Carbon Fiber Wedding Rings and Bands – A Quick Guide | Wedding KnowHow | CHURINGA WEDDING RINGS

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Contents

• What is Carbon Fiber?
• Are There 100% Carbon Fiber Rings?
• Carbon Fiber Durability
• Carbon Fiber Texture and Feel
• Cutting off Carbon Fiber
• Carbon Fiber Appearance and Ring Designs
• Carbon Fiber Value
• Carbon Fiber and Allergies
• Resizing Carbon Fiber
• Carbon Fiber Conductivity
• To Buy or Not to Buy a Carbon Fiber Ring?

Carbon fiber rings have a
range of benefits and are becoming one of the go-to materials for couples who
want something unique for their wedding bands. They’re affordable and
comfortable, with a unique look and feel compared to other wedding ring metals.

Let’s take a look at what
this material is and if it’s the right choice for your wedding band.

What is Carbon Fiber?

Unisex carbon fiber and titanium wedding ring by Lore to Store. See it here.

Technically speaking, carbon
fiber isn’t a metal although it can look like it. Rather, it’s a polymer
typically made of polyacrylonitrile or in layman’s terms PAN.

The material is made of
thousands of tiny strands of carbon fibers, often thinner than a human hair.
When tightly woven together these fibers become extremely strong and stiff,
giving the material its extreme strength.

Carbon fiber is favoured by
engineers and designers as it’s a tougher and harder material than steel but at
the same time also lighter. It has many uses in the technology and aerospace
industries and is truly a space age material. It’s use in jewelry, especially
for wedding rings, is very recent but has grown in popularity because of its
many benefits and uniqueness.

Are There 100% Carbon Fiber Rings?

Pure carbon fiber ring by Nex Ring. See it here.

While carbon fiber rings can
be made of only carbon fiber and nothing else, this type of design is rare.
Instead, carbon fiber is typically combined with other metals and materials
like tungsten, wood, ceramic or titanium, to create different combinations.

Pure carbon fiber rings are
extremely lightweight, and you won’t even notice that you have it on your
finger. This can be off-putting for some people who prefer a more substantial
feel for their ring. On the flip side, this is perfect for someone who isn’t
used to wearing rings in general.

Carbon Fiber Durability

Looking at it, you might
think that carbon fiber is fragile and easily damaged. But this isn’t the case.
Carbon fiber is among the strongest materials used in creating wedding rings. It
doesn’t shatter, break or crack nor does it easily scratch or damage. It’s
perfect for daily wear and can take knocks and bumps without showing it. 

Some people think that
carbon fiber isn’t very durable simply because it looks fragile. This video
shows you just how strong this material is:

Carbon Fiber Texture and Feel

Wearing a carbon fiber ring
feels very much different to wearing a metal ring. Because it’s not a metal, a
carbon fiber ring doesn’t have the cold, steely touch that metals have. Rather,
it has a porous, rough feel to it and can sometimes feel like plastic.

Cutting off Carbon Fiber

You might be wondering if carbon fiber can be cut off
in an emergency. Absolutely! Unlike metals like titanium or tungsten that can
be near impossible to cut through during emergencies, carbon fiber can easily
be cut. This makes it a safer option to wear especially for people who work
with heavy machinery or use their hands a lot for work.

Carbon Fiber Appearance and Ring Designs

Carbon fiber is typically
black in color, with a charcoal like look. This gives it a very contemporary
vibe. However, because the material pairs well with metals and wood, you’ll
have endless options to choose from.

Carbon fiber inlay in ceramic ring. Check the price here.

Carbon fiber is typically
used for inlay designs, which gives you the option of having the weight and
look of a metal ring with the unique style of carbon fiber.

Carbon fiber ring with rosewood inner by Woodman Ringcraft. See it here.

For a truly surreal look, choose a design featuring carbon
fiber and wood, which gives you the modern, space age technology of carbon
fiber with the traditional, natural look of the wood. This is a popular style
and you’ll find many designs incorporating these two materials.

Women’s carbon fiber ring with red coral inlay from Dalia Woodia. Check the price here.

You’ll notice that most of the carbon fiber rings on the
market feature traditionally masculine designs and finding a ring for women
might be more difficult due to limited designs. This could be because women
tend to prefer more valuable materials like diamonds, gold and platinum, and
might not be drawn to the black, lightweight look and feel of carbon fiber
rings.

Carbon Fiber Value

Carbon fiber rings range in
price depending on the quality of the materials and craftsmanship. However, in
general, these rings are affordably priced, with some designs offered as low as
$50 and as high as $2000 or more. You can find a ring that suits you on that
wide spectrum.

However, while carbon fiber
rings are affordable, note that they don’t have the prestige or value that
precious metals like silver, gold or platinum have. While you’ll be getting a
unique ring at a good price, it won’t have the resale value of precious metals,
and you won’t be able to sell it for much if ever you need to.

Carbon Fiber and Allergies

For people with metal
sensitivities, carbon fiber offers a big benefit in that it is hypoallergenic.
You won’t get skin reactions or rashes by wearing this as it contains no
allergens.

Resizing Carbon Fiber

Like tungsten and titanium, carbon fiber cannot be
easily resized. In fact, most jewelers will not accept carbon fiber resizing
jobs as it’s too difficult and not worth the effort. Because carbon fiber rings
aren’t expensive, you can always have it replaced instead of trying to resize
it.  Many retailers take this into
consideration and offer a replacement whenever your ring no longer fits. Check
this prior to purchase.

Carbon Fiber Conductivity

If you’re looking for a non-conductive metal, note
that carbon fiber can conduct electricity even though at low levels. It’s not
the right choice if you’re looking for a non-conductive ring. You’d be better
of selecting either ceramic, wood or silicone if non-conductivity is a key
criteria you’re after.

Check out our article on non-conductive ring metals for a comprehensive guide on the topic.

To Buy or Not to Buy a Carbon Fiber Ring?

If you’re still on the fence about carbon fiber rings,
take a look at what some of our readers say:

Samantha: My other half wanted a carbon fiber ring because he works outdoors a lot and didn’t want to have to take off his gold or platinum ring all the time. It looks great and he really likes it.

Taylor: My SO wanted a black ring and because he loves technology, he found carbon fiber rings super interesting and cool.

Mandy: I think carbon fiber rings are very trendy and stylish. I mean, they’re not a metal but they look like it and that’s really cool. I’m just not sure if it’s a thing that’ll be a timeless classic. I prefer gold or platinum because it’ll always be in style.

At the end of the day, whether you choose carbon fiber
or a more traditional metal like platinum, gold or silver depends entirely on
your preferences. It’s true that because carbon fiber is a new material for
jewelry, we don’t know if it’ll last the test of time. Down the track, it might
go out of style.

If you’re worried about something like that, it’s best
to go for the tried and tested metals. But if you want to get off the beaten
path and try out something new and futuristic, then carbon fiber is for you.

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