There are certain advantages that rings made of tungsten have over their precious metal counterparts that have made them quite popular over the past decade. While tungsten is more related to steel, it has inherent qualities that make it well-suited for jewelry and particularly rings. Distinctive, beautiful, and durable, tungsten rings for men offer several advantages.
Price
Probably the most noteworthy of the many benefits that tungsten offers are the low price compared to precious metals such as gold, silver, and platinum. Because tungsten is a more common metal that is often used in industry, its availability makes it less expensive. However, its inherent beauty and malleable nature, especially when mixed with carbon and nickel, make it one of the more desirable metals on the market today.
High Melting Point
Another advantage that tungsten offers is the high melting point of the material which makes it highly durable. When compared to precious metals, the high melting point is a real advantage since it adds strength and durability to the material. That’s why tungsten wedding bands will last considerably longer than gold or silver versions.
Versatile
Because tungsten can be mixed with carbon and nickel, it makes it malleable enough to craft into custom designs without harming the inherent strength, durability, or toughness of the metal itself. This means that you can choose from the styles that are present in the store or customize one to your liking.
Keeps the Shine
Once polished, a tungsten ring will never lose its shine and that is backed by a guarantee. This is because once the metal is set, it is durable and strong enough to resist the forces which dull and degrade precious metals which means repeat polishing. It will also not scratch, so even if you do decide to wipe the ring, it will not be damaged in that manner.
Hypoallergenic
One issue with many rings that are not made of precious metals is that they can discolor or even cause an allergic reaction to the skin. Tungsten however, is hypoallergenic which means that your skin should not react in a negative manner. This is also true when tungsten has been mixed with carbon or nickel which are also hypoallergenic. A word of warning, some tungsten rings are made partially out of cobalt which is a material that may cause an unwanted reaction, so be careful.
Disadvantages
While tungsten rings do offer quite a few benefits, it also must be said that the metal itself can be somewhat brittle and subject to cracking when exposed to high pressure. However, the pressure that can crack tungsten will severely deform rings that are made from gold or silver. Plus, having to resize the ring is more difficult compared to the softer precious metals, although that is not much of a disadvantage.
While tungsten may be quite close to titanium in terms of its beauty, inherent strength, durability, and high melting point, it is also far less expensive. This means that tungsten may be the perfect metal to use for men’s rings given its inherent qualities.