When it is time to begin shopping for wedding rings, you and your soon-to-be spouse want it to be perfect. These are the rings you will wear for the rest of your lives, and there are so many options to choose from. In more traditional settings, you have gold, platinum and white gold. These options are often pricey and easily damaged. More recently, titanium and tungsten carbide have become more popular options for couples looking for a more long-lasting effect. With the more durable tungsten carbide ring, couples have seen some safety issues that may not be seen with more traditional options.

Emergency Situations
The tungsten carbide ring cannot be removed in an emergency situation with traditional ring cutters. It can be removed by emergency personnel by using a tool more similar to a vice grip. In emergency situations when the ring must be removed for the purposes of treatment or stopping further injury from occurring, it must be cracked off the wearer’s finger. This would destroy the ring by breaking the ring into pieces and may cause injury to the wearer. The tungsten carbide ring registers between 8 and 9 on the Mohs hardness scale. Because of these factors, it also cannot be resized in a traditional manner.

Skin Reactions
Tungsten carbide rings can cause an allergic reaction on the skin. These rings are made by combining the tungsten with another metal. Most often, the other metal is a nickel or cobalt blend. This hardens the ring and prevents many of the scratches that are common on softer metals. This is important because the cobalt blend can cause allergic reactions when worn for long periods of time. The skin cells and sweat can cause oxidation, and skin and ring discoloration. If you have sensitive skin, you’ll want to make sure that you check the metal blend. Cobalt is a little less expensive, but nickel is entirely hypoallergenic and does not suffer from oxidation.

Injury from Accidents
Tungsten carbide rings can be caught in industrial settings. It is rarely advisable to wear jewelry in warehouse, automotive, construction or manufacturing industries; however, tungsten carbide rings are particularly dangerous. Many pieces of jewelry will bend or break when pressure is put on them from machines or other areas. If the pulling occurs or the ring becomes caught, the ring will not break and may cause further injury to the person involved.

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Gold, platinum, stainless steel, titanium and tungsten carbide are some of the most popular materials used to create wedding bands. Tungsten carbide, a synthetic material, is one of the world's hardest materials. There are many advantages that tungsten carbide rings offer over rings made out of other materials. Tungsten carbide is formed when certain levels of carbon and tungsten are combined. Tungsten carbide rings can be associated with higher price tags simply because of high production costs. Tungsten carbide must be heated to temperatures exceeding 6,000 degrees Fahrenheit to be able to form the metal into ring form.

Gold
Gold is a very popular precious metal used in the creation of rings and wedding bands. Tungsten carbide is harder than gold. While gold offers a hardness rating of "3" on the Moh's metal hardness scale, tungsten carbide offers a "9" hardness rating out of 10. Gold is more ductile than tungsten carbide. Ductility refers to a material's ability to bend under pressure. Gold will bend and warp under pressure, unlike tungsten carbide, which does not bend under pressure. Tungsten carbide rings shatter under pressure. This property might be very attractive to a consumer who is concerned with a ring holding its shape. Tungsten carbide rings are generally cheaper than gold rings.

Platinum
Many rings and wedding bands are constructed out of platinum, which is also a precious metal. While platinum is harder than silver and gold, tungsten carbide is much harder than platinum. Platinum only offers a maximum hardness rating of around "4" on the Moh's hardness scale. Platinum is also very ductile; a ring made out of platinum will bend under high pressures. Platinum rings are some of the most expensive rings on the market, they are usually much more expensive than tungsten carbide rings.

Stainless Steel
Many rings are made from durable stainless steel. Stainless steel is one of the harder metals available but it is still not harder than tungsten carbide. Stainless steel offers a hardness value of "6" on the Moh's scale of hardness. Stainless steel is also more ductile than tungsten carbide. It might take quite a bit of pressure, but a stainless steel ring will still bend rather than shatter. Tungsten carbide rings are about 90 percent heavier than stainless steel rings. This might make it a more attractive choice for consumers in the market for a heavier ring. Stainless steel rings are usually relatively cheap, tungsten carbide rings are generally more expensive than stainless steel rings.

