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.

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Shoppers who are looking to buy real gold may unfortunately purchase tungsten gold, or fake gold, by accident. Fake tungsten gold bars are cheap substitutes for the real thing.

Background
Tungsten gold is considered the Ancient Metal of Kings. Tungsten is also called “the heavy stone.”

Pricing
While gold is priced in the tens of thousands per pound, tungsten costs less than $100 per pound. Charging the real gold price for tungsten gold leads to a huge profit.

Hardfacing

Tungsten gold is scratch-resistant and lightweight. Per cubic centimeter, it has a density of 19.25 grams at room temperature. At liquid density, it is 17.6 grams per cubic centimeter.

Determining Type of Gold
It’s difficult for the average person to quickly spot tungsten gold. However, those who are experienced in the gold industry can find ways to determine if the gold is fake or not.

Purity of Other Metals
Silver and platinum tend to be pure, since the materials are often melted down for making cell phones and catalytic converters.

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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.

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Black tungsten is a popular material for wedding bands. It is one of the hardest alloys available, often made of titanium and nickel as well as tungsten. A ring made of tungsten will not bend, scratch or break. Tungsten is ideal for those who don't want a flashy, shiny band, and it is very easy to care for. Many tungsten rings are polished by the manufacturer, and because of the hardness of the metal, polished tungsten will remain polished indefinitely.

Instructions

1

Clean your tungsten jewelry with a soft toothbrush and liquid soap whenever it seems to have blemishes. Tungsten can only be scratched by diamond or the mineral corundum, according to Titanium Jewelry. However, it can pick up materials and debris from things it rubs against.

2

Avoid using chemicals to clean your ring, and do not put it in an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner. These things can cause spotting.

3

Use a polishing cloth every so often if your black tungsten ring has a sterling silver inlay. The cloth will not harm the tungsten, and it will clean the silver effectively.

4

Look out for oxidation spots on black tungsten that do not go away when you clean it. If you see these spots, it means your ring contains cobalt, which reacts negatively with the human body. There is nothing you can do to avoid these oxidation spots, besides not wearing the ring. Always check that a tungsten ring does not contain cobalt.

Tips & Warnings

Rinse the soap off well to prevent itching before you put your tungsten ring back on.

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