In your search for the best wedding rings, you will come across a wide variety of metals that you will have to choose from, and sometimes, making a choice can be the hardest, most confusing thing.
Take black zirconium and titanium rings, for instance; these are great metals for wedding rings, but they are not common or, rather, traditional metals often used for jewelry.
If you consider rings made of alternative, durable, stunning, hypoallergenic, and elegant materials, then rings made of black zirconium and titanium may be great options.
And because you need to choose one or the other, this article shares insights into everything you must know about these two metals often used in jewelry making. So, let’s get into it!
What is titanium in jewelry making?
Titanium can be defined as this natural, silver-white lightweight metal that creates the most stunning varieties of wedding rings.
Titanium can also be treated through different processes, leaving you with titanium in varied colors.
The lightweight design of titanium is why titanium is heavily used in manufacturing for other kinds of applications besides jewelry making.
Titanium is also used frequently in jewelry making because it doesn’t scratch easily, and on top of this, it is both biocompatible and hypoallergenic.
Titanium used in jewelry making is also relatively stronger than steel, although it is lighter than aluminum. Its other stand-out feature has got to be that titanium is available in various grades, all correlating to different levels of ductility and hardness.
But despite the existence of at least 30 grades of this metal, Grade 5 Titanium or aircraft-grade titanium is the most common form of titanium used commercially, including in jewelry making. Grade 5 titanium is also the high-grade titanium often used in ring making.
One notable feature of titanium is its hardness and durability. More specifically, the fact that titanium is one of the strongest and hardest metals used in jewelry making may have you perceive this metal as an indestructible one.
Still, the truth is that despite its hardness, a titanium ring can be cut off using a diamond-tipped ring cutter. So, your finger will not be sowed off in case of an accident.
And despite being strong, titanium rings don’t scratch easily, but they will be scratched eventually and even show signs of wear. So, don’t buy titanium jewelry expecting it never to develop scratches.
Pros and cons of titanium
Pros
- Titanium rings and jewelry, in general, are very durable
- The rings have elegant finishes
- Titanium rings last forever
- The rings can be engraved
- They can be cut off with a diamond-tip cutter
- Versatile rings for men and women
- The rings are safe and hypoallergenic
Cons
- Resizing titanium rings is not only expensive but also a little challenging.
- Not ideal for electricians
What is black zirconium jewelry?
Zirconium is the other unique and elegant metal used in jewelry making. It is mostly (starts as) a grayish-white metal that looks a lot like titanium.
It is also lightweight, nickel-free, and hypoallergenic, and the other feature that makes it stand out is that it is resistant to corrosion and heat. Interestingly, heating the zirconium leads to its oxidation so that the zirconium develops a black film, leaving you with black zirconium, which looks just like ceramic.
Thanks to zirconium’s initial grayish-white color, it is often confused with the sister metal, titanium. Zirconium is soft and silky on the skin, and the insides of the black zirconium ring is then highly polished for extra comfort.
It also boasts a nice curved comfort fit, and some jewelers add patterns and textures to the ring’s exterior. Thanks to the relative softness or the malleability of black zirconium, rings made of this metal often feature different finishes such as the polished, stain, coarse, or hammered finishes.
Thanks to these features and the fact that this metal is lightweight and slightly heavier than titanium, it is slowly becoming one of the most popular metals used in jewelry making.
Black zirconium is also very durable, and it is preferable to tungsten in that it is shatter-proof and will not bend out of shape the way the precious metals do.
Given its durability and hardness level, you may be wondering if the ring can be taken off safely in case of emergencies, and the answer is yes. Despite being as hard as sapphire, it can be cut off.
Note that it is rated 8 on the Mohs scale of hardness, the same hardness level as ruby and sapphire. It is not scratch-resistant, but you can get rid of the scratches by cleaning it with a kitchen cleaner/ detergent, scouring pad, and warm water.
Pros and cons of black zirconium
Pros
- The ring can be cut off in case of emergencies
- It is durable, hard, and long-lasting
- Rings made of black zirconia are stunning
- Good quality rings that make the best of wedding rings
- Can be engraved and customized per your preference
- Some of the ring designs have been handcrafted
- It doesn’t crack or break
- It doesn’t harbor bacteria
- It is hypoallergenic
Cons
- Resizing black zirconium rings is challenging
- This ring is not scratch-resistant
Differences between black zirconium and titanium
1. Strength
Zirconium is just as strong as titanium, meaning that if you choose between the two metals based on their strength, then none of the rings will be better than the other.
The strength in both metals is also why both black zirconia and titanium are long-lasting and resistant to corrosion.
2. Hypoallergenic properties
If you are looking for a hypoallergenic metal for your ring, you will be happy to know that both black zirconium and titanium rings are hypoallergenic.
They are safe on the skin and nickel-free, making both metals excellent options if you have sensitive skin.
3. Cost
While both metals are excellent options, titanium is more expensive than black zirconium. But with the increasing demand for zirconium across the world, this is expected to lower titanium costs possibly.
4. Preference in industries
Industries like dentistry now prefer zirconium over titanium thanks to the then low electrical conductivity of zirconium and its hypoallergenic properties. This may also be the case for professionals like electricians because of zirconium’s low electrical conductivity and heat conductivity.
5 . Design versatility
Unlike titanium, zirconium is much more malleable and ductile, which means that zirconium rings come in many more versatile designs and styles. You may prefer zirconium to titanium for your wedding rings.
Black zirconium vs. titanium, which one is better?
There is no doubt that both titanium and black zirconium are strong and corrosion-resistant, and they make elegant pieces of jewelry, mostly rings, that will stand the test of time.
They are also both hypoallergenic metals, so your choice between these two metals will depend on your preference and budget.
Titanium would be the right pick for you if you are not constrained financially and don’t mind that it will get scratched, but if you want to spend less money on a stunning black ring in different styles or finishes, then black zirconium would be a good option for you.
Black zirconium also has low electrical conductivity, but both metals are hypoallergenic. Just note that both rings can be black.
We also talk about the differences between Black zirconium and tungsten jewelry, please read here!
Conclusion
Black Zirconium and titanium are high-quality and durable metals that last pretty long.
They are hypoallergenic, and though there are challenges resizing these two metals, they make excellent wedding rings.
The only other important thing to note is that zirconium is not as conductive as titanium, so titanium is not ideal for electricians.
Read more jewelry metal posts here or here!
Tiger is a fashion&jewelry lover. He is also a fashion jewelry manufacturer that help thousands of small business to grow and also do business with some big fashion jewelry brands. He is a truly metal expert and he will share some information you are looking for.