Metal Types

Metal Types

When purchasing a ring or wedding band, it can sometimes feel overwhelming with all the varieties of materials out there: Tungsten, Tantalum, Palladium, Platinum; armed with only a crash course of information provided from the sales staff, its hard to make an informed decision. Take your time, and read the following to help you find the ring best suited for you and your lifestyle

 



Platinum

Platinum is generally 95% pure and does not tarnish or lose its rich white luster. Platinum is the heaviest of all the precious metals weighing approximately twice as much as karat gold. Its purity makes it hypoallergenic, perfect for people who are sensitive to the alloys used in gold. Platinum is also known for its strength and pliability, just one gram of platinum can be drawn into a fine wire over one mile long.
 



Gold

Pure 24 karat gold is rarely used in jewellery because it is too soft for frequent wear. Gold is mixed with alloys like copper, silver, nickel, and zinc to give different colours, strength, and durability. Gold's purity is measured in karats, which indicate out of 24 parts how many parts are gold. For example, 18kt gold contains 18/24 gold and 6/24 alloy, while 14kt gold contains 14/24 gold and 10/24 alloy. Gold is traditionally seen in yellow and white colours, but can also be available in rose or green on occasion.
 



Sterling Silver

Sterling silver is usually 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper. Silver is much more plentiful than platinum or gold and is much less expensive. It takes on a much higher polish than any other metal, but it does tarnish. The tarnish can be removed, but silver requires much more care than other metals.
 



Titanium

Titanium is a light, strong, and corrosion-resistant metal. Titanium offers you seven times the strength of platinum at about 1/3 of the weight. It is the hardest natural metal on earth and therefore offers more scratch resistance than gold or silver. In addition, titanium is also hypoallergenic. When ordering titanium rings, be extra sure about your ring size. The biggest drawback of titanium rings is that they cannot be sized by traditional ring sizing methods.

 



Damascus Steel

Damascus Steel involves an ancient sword-making technique from the Middle East. Our suppliers alternate two types of Stainless Steel, twist them together by hand, and fold them into a circle. Thus, each ring they design is unique.
 



Cobalt Chrome

Cobalt has a similar look to platinum, with great strength and light weight. Because of its temperature stability, cobalt alloys are often used in engine turbines and surgical implants.
 



Tungsten

Tungsten Rings are the most wear-resistant rings available at about 10x harder than 18K gold. These rings a durable and incredibly resistant to scratching. Making them ideal for the working man's wedding ring. Great thing about these rings is they do not bend. If things get bad enough, it just cracks and breaks apart (vice grip pliers are excellent for the task). A good thing to remember if you ever have a swollen finger and need to get it off ASAP.  One of the downsides however, you cannot size it. So be sure to get it in the right size!