Tungsten vs. Platinum Wedding Rings | Wedding KnowHow | CHURINGA WEDDING RINGS

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Contents

• Platinum Rings
• Tungsten Rings
• Tungsten vs. Platinum
• The Verdict – Which is Better?
  • Choose a platinum ring if:
  • Choose a tungsten ring if:

If you’re wondering how to choose between tungsten or
platinum for an engagement or wedding ring, the choice you make will depend
largely on your views, values and budget. Asking which of these two metals is
better is a little like asking if a car is better than a plane. The answer
depends on the context.

Having said that, in order to understand which metal works
for which context, we need to first break down the differences between them.

Platinum Rings

Platinum Wedding Band by James Allen. Check Price Here.

Platinum has been used in jewelry since the 1700s when
it was first discovered. It’s known for its durability, beautiful lustrous
color and value.

Even though it’s the most valuable metal used to
create jewelry, platinum is most people’s first choice when it comes to
engagement and wedding rings. It’s easy to maintain, resists corrosion and
tarnishing and it’s biocompatible, which makes it ideal for people with nickel
allergies.

Platinum is extremely rare which is partly what drives
its value. Also, because it’s much harder than gold (4 on the Mohs scale),
platinum alloys tend to be purer, typically at 95% purity.

One interesting fact about platinum is that when scratched, platinum displaces instead of losing metal. By contrast, if you scratch a gold band, the scratched bit of metal will be lost and over time the gold band will wear thin. Platinum will last for generations and only needs a periodic polish to remove any patina and regain its luster.

As one reader put it:

My mother went through about 3 gold bands during her lifetime because she wore her ring everyday and it took a beating. But her platinum engagement ring lasted throughout, and she was able to pass it on to me when I got married.

Tungsten Rings

Gold Plated Tungsten Rings by R Cornejo Jewelry. Check Price Here.

Tungsten is a rare naturally occurring metal that was first identified in the 1780s. There is some confusion about the difference between tungsten and tungsten carbide, but to simplify matters:

• Tungsten (7 Mohs)
  refers to the pure metal, the element in its pure state
• Tungsten carbide
  (9 to 9.5 Mohs) is the best tungsten alloy, combining equal parts of tungsten
  and carbon atoms and used in most jewelry

Tungsten carbide is the hardest metal used in jewelry
and is exceeded in hardness only by diamonds. Because of this exceptional
hardness, tungsten rings don’t get scratched easily and maintain their luster,
which is why they’re sometimes called the forever
polished ring. While the hardness is excellent for a ring worn daily, it
also means that tungsten rings can’t easily be resized.

Tungsten vs. Platinum

Platinum is the most prestigious metal for a wedding
band, while tungsten is often considered the cheapest. As such, they’re on
opposite ends of the prestige spectrum.

However, in terms of appearance and color, tungsten
and platinum rings look very similar. Compare the two rings below, both taken
from Blue Nile. Can
you tell which is tungsten and which is platinum?

See This Here

See This Ring Here

The ring on the top is platinum while the second ring
is tungsten. If you look closely, you’ll notice that the tungsten ring is a
little darker than the platinum ring. While they look alike, the difference in
price is almost $500! In addition to that, the description for the tungsten
ring states that it cannot be resized.

But in terms of maintenance, it’s highly likely that
the tungsten ring will continue to look lustrous and polished for a very long
time, while the platinum ring will likely develop a patina and look like this
in about a year’s time:

The Verdict – Which is Better?

While we can’t say which is
better, we can help you choose which you would prefer:

Choose a platinum ring if:

• Prestige is important to you
• You want your ring to have monetary worth
• You’d like to own a rare noble metal
• You like the aged look of patina
• You don’t mind having your ring polished every so often
• You prefer a ring that bends rather than a ring that shatters
• You want an heirloom quality ring to be passed down to the next generation

Choose a tungsten ring if:

• You’re budget conscious
• You want a ring that you don’t mind losing
• You don’t want to have to maintain and polish the
  ring
• You don’t like a patina
• You like a weighty, substantial ring
• You work with heavy machinery or use your hands a
  lot for work, so you prefer a ring that shatters rather than a ring that bends
• You have a practical view of your wedding ring
• Monetary worth isn’t important to you

Check out our detailed guides on tungsten and platinum to learn more about these metals.

If you’re looking to browse and compare tungsten and platinum wedding bands, check here. 

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