Titanium
Titanium is one of the toughest, hardest and most durable metals. Titanium is even a little harder than stainless steel ("6" hardness rating) but it is not harder than tungsten carbide. Just like with silver, gold, platinum and stainless steel, titanium is more ductile than tungsten carbide. Stainless steel rings are around 43 percent heavier than titanium rings, which mean tungsten carbide rings are considerably heavier than titanium rings. Basic titanium rings are linked with price tags that are similar to tungsten carbide ring price tags.

Tungsten Carbide Manufacturer & Supplier: Chinatungsten Online - http://www.tungsten-carbide.com.cn
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When selecting a wedding band, carefully consider the metal used. Although wedding rings are traditionally made from gold, they can also be made from platinum, titanium, stainless steel and tungsten. A tungsten wedding band offers beauty, durability and affordability.

Identification
Tungsten wedding bands are made from a combination of tungsten metal and Carbide powder, which is heated to more than 6,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Although it is sturdy, it is also quite heavy.

Strength
According to the Perry Olsen website: “Tungsten jewelry is 4 times harder than titanium jewelry.” The website goes on to explain that a tungsten wedding band is scratch-proof and nearly impossible to destroy.

Appearance
Tungsten carbide naturally displays a smooth, shiny appearance. For added brilliance, it can be plated with gold for a two-tone effect or decorated with gemstones.

Care
Tungsten metal does not react with oxygen, so a tungsten band will never become dull, discolored or tarnished. Smudges can be wiped away with a soft cloth. Tungsten wedding bands should never be cleaned with harsh chemicals.

Cost
Tungsten carbide wedding rings are considerably less expensive than platinum and gold wedding bands. Moreover, they require little care and maintenance.

Tungsten Carbide Manufacturer & Supplier: Chinatungsten Online - http://www.tungsten-carbide.com.cn
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Tungsten carbide is formed by the union of tungsten and carbon. This metal is considered to be one of the hardest and most durable of all metals. Tungsten carbide has applications in industries such as mining, drilling and the military.

Facts
Tungsten carbide is known for its hardness and high melting point. On the Mohs scale for testing hardness, tungsten carbide receives a rating of nine, surpassed only by diamonds, which have a hardness of 10. This hardness makes tungsten carbide very scratch-resistant. The melting point of tungsten carbide is around 2,600 degrees Celsius. By itself, tungsten carbide is not a naturally occurring material, it is only produced by combining the elements of tungsten and carbon.

Uses
Cutting tools for drilling, mining and construction often incorporate the use of tungsten carbide. These are undoubtedly the biggest markets for tungsten carbide, accounting for around 60 percent of its use. The use of this material in jewelry is becoming popular. Everything from rings to necklaces can be fashioned out of tungsten carbide. Tungsten carbide is also used on the tips of trekking poles and as spikes on snowmobile equipment. It is also used in ball point pens to align the roller ball with ink. Filaments from light bulbs are made out of tungsten because of its resistance to heat.

Military
Tungsten carbide is used in the creations of some weapons' ammunition. Armor-piercing ammunition is manufactured from tungsten carbide.

Production
China, Russia and Korea are all major producers of tungsten, the primary material needed for tungsten carbide. Large reserves of tungsten can be found in certain countries such as Bolivia, Canada and the United States. Today, around 30,000 tons of tungsten carbide are produced annually throughout the world. Only 10 tons per year were being manufactured in the 1930's when it was first gaining widespread use.

History
Tungsten itself was discovered in the later 18th century, however, widespread use of tungsten carbide did not begin until the early 1920's. More useful applications were discovered in the 1930's when tungsten carbide was used in the milling and cutting of cast iron.

Tungsten Carbide Manufacturer & Supplier: Chinatungsten Online - http://www.tungsten-carbide.com.cn
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