Friday

A Guide to Buying Celtic Wedding Bands: Material

By Liam Grant

So you've decided on Celtic wedding bands, there are still some decisions to make. Choosing between rings, the main choice is the material of the ring itself. Since there are many alloys on the market for rings, we will look at four popular choices for rings right now. First we will review yellow gold. Then we will move on to white gold. After that, we will learn about titanium. Finally, we will discover tungsten carbide. While there may not be one correct answer, couples will find some alloys are better for their desires.

As far as a traditional material, there is no alloy like yellow gold. Due to the value of gold in all societies, the ring itself will have significance. As the purity of gold goes up, so does the softness and malleability of it. This makes it easy to reshape and re-size. In spite of its popularity, yellow gold has some weaknesses. The same malleability that gives it the ability to be re-worked also lends itself to easily becoming dinged and dulled. In time, many yellow gold rings lose some of their shape. Yellow gold is not always the ideal choice for couples with active lifestyles who want to wear their rings continually.

Another popular choice in wedding rings today is white gold. Couples who like the tradition of yellow gold, but don't like its color are often very happy with white gold. White gold is a combination of yellow gold with a zinc, copper, or palladium that gives it a whiter look. A finished white gold ring is coated with rhodium which increases the whiteness of the material. The benefits of white gold are the same as yellow gold. Drawbacks are also similar. White gold can be scratched and bent easily. White gold bands also need to be re-plated with rhodium regularly. Usually every 6-18 months. For some, the benefits outweigh the upkeep, for others it's just another thing to do.

Titanium is a metal that has become more popular in the last few years. Titanium is very light, much lighter than gold and tungsten. Despite the light weight, it remains durable and strong. Finishes can alter the color of titanium slightly, but it is generally gray in color. For active couples that don't want the pressure of maintenance, titanium can be a great material. Some people think that titanium rings cannot be cut off of a persons finger in the case of an accident. Although cutting it is harder than cutting off a gold ring, it can be done. One downside to titanium rings is they cannot be re-sized.

Of all the materials we are looking at, tungsten carbide is the newest and most unknown. Tungsten particles are combined with carbon and a bonding element to create tungsten carbide. Tungsten rings are actually a type of ceramic, and once they are completed they have a very hard and shiny finish. Although it is much heavier than gold or silver, it's finish will withstand many more scratches. Even when the surface is scratched, the scratches are much harder to see. Like titanium, tungsten cannot be re-sized. Like other ceramic material, tungsten can actually break if dropped onto ceramic tile or if crushed in some way.

Choosing a wedding band means making many choices. A couple can choose a traditional material or a new one. The most important thing is that a couple choose something they will be pleased with. There is a much better chance of a couple appreciating their rings if they have taken the time to educate themselves.

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