The Pros and Cons of Cobalt Rings – A Buying Guide | Wedding KnowHow | CHURINGA WEDDING RINGS

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Contents

• Cobalt Pros – Reasons to Buy Cobalt
  • 1- Cobalt Colors
  • 2- Has high luster
  • 3- Very Durable
  • 4- Easy on the Pocket
  • 5- Comfortable Weight
  • 6- Hypoallergenic in Nature
  • 7- Easy to Maintain
  • 8- Can be Cut
• Cobalt Cons – Reasons Not to Buy
  Cobalt
  • 1- Hard to Resize
  • 2- No Investment Value
  • 3- Difficult to Engrave
  • 4- Limited Designs
• Our Favorite Cobalt Ring Designs
• Some Other Things to Know About Cobalt
• Buying Cobalt Wedding Ring? – What to Keep in Mind

If you want something different for your wedding
ring, there are many alternative metals to choose from. One very popular option
is cobalt (a.k.a. cobalt chrome) which has many advantages that makes it
increasingly sought after.

However, compared to the classics like gold and
platinum, cobalt is relatively unknown and there’s a bit of misinformation
surrounding it. Let’s clear this up and take a quick look at the pros and cons
of cobalt wedding rings and if you should buy.

Cobalt Pros – Reasons to Buy Cobalt

Cobalt
has many benefits which contributes to its increasing popularity. These are:

1- Cobalt Colors

Cobalt
is the only metal that looks very similar to white gold without needing the
rhodium plating that white gold requires. If you’re looking for white gold but
don’t want the periodic maintenance or the high price tag, cobalt is an
excellent option.

Cobalt
also comes in black, but if you’re going for this look, avoid buying a plated
black cobalt ring. Rather, look for a ring where the entire ring is black. This
is more durable and easy to maintain.

Cobalt
can also be plated to exhibit other colors, such as yellow or rose gold hues.
Note that when plated, the hypoallergenic nature and ease of maintenance of the
ring can be compromised.

2- Has high luster

When
polished, cobalt is extremely lustrous and shiny. It’s highly reflective and
has long-lasting luster, which requires minimal maintenance. Because cobalt
doesn’t tarnish or rust easily, the luster remains for a long time.

3- Very Durable

For
a wedding ring which is meant to be worn daily for a lifetime (for most people
anyway), durability is a primary concern. Cobalt ranks high in this department.
It’s extremely resistant to scratching and corrosion. Cobalt doesn’t shatter,
bend or warp even under intense pressure. It’s much harder than precious metals
and perfect for daily wear. For reference, a cobalt ring is four times harder
than platinum (the most durable precious metal).

4- Easy on the Pocket

Cobalt
isn’t as cheap as metals like stainless steel, but its price is nowhere near
what platinum or white gold costs. If a white gold ring costs $750, the cobalt
version would only be around $170, making it the perfect option for someone
with a budget restriction. Other things apart from the metal can contribute to
the overall price of a cobalt ring including other materials used, quality and
branding. But even with all this, cobalt would still be significantly less
expensive.

5- Comfortable Weight

Cobalt
feels similar to white gold in its weight, which is a neutral, comfortable
feeling. Some metals, like titanium or carbon fiber, can be extremely and
eerily light while others, like tungsten, can be very heavy. Cobalt is in the
happy middle and tends to suit most people.

6- Hypoallergenic in Nature

Cobalt
is hypoallergenic in itself and is bio-compatible. It’s used in dental and join
implants and to make surgical instruments. It’s perfect for piercings and for
people with sensitive skin. It’s a safe metal and has no toxins. However, if
cobalt is alloyed with nickel, this can be a problem because most people with
metal sensitivities are allergic to nickel. Always check whether your cobalt
alloy is nickel free.

7- Easy to Maintain

If you hate jewelry maintenance, cobalt might be the
metal for you. Cobalt is great at resisting tarnishing, damage and scratches
making it perfect if you lead an active lifestyle or use your hands a lot for
work. Of course, it’s not scratch proof so you’d still have to take care of it
to a reasonable extent, but it’s much easier to look after than white gold or
platinum. If you’re cobalt ring is plated, the plating may flake off over time
or wear thin, showing the real color of the metal underneath. If you want to
avoid this, stick with cobalt’s natural color.

8- Can be Cut

Regardless of what some might say, cobalt rings can
be cut in an emergency. While it may require a little more effort than gold or
platinum due to its hardness, it can definitely be cut off safely.

Cobalt Cons – Reasons Not to Buy
Cobalt

Like
all things, there are two sides to the story. Here are some downsides of cobalt
that you might want to consider before you buy.

