white look of white gold or platinum, making it a really great option for wedding bands.
- Are tungsten rings for men only?
No! By all means, not at all! There is an abundance of men’s tungsten wedding rings in the market. Nonetheless, this is not to mean that tungsten rings are for men alone. These rings can be worn by just about anyone. As a matter of fact, there are tungsten rings that are designed for women. It is true that tungsten carbide rings came into the market initially as an option for men because they wanted something handsome and stylish. However, now the rings have received a whole lot of design options.
- Can tungsten rings scratch?
Tungsten wedding rings are difficult to scratch. They can get scratched but it requires a lot of effort for that to happen. Most often, these rings get scratches from harder substances like diamond and that’s just about it. Diamond is the only substance that is stronger than tungsten carbide. In that light, tungsten carbide rings are able to withstand all sorts of common pressures that they might be subjected to on a daily basis.
It will probably be nice to mention the fact that tungsten rings do not get tarnished either. This is because tungsten carbide is not reactive with a majority of chemicals. While silver rings get tarnished by substances containing chlorine and gold gets messed up by sulphur, tungsten carbide does not get damaged easily.
- Can tungsten carbide rings be cut off?
Yes. If there is any need to remove a tungsten carbide ring there are tools available to do that. Usually, most people remove tungsten carbide rings because of issues such as excessive weight gain or injuries to the hand. The myths that tungsten carbide cannot be cut off do not hold water. Sure, the material is very strong and hard to cut but if it proves necessary to cut off the ring, there is absolutely no reason as to why it should not be possible.
- Is it possible to resize a tungsten wedding ring?
Generally, it is not possible to resize a tungsten wedding band. This is because of the hardness of the material. Resizing gold, palladium, platinum and silver rings is quite easy. It is not so when it come to tungsten carbide. Buyers are therefore advised to be very keen when they are picking out the sizes. This is probably the only downside of tungsten rings otherwise they are perfect!
Conclusion
In summary, there is a lot about tungsten carbide that you can learn. Nevertheless, for someone who is looking for a wedding ring they only need to understand the pros and cons plus the options that are available to them. Tungsten carbide presents a fantastic alternative to the common types of wedding rings.
Author bio
Michael Morris has been writing about men’s tungsten wedding rings for a while now. With years of experience in jewellery marketing and diamond cutting, he brings insightful counsel to couples looking for wedding jewellery through his blog.