What Is Tungsten Jewelry? And What Is Tungsten Carbide Jewelry?
Tungsten, also known as wolfram, refers to the chemical element, the metal itself. On the periodic table, tungsten is numbered 74 and is known for its hardness, durability, high melting point, high density and is somewhat rare. It is dark gray in color and known for being very difficult to work with. Tungsten is very brittle and not very malleable, making it hard to form into rings or other jewelry designs. As a result, it is often compounded into alloys.
Tungsten carbide jewelry is created from an alloy of 80% elemental Tungsten and 20% Carbon alloyed with other metals. Tungsten is exceptionally strong, hypoallergenic, highly scratch-resistant, and tarnish-resistant with a substantial feel in weight.
Tungsten Carbide Jewelry Vs Tungsten Jewelry
The biggest and most important difference between them is that tungsten refers to the individual metal, whereas tungsten carbide is an alloy of tungsten and predominantly carbon, although nickel and titanium are among the other metals that might be used. Some websites and jewelers will use the two interchangeably.
In general, Tungsten jewelry is just tungsten carbide jewelry.
Tungsten Jewelry Pros and Cons
Advantages Of Tungsten Jewelry
- Tungsten carbide is the most scratch-resistant metal known to man.
- Tungsten carbide jewelry is affordable and has a nice weight to it, similar to gold and platinum.
- Tungsten rings are quick and easy to remove from your finger in case of a medical emergency – easier than gold.
- Tungsten does not bend out of shape due to its hardness, so in an accident, the ring will not become deformed and injure your finger further.
- People with allergies to gold jewelry can wear tungsten jewelry because it is naturally hypoallergenic.
- Tungsten wedding bands come in a natural gunmetal grey color, but they can be plated in black, white, or even gold colors.
Disadvantages Of Tungsten Jewelry
- Just like a diamond, tungsten is very scratch resistant and will not bend out of shape, but it will break if enough shock or pressure is applied to it.
- Reputable jewelers and manufacturers will offer a lifetime warranty that covers this by providing a replacement ring in case of accidental breakage.
- Due to their hardness, tungsten rings cannot be resized.
- Reputable jewelers and manufacturers should provide a lifetime sizing policy to provide for ring size exchanges when your finger size changes.
- Tungsten carbide is not easily turned back into cash. Gold is traded on the world’s commodities markets and is very liquid. This means anyone can change gold into cash or gold is just like cash.
- Tungsten is not traded and easily valued, so if you want to pawn it someday, that will be difficult.
Tungsten Rings
What Is A Tungsten Ring？
Tungsten carbide rings are made from the chemical compound tungsten and carbon atoms. Tungsten rings have become a popular ring of choice because of their hardness. It is much harder than diamonds and solid gold rings. It also is 10 times less likely to scratch than any other ring.
Mens Wedding Bands
Black Tungsten Wedding Rings For Men
Tungsten Wedding Bands come in many different colors and styles. Some unique styles include; comfort fit rings, two-toned rings, channel set Diamond Tungsten Bands. They also can be found in three different finishes; satin, matted or brushed finish.
Among them, Black is an excellent color choice for a Men’s Wedding Band. Black Tungsten Carbide results from Tungsten Carbides’ extreme hardness, which is the perfect base metal for physical vapor deposition.
This is the special process from which the exterior of the ring can be permanently changed. This creates a rich, luxurious Black color.
Black Tungsten rings are bold and symbolize strength, courage, and conviction. Black Wedding Bands, along with any other type of Wedding Bands symbolizes a married couple’s commitment to each other a strong bond, and everlasting love for each other.
Tungsten Rings Price And Value
How Much Do Tungsten Carbide Rings Cost?
For retailers or individual consumers, most quality tungsten rings are priced at over $50 dollars – if you are looking for a ring that is priced under $50 dollars then stainless steel or titanium bands may be a better option.
How Much Is A Tungsten Carbide Ring Worth?
Different price of the tungsten ring value introduction
| Tungsten Rings Price (Dollars) | Suitable Crowd/Application Scenes | Tungsten Rings Quality |
|---|---|---|
| $5 | Wholesaler | The best China jewelry manufacturer will provide you with tungsten rings of high quality and low price within your budget. |
| $20 – $30 | for a daily outfit/for daily use | Most of the tungsten rings are made with jewelry grade tungsten (not industrial grade), so, you got no problem with the tungsten rings. The rings will not tarnish or blacken your fingers. |
| $50-$60 | As a gift or an important ceremony gift | The seller provides a lifetime warranty for size exchange and any. If your tungsten ring is broken( the chance is slim, but it could happen) or the wrong size, you can get a free replacement. You just can contact the seller at any time. |
| $190-$600 | As a wedding band | Very unique and exclusive design; Better craftsmanship; 45-day Customer Satisfaction Money-back Guarantee; Lifetime Ring Replacement Warranty; Lifetime Ring Sizing Warranty. |
Why Do Tungsten Rings Vary in Price?
Main Difference Between Cheap and Expensive Tungsten Rings
- Cheap tungsten rings made with Cobalt ( Industrial Grade)-Bad; Expensive Tungsten rings Made with Nickel ( Jewelry Grade)-Good
Cheaper tungsten rings made with cobalt, cobalt is a cheaper filler some ring factories use that to make tungsten rings. So, the tungsten is not jewelry grade, only reaches the industrial grade.
