Gold Rings
Men’s Gold Tungsten Wedding Bands
Choosing a wedding band can be a difficult process. With the expense comes the different styles and materials from which the rings are made. While precious metals such as gold and silver are quite popular, they are also quite expensive.
It is why tungsten has become one of the more popular non-precious metals to be used for wedding bands. Tungsten is solid, durable, scratch-resistant, and can be fashioned with different colors or plated with different materials to create a unique appearance.
Therefore, it can be a little confusing for some when they hear or read the term “gold tungsten”. This brings up the question of whether such a ring really exists?
Is Tungsten Gold Real?
The answer is no. At least not in the sense that this is a mixture of gold and tungsten. The two metals are quite different and assuming that they could mix the results would be less than desirable.
However, the ring does exist in the sense that it is crafted from tungsten and then plated with gold. The normal amount of gold plating is 18K, which makes it quite stunning, valuable, and still rather inexpensive compared to rings crafted from pure gold.
Gold plating is quite common with many materials. This is because gold is a softer metal that can be easily shaped and grafted or attached to other metals such as tungsten.
What is Tungsten?
Tungsten is a metal that is used in manufacturing. It is noted for being quite hard, durable, and scratch-resistant. It should be noted that pure tungsten is rarely made into rings because while the material is quite hard, it is also quite fragile.
It is why tungsten is mixed with other materials to provide better durability. While tungsten can be combined with nickel, a better material is carbide. Tungsten carbide is perhaps the most popular choice because unlike nickel, carbide does not create an allergic reaction for those with sensitive skin.
Because of the durability of tungsten carbide, it makes the perfect foundation for gold plating. Adding gold to tungsten creates a unique appearance.
Most Popular Types of Gold Tungsten Rings
The popularity of the gold tungsten rings may be based on their price, but there are other factors that play a strong role in how the public see this type of ring.
There are essentially two types of gold tungsten rings.
The solid gold color dome is rather self-explanatory. The tungsten is covered in gold or plated completely so that it takes on the appearance of a solid gold ring. The doming effect encompasses the tungsten inside, so that by all appearance it is a gold wedding band.
In other words, if you show off a solid gold color dome tungsten ring, it will be difficult to tell from an actual solid gold ring. The 18K plating makes it virtually indistinguishable since the gold coloring is all that is seen.
The two-toned version is most popularly the black and gold. This is really a black tungsten ring with a center groove containing the gold. The gold is also plated to the interior of the ring as well. This is a stylish, beautiful version of a tungsten gold ring that is quite popular.
However, there is also a two-toned version that places the gold on the edges while keeping the center tungsten. The tungsten retains its natural color as opposed to being black. The result is a stunning ring that makes for a perfect wedding band.
Of course, there is no mistaking a two-toned gold tungsten ring as a ring crafted from solid gold. But the inherent beauty of the two-toned versions makes this a compelling ring to purchase. Especially for those who want to add style and class to their wedding bands.
By adding the gold, whether in a complete dome that surrounds the tungsten or inside a groove it does change the nature of the ring itself. Which means that it may be subject to conditions not common with tungsten alone. This includes whether the ring can fade in color or not.
Do Gold Tungsten Rings Fade?
The answer is yes. Over time the gold coloring of the tungsten ring may fade if not properly cared for by the owner. A typical gold tungsten ring under normal conditions may start to fade noticeably in two years. That may accelerate depending on the conditions in which the gold tungsten ring is exposed.
However, with the proper care which includes the removal of dust, dirt, and grime on a regular basis, the ring may keep its coloring indefinitely. This means that a little maintenance may help the gold stay in bright, like-new condition for the rest of your life and beyond.
Related: Do Tungsten Rings Tarnish? Do This to Make Them Look New
Is a Gold Tungsten Ring Right for You?
The answer is yes, a gold tungsten rings offers an excellent combination of durability, stunning appearance, low maintenance, and a long-life span. The gold plating is not only well suited, but also provides a long-lasting ring that offers all the attributes of tungsten while providing the beauty of gold.
It will depend on whether you choose the gold dome or two-toned version. The gold dome ring should be treated in almost every way like gold. Although the plating itself is not pure gold, it will still need to be shined and polished every so often to keep its luster.
Two-toned gold rings are different since most of what shows is not the gold itself, only in the groove and interior of the ring. This means that you need less maintenance to keep the ring bright and shiny for a lifetime.
The only downside is that tungsten is a hard metal that cannot be resized like pure gold. This is because the metal itself is inflexible, so once it is sized to fit, it cannot be resized if the finger can no longer hold the ring.
However, given that gold tungsten rings are quite inexpensive compared to their precious metal counterparts, replacing the ring should not be that big of an issue for most people.