What Are the Strongest Metals For a Ring?
The wedding band has a long and rich history dating back to Ancient Egypt. The Egyptians believed that there was a vein known as the vena amoris, which ran from the heart to the third finger of our hands, now known as the 'ring finger' for that reason. If you want a your wedding band to also have a long and rich history, you need to make sure it's made from something strong and durable. Luckily, with technology and innovation these days, there are a multitude of options to
The good news is that we're here to help. We'll talk about the best materials for a men's ring in this article, so keep reading to learn more.
Tungsten
Tungsten, or tungsten carbide, is a metal that has become a popular choice as a material for men's wedding rings. Tungsten is probably the strongest metal used for a ring. It ranks extremely high on the Moh's Scale of Hardness, ranking higher than pretty every other metal and right below the diamond. It's an incredibly tough metal, resistant to scratches, hypoallergenic, and it never loses its shine.
The biggest reason for its increased usage is its affordability. Tungsten is probably the go-to metal when it comes to affordability. It's easy to produce and is also in high demand. The price of gold, at the time of writing this, is over $1,500 per ounce. Silver is $26 per ounce, and platinum is $1100 per ounce. Tungsten is around $8 per ounce.
This material does come with downsides, though. Since it is extremely hard and scratch-resistant, it is inversely crack-resistant. That doesn't mean it will crack very easily, but tungsten can crack if met with an extreme amount of force. You also can't resize a tungsten ring and should make sure you know your size before committing to a tungsten ring.
Titanium
Titanium is very similar to tungsten in terms of its durability. It's very strong and doesn't show a lot of wear. It's not as scratch-resistant as tungsten but still very scratch-resistant in its own right. Titanium's one advantage over tungsten is that it's not brittle and not prone to cracking/breaking. Polishing or shining it every once in a while should be enough to keep it good as new.
Like tungsten, titanium is also affordable, maybe more affordable than tungsten, making it a very popular metal. You should be able to get a titanium ring without breaking the bank.
Titanium is also more comfortable than tungsten. Plus, it can be resized. It's difficult, but Patrick Adair Designs offers size exchanges for all titanium rings. Titanium is also hypoallergenic. This may seem strange when talking about metal, but some people are allergic to certain metal alloys. This is a rare issue, but it's been known to happen.
Titanium is very similar to tungsten in terms of its durability. It's very strong and doesn't show a lot of wear. It's not as scratch-resistant as tungsten but still very scratch-resistant in its own right. Titanium's one advantage over tungsten is that it's not brittle and not prone to cracking/breaking. Polishing or shining it every once in a while should be enough to keep it good as new.
Like tungsten, titanium is also affordable, maybe more affordable than tungsten, making it a very popular metal. You should be able to get a titanium ring without breaking the bank.
Titanium is also more comfortable than tungsten. Plus, it can be resized. It's difficult, but Patrick Adair Designs offers size exchanges for all titanium rings. Titanium is also hypoallergenic. This may seem strange when talking about metal, but some people are allergic to certain metal alloys. This is a rare issue, but it's been known to happen.
Cobalt Chrome
One of the first things you'll notice about cobalt chrome is its gorgeous pearl white color. It looks a bit like white gold and is worth showing off. Where it differs from white gold is strength. Cobalt is a very durable metal, maybe not as much as tungsten or titanium, but still great. Scratching or breaking it should prove very difficult.
Its high strength allows it to be used in real world applications such as turbines and surgical implants. It's an extremely cost effective metal replacement and is being used more and more in the medical field. It is a bit more expensive than tungsten or titanium, but much more affordable than the precious metals such as yellow gold. Due to its extremely white color, it polishes very well and will not tarnish over time. Cobalt chrome is a great choice for those who want the look and feel of precious metals but don't want to fork over a pretty penny. Cobalt isn't the most popular material and isn't nearly as popular as tungsten or titanium, so make sure you check with your jeweler to make sure they offer Cobalt Chrome.
One of the first things you'll notice about cobalt chrome is its gorgeous pearl white color. It looks a bit like white gold and is worth showing off. Where it differs from white gold is strength. Cobalt is a very durable metal, maybe not as much as tungsten or titanium, but still great. Scratching or breaking it should prove very difficult.
Its high strength allows it to be used in real world applications such as turbines and surgical implants. It's an extremely cost effective metal replacement and is being used more and more in the medical field. It is a bit more expensive than tungsten or titanium, but much more affordable than the precious metals such as yellow gold. Due to its extremely white color, it polishes very well and will not tarnish over time. Cobalt chrome is a great choice for those who want the look and feel of precious metals but don't want to fork over a pretty penny. Cobalt isn't the most popular material and isn't nearly as popular as tungsten or titanium, so make sure you check with your jeweler to make sure they offer Cobalt Chrome.
Ceramic
Ceramic is a great metal for jewelry and engagement rings due to its hardness. It comes in a close second to tungsten in this regard and ranks very high on the Mohs scale of hardness. Ceramic is often confusing due to its name, but it is a metal made of titanium carbide. It has a lightweight feel while still being exceptionally durable and scratch-resistant. Ceramic is offered in different colors such as black and white and can be styled a bit better in that regard. It's similar to tungsten in that it is a brittle and cannot be resized, however like tungsten, ceramic still makes for a great men's wedding band!
Ceramic is a great metal for jewelry and engagement rings due to its hardness. It comes in a close second to tungsten in this regard and ranks very high on the Mohs scale of hardness. Ceramic is often confusing due to its name, but it is a metal made of titanium carbide. It has a lightweight feel while still being exceptionally durable and scratch-resistant. Ceramic is offered in different colors such as black and white and can be styled a bit better in that regard. It's similar to tungsten in that it is a brittle and cannot be resized, however like tungsten, ceramic still makes for a great men's wedding band!
Steel
We've discussed titanium and how it's comparable to steel, but what about steel itself? Stainless Steel and Damascus Steel are both great options when it comes to durability. The former is great and will not break the bank whereas Damascus Steel can be a bit pricier than a tungsten ring, however you are paying for the beautiful intricacies and woodgrain patterns.
There's a reason they call it stainless steel. This metal can't be stained although you should still maintain it. The reason stainless steel isn't as popular as some of the other options on this list is that it's one of the newer developments in jewelry. With new developments come new advantages. In this case, it's environmentalism. Steel is cleaner than other types of metalworking because it can be recycled. Like the other entries on this list, steel is strong and affordable. You can't be allergic to steel, either. Steel is an alloy, as is stainless steel, but stainless steel also has chromium. Stainless steel also doesn't rust. Instead, it forms something like a patina. This patina is made of chromium oxide and coats the metal in a beautiful green color.
We've discussed titanium and how it's comparable to steel, but what about steel itself? Stainless Steel and Damascus Steel are both great options when it comes to durability. The former is great and will not break the bank whereas Damascus Steel can be a bit pricier than a tungsten ring, however you are paying for the beautiful intricacies and woodgrain patterns.
There's a reason they call it stainless steel. This metal can't be stained although you should still maintain it. The reason stainless steel isn't as popular as some of the other options on this list is that it's one of the newer developments in jewelry. With new developments come new advantages. In this case, it's environmentalism. Steel is cleaner than other types of metalworking because it can be recycled. Like the other entries on this list, steel is strong and affordable. You can't be allergic to steel, either. Steel is an alloy, as is stainless steel, but stainless steel also has chromium. Stainless steel also doesn't rust. Instead, it forms something like a patina. This patina is made of chromium oxide and coats the metal in a beautiful green color.