Cheaper tungsten rings with cobalt( industrial grade) will tarnish. It will make your finger gray or black. Expensive Tungsten rings Made with Nickel( jewelry grade) Jewelry grade tungsten will NEVER tarnish or haze. So you can enjoy your rings for a long time
The tungsten rings with cobalt or nickles may look the same you saw at a ring store or online. But, industrial tungsten rings would take on a dark cast and might have discolored in places after 3-6 months.
Industrial tungsten is awesome for other applications, but for fashion jewelry? It isn’t a good choice. Jewelry-grade tungsten carbide rings with nickel will retain their original look and luster for a long time. Nickel might irritate your skin, but the amount of nickel in tungsten alloy is less than 1%. This means that unless you have a severe allergy to it, you wouldn’t even know that it was in there.
Cobalt is the only aspect that makes it tarnish. You need something that is jewelry grade, not industrial grade. Jewelry-grade tungsten will NEVER tarnish or haze. Tungsten HAS to be an alloy, as it is far too brittle by itself. Find one with no cobalt, and you should enjoy the piece forever.
- The Cost of Selling Tungsten Rings
As far as I know, 80% of tungsten rings on the market are manufactured in China. The tungsten carbide rings manufactured in the USA would cost more than rings made in China, in other words, manufacturing costs are much higher in the USA. They sell for a higher price due to the cost, such a store location, advertising cost, and other costs.
- Short Time Warranty/Guarantee VS Lifetime Warranty
Suppose that you purchase a cheaper tungsten ring, but your ring breaks( the chance is slim, but could happen), the time could be a month or a year, or the plating wears off( it could happen), or any bad things that may happen, even you get the best quality of the ring.
Can you return the ring? Is there someone you can call for help? Is there some warranty or guarantee?
But, if you buy an expensive tungsten ring, you will get a lifetime warranty, you can replace a new one if you break it or your finger grows bigger. You have the right to replace a new tungsten ring for free.
Conclusion: The true value of a tungsten ring depends on how you use it or depends on what kind of services you want to get.
How to Tell if a Ring is a Real Tungsten?
- Density Identification Method-Judge from Weight
Today Churinga will tell you some great ways to test the ring. Tungsten is a dense metal and its density is much higher than titanium, stainless steel, or other alloy rings. The very texture when wearing, also in heaving metal feeling. The weight of men’s tungsten bands is about 14g-22g. But, if you feel your tungsten ring is quite lightweight, it might be a fake tungsten ring. We used 3 same-size rings made with different metals. Here are the results.
The first one is made of stainless steel. The weight is: 4.78g
The second one is made of alloy. It is the biggest. The weight is 6.71
The third one is made of jewelry grade-tungsten. The weight is 17.24g
As you can see, rings made of tungsten carbide are much heavier than rings made of other metals. This is a very great way.
- Judge from Hardness
The hardness of tungsten is between 8 and 9M( This is the international Mohs hardness standard), close to Natural diamonds( it is10 M).3 times harder than gold, 4 times harder than titanium, and 5 times harder than stainless steel.
Because of their hardness, so the tungsten rings are hardly be scratched. Only the diamond can scratch the tungsten.
- Judge from Appearance
In this part, I am going to teach you how to buy a real tungsten ring by its appearance.
The real tungsten carbide ring is cold silver in color. ( like a mirror, the effect of the polished surface) But after the polishing process, the tungsten ring has amazing luster and gloss, which shines as a natural diamond does. Moreover, the real tungsten ring is very smooth and flawless.
If the ring surface is a little bit dim or dark, it must not be a real tungsten ring.
- Judge by Time
A real tungsten ring will not tarnish or fade and it maintains as polished as new for a long time. (The polish of a real tungsten ring is supposed to last 30 years or more, if you start to notice scratches on it then it is likely not tungsten carbide.)
Why? The tungsten carbide ring is very resistant to wear and corrosion. Daily wearing will not produce oxidation, fading, or skin allergy. If your tungsten rings blacken your finger, you probably get a fake tungsten ring or you might get a tungsten ring made with cobalt.
| Grade | Fsss （μm） | O (%) does not exceed |
|---|---|---|
| WC10 | 1.01～1.40 | 0.15 |
| WC14 | 1.41~1.80 | 0.10 |
| WC18 | 1.81~2.40 | 0.10 |
| WC24 | 2.41~3.00 | 0.08 |
| WC30 | 3.01~4.00 | 0.08 |
| WC40 | 4.01~5.00 | 0.08 |
| WC50 | 5.01~7.00 | 0.05 |
| WC70 | 7.01~10.00 | 0.05 |
| WC100 | 10.01~14.00 | 0.05 |
| WC140 | 14.01~20.00 | 0.05 |
| WC200 | 20.01~26.00 | 0.05 |
How To Clean Tungsten Rings?
To clean tungsten carbide jewelry, use a solution of warm water and detergent-free soap with a soft cloth. When not worn, store your tungsten pieces in soft cloth bags or the original box to protect them from the elements of daily exposure.
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