1- Hard to Resize

This is a theme with most of alternative metals.
Resizing a cobalt ring can be difficult because of the strength of cobalt.
While it can be sized up or down by half to one sizes, you might find most
jewelers discouraging you from doing this or not undertaking the job at all
because it takes effort. Make sure you get the right size from the start and
note that finger sizes do change over time. You might have to replace the ring
down the track, if you can’t get it resized. If you’re sentimentally attached
to the ring itself, this might be difficult to do. Some couples don’t mind
this, saying that because cobalt rings cost so little in the first place, it
doesn’t matter if it’s replaced (or lost) down the track.

2- No Investment Value

When you buy a gold ring, you know that even 50
years later, the value of the ring will be equal to the then value of gold. Not
so with cobalt. It has no liquidity and isn’t a tradeable item. It’s not a
precious metal and has no investment value. It’s a practical choice but you
won’t be able to pawn it for much if times get rough.

3- Difficult to Engrave

This ties back to durability. Cobalt rings can be
laser engraved, but traditional methods of engraving don’t work on it. This
won’t be a major issue because most retailers do laser engraving anyway. Just
ask before you commit.

4- Limited Designs

Because of its increasing popularity, the range of
cobalt ring designs has been expanding but there’s a limit to what jewelers can
do with cobalt. Although it’s workable, it’s not easy to meld gemstones and
cobalt together into elaborate designs and you’d be hard-pressed to find
intricate metalwork on cobalt rings. There’s also a limitation on the range of
women’s cobalt wedding bands and it’s treated more as a masculine metal. Over
time, this may change but for now, unfortunately, it’s the case.

Having said this, cobalt can come in all the popular
wedding ring finishes (satin, polished, hammered, textured and so on), a
variety of thicknesses, inlays, metal and gemstone pairings and even engraved
designs. Take a look at some of our favorite cobalt ring designs.

Our Favorite Cobalt Ring Designs

This matte finish cobalt ring has a low sheen look ideal for an understated appeal.

Find this ring here

This cobalt ring with wood inlay is the perfect example of how cobalt pairs well with other materials.

See this ring here

Black cobalt is one of the most popular cobalt colors and has a modern, stylish look perfect for the contemporary man.

Find this ring here

This beautiful ring features a simple engraving on the surface, contrasting black and silver hues. It’s also got a hardwood sleeve which makes the ring gorgeous inside and out.

Find this ring here

Another glorious matte cobalt ring, this one features beveled edges which takes it to the next level of style.

Find it here

These matching cobalt ring set looks exactly like white gold that it’s impossible to tell them apart simply by looking. And that’s not even the best part. Check out how affordable these rings are.

See this ring here

Unlike in the past, you can now find cobalt ring design paired with precious gemstones, like this beautiful cobalt ring with diamonds set flush all around the band.

See this ring here

Some Other Things to Know About Cobalt

If you love the look of the cobalt rings we’ve
featured and you’re thinking that it might be for you, here are a couple more
things to keep in mind.

• Cobalt Mining  

Cobalt is a transition metal, which means
that it needs to be alloyed with other metals to make it more durable,
malleable and wearable. Pure cobalt doesn’t exist – it’s typically combined
with metals like nickel, copper or iron and is generally considered a
by-product of mining these metals.

• Cobalt Alloys

Common cobalt alloys include chromium, iron and
tungsten, with nickel sometimes used as well. Due to the high chromium
content often found in cobalt alloys, the metal is sometimes called cobalt
chrome. Cobalt is relatively new and until recently, wasn’t used in jewelry
making.

• Cobalt Name

Cobalt gets its name from the German word ‘kobald’
meaning evil spirit. The name was given by miners who were superstitious about
mining cobalt as they feared toxic fumes that came from arsenic which is also
often found among cobalt ores. Of course, the miners of the time didn’t realise
that the culprit was arsenic – instead, they blamed the kobalds, the
underground spirits that caused them grief.

• Cobalt Rarity

Cobalt is not that rare and ranks number 32 in terms
of global abundance. Although it’s not rare, it’s a valuable metal and is considered
a Critical Raw Material, due to its importance and numerous applications. Today
it’s used to create powerful magnets and superalloys. It’s uses are
far-reaching, including the technology and medical industries as well as
jewelry.

Buying Cobalt Wedding Ring? – What to Keep in Mind

Cobalt
is perfect if you’re after a practical, affordable ring that’s also highly
durable and looks as good as any precious metal.

Finding cobalt at the local jewelers might prove
difficult, because this isn’t a mainstream metal. What’s more, some jewelers
prefer not to carry less expensive alternatives to white gold or platinum, due
to economic reasons.

Taking your search online will open up lots of
options and a variety of price points to choose from:

• For high quality workmanship, beautiful designs and reasonable prices, check out James Allen. They’re well known for their customer service and streamlined shopping experience.
• Blue Nile has an excellent range of cobalt rings, in a variety of finishes. These are competitively priced and gorgeous to look at.
• Etsy is an excellent place to search for artisan, unique designs that you wouldn’t encounter in your typical retail stores.

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