Archive for April, 2014
Tungsten Versus Titanium Rings; which is better?
Article written by Mike Fox, owner of Fox Jewelry; the leading marketer of Masonic Rings and other fraternal rings.
Men’s tungsten and titanium rings are becoming increasingly more popular in the jewelry industry. Because of the dramatic fluctuations and increases in the price of gold in the last couple of years, tungsten and titanium have become known as “alternative metals” and are gaining a much greater acceptance in the jewelry business and by our customers. Titanium and tungsten carbide rings are both very affordable alternatives to pricy precious metals and both products are fairly comparable in price.
While the two metals appear to be similar, they are actually quite different in their composition. Before deciding which metal to purchase, you may want to acquaint yourself with the key differences between the two products.
Tungsten is dark gray or gun metal in color while titanium is silver. On a Moh’s scale of hardness; tungsten is an 8-9 while titanium is a 6. The most commonly used grades for titanium jewelry (aircraft, extra-hard and commercial pure) are at least 85% pure titanium. On the Moh’s scale, 10 is the hardness of a diamond. In comparison, gold is a 3 rating, and platinum is generally given a rating of 4 to 4.5 on the Moh’s scale.
To me; weight is an important part in making the decision of your choice of metal. Sometimes light weight jewelry can be associated with inexpensive or cheap jewelry. In that regard; tungsten is heavier and gives your ring a real presence on your finger. Titanium rings are a few times harder than their precious metal counterparts. They should not tarnish, and are good at maintaining their original finish and shine. With a Moh’s rating between 8 and 9, tungsten is the hardest metal available on the wedding band market, making it the most scratch-resistant product available. This also makes tungsten rings incredibly resistant to tarnishing as well. Harder than silver, gold and platinum, and even harder than titanium, tungsten rings are the perfect combination of form and functionality. Tungsten carbide’s extreme hardness paired with its brittleness means that tungsten carbide rings can crack or shatter if struck against a hard enough surface. Although tungsten’s extreme hardness and brittleness could be considered a negative, it is actually a plus in the event the ring needs to be removed from your finger at some point in time because of weight gain etc. The downside of both products is that; because of their strength, neither titanium nor tungsten carbide rings can be inexpensively resized. However; both materials are inexpensive enough that simply replacing them is the most viable option. To recap; tungsten is harder, heavier and more resistant to scratching. If you are looking for a metal capable of keeping your jewelry looking as flawless as possible for almost ever; should look no further than tungsten.
Fox Jewelry has a great selection of men’s tungsten wedding bands and tungsten Masonic rings.
This article was written by Mike Fox, owner of Fox Jewelry. They are the leading marketer of Masonic Rings and have the largest of selection of Masonic Rings anywhere. We welcome your visit our online store at: Fox Jewelry. Feel free to contact us at 712-239-6155 or email us at: [email protected].
Fox Jewelry
RMF & P LLC
3821 Chippewa Ct
Sioux City, IA 51104
712-239-6155
Email address: [email protected]
www.foxjewelry.net
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