What is Tungsten Carbide?
On its own, tungsten is a very hard and dense metal, with the highest melting point of all metals - 6,100 degrees Fahrenheit. Alone, tungsten is vulnerable to scratches and damage just like any other metal, it gains its extreme hardness by being combined with a carbon alloy, transforming it into tungsten carbide, with a hardness between 8.5 and 9.5 on the Mohs hardness scale. The strength of tungsten carbide has made it widely used for decades in industrial applications - it is four times harder than titanium, twice as hard as steel and almost impossible to scratch. The resulting metal can be designed into tungsten carbide wedding band rings that are both visually stunning to please the eye and durable enough to withstand everyday use. These rings can only be damaged through extreme measures, such as abrasion from diamonds or being struck with a hammer.
Choosing Your Tungsten Carbide Wedding Band 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 silver, 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.
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. In regards to engraving a tungsten carbide ring, it is possible, but the results will be very faint and difficult to read unless laser equipment is used.
Quick facts about our tungsten carbide rings
- Our tungsten rings are 100% scratch proof
- Our tungsten rings will not bend out of shape
- Our tungsten rings do not contain any cobalt
- We use nickel binder for all our tungsten rings
- All tungsten rings are covered by our lifetime warranty against scratches are breakage
- In case of medical emergencies, our tungsten rings can be removed by medical professionals
- Our tungsten rings are hypoallergenic
Can I wear a tungsten carbide ring if I am allergic to nickel?
YES. Tungsten carbide jewelry is hyopallergenic and chemically inert. It will not cause irritation or rashes on any skin type.
How to choose the right size when I order a tungsten carbide ring?
When ordering a tungsten carbide ring, the best way to determine the right size is to visit a jeweler to have your finger professionally measured. Due to the fact that all our tungsten carbide rings are made in comfort fit design, you will have a try on comfort fit rings when sizing to get the correct ring size. However, if you use the ring size of a band ring you currently own, you should pay attention to whether it is a comfort fit band or not. A comfort fit band ring is curved on the inside so the surface that the ring is touching your finger is less. Therefore, for the same ring size, a comfort-fit band ring might feel larger than a straight-fit ring. If you currently own a non-comfort-fit wedding ring, we recommend that you order half size down when ordering a tungsten carbide ring from us.
Do you engrave your tungsten rings?
YES, We offer laser engraving service for our rings. You may see the details of the service here.
