Is Titanium a Good Metal for a Wedding Ring? Choosing the right metal jewelry for your husband’s wedding band is a crucial decision since you want to have something long-lasting and modern. Titanium wedding rings are a popular trend in men’s wedding bands. Let us find out why.
According to popular trends, people are moving away from traditional metal jewelry and more towards modern jewelry, and for a good reason. Titanium is one of the most used metals in jewelry today due to its durability, comfort, and modern aesthetics.
The metal has been in use in the aeronautical industry for many years, but quite recently made its debut in the jewelry industry. However, is titanium a good metal for a wedding ring? ( Guys, read my awesome post here- Top 10 Hypoallergenic Metals for Engagement Rings)
Is titanium a good metal for a wedding ring?
Yes, titanium is definitely an excellent metal for making various types of jewelry, including wedding and engagement rings. It is a transition metal on the periodic table and the 7th most abundant metal on the earth’s surface. The metal has an attractive light white/grey color, whose finishing you can change by brushing, polishing, or other methods.
Titanium metal has the highest strength-to-weight ratio of all the transition metals on the periodic table, meaning it is light in weight and has a low density. The metal also contains high tensile strength and makes very affordable pieces of jewelry.
What are titanium wedding rings?
Titanium wedding rings may contain various types of titanium. Grade 1 is the softest form of titanium, while grade 4 is its hardest form. The best form of titanium for wedding rings is the Commercially Pure (CP) Grade Titanium, which is essentially 99% pure titanium metal. Commercially Pure titanium is available in Grades 1-4, but Grades 2-4 of CP titanium is the best for titanium wedding rings.
Wedding rings made from Grade 2-4 CP titanium are durable, scratch-resistant, and resizable. However, many jewel makers do recommend resizing due to the designs and engraved prints on the ring. There are also jewel makers who manufacture aircraft-grade titanium wedding rings. Aircraft-grade titanium consists of 90% pure titanium, 6% aluminum, and 4% vanadium; thus, increasing the tensile strength of titanium even more than usual.
Aircraft Grade titanium wedding rings are hard to remove during emergencies, potentially causing harm to an individual. They are also impossible to engrave, repair, or resize due to their exceptionally high tensile strength. You may also notice some black titanium wedding rings in the market. These rings undergo a vigorous treatment process with elements like heat and silicon dioxide or applying a black plate on the titanium to change its color.
Often, black titanium wedding rings have a black ion plate applied through heat/glue treatment or ion applications. The black plate does not last for a long time, even when applied via ion treatment. You will find that they wear away or chip after a while of constant use. It is also vital to remember that when shopping for a black titanium wedding ring, those that involve entire metal treatment are quite limited and difficult to find in the market.
Titanium properties and usage
As discussed earlier, titanium is a light grayish metal. It has a well-known reputation for being very strong and durable with atomic number 22, and its chemical symbol is Ti. The metal is exceptionally lightweight and comfortable to wear that many people even forget that have it on their fingers.
Similarly, titanium does not bend or break easily, even when exposed to severe conditions. It also does not chip, tarnish, corrode, or scratch easily during normal wear. The metal is also inert in nature, meaning it does not react to body chemistry. As such, it is an excellent option for people with sensitive skin or metal allergies.
Titanium metal has several applications in various industries. Apart from its recent use in making pieces of jewelry like necklaces, bracelets, rings, and earrings, among many others, titanium is also used in:
- Making high-performance products like tennis rackets, goalie masks, bicycle frames, scissors, mobile phones, and prosthetics
- Manufacturing high-tech products like jet engines, spacecrafts, body armor, and military equipment, when combined with other metals like aluminum, vanadium, iron, molybdenum, and nickel, among many others
- Making opacifying, brightening, and whitening agents like high-quality paints when oxidized to form titanium dioxide
History of titanium
Initially named ‘gregorite’ after its discoverer, Rev. William Gregor, a British chemist, titanium was first found in 1791 in England, and Gregor called it ‘manaccanite.’ However, around the same time, in 1793, German chemist Martin Heinrich Klaproth found the metal and named it ‘titanium’ after the Titans of Greek Mythology ‘the incarnation of natural strength.’ In 1797, Klaproth noticed his discovery was similar to the newly found element of Gregor. As such, Gregor is credited to discovering titanium, but Klaproth’s name stuck. Titanium was not completely isolated until 1910.
Titanium is found almost everywhere, including in our bodies, igneous rock, soil, and water. It has also been detected in the sun, moon rock, and meteorites. Some leading titanium producers include Canada, China, Kenya, Australia, Japan, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Norway, and Madagascar, to mention a few.
Pros of titanium as a wedding ring
- Titanium wedding rings have a beautiful light grey color that can be textured and polished for an eye-catching matte finish
- Lightweight and comfortable to wear
- Very affordable
- Quite durable as they do not bend, break or melt easily
- Easy to clean and maintain
- Available in a wide variety of colors and designs
- Hypoallergenic metal
Cons of titanium as a wedding ring
- Resizing and repairing titanium wedding rings can be expensive
- Limited designs of titanium wedding rings due to its high tensile strength
Conclusion
If you are looking for a durable and lightweight wedding ring, titanium wedding rings are an ideal choice. They last for a long time, even with constant daily wear, and are quite low maintenance. You can simply use a jewelry cloth to clean your titanium wedding ring, and you will have it looking as good as new.
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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.