In these trying times to be different people are increasingly choosing alternative metals for their jewelry. While their fathers wear gold or platinum, the Generation X’ers are gravitating in large numbers to tungsten carbide, titanium, carbon fiber, and stainless steel.

For rings, the most popular trend is to buy tungsten carbide. This composite metal is new to the jewelry industry, but has been used for decades in machine shops around the world. There are many benefits to choosing tungsten carbide for your ring. The biggest advantage is that tungsten carbide is rock hard. (Actually harder than rocks – except diamonds.) Tungsten carbide is a 9 on the Moh’s hardness scale, so it is virtually unscratchable. Imagine wearing a ring that always keeps it’s original shine!

The look and feel of tungsten carbide rings appeals to many fashion conscious hipsters. They have a cool steely color to them. Many of the tungsten carbide rings are inlaid with white gold, platinum, and diamonds.

While most men’s platinum rings are now selling for $2000 or more, and look very worn in short time, tungsten carbide rings are available for a couple hundred dollars and keep their new look forever.

Pointers when choosing a tungsten carbide ring:
1. Make sure the ring is “tungsten carbide”, not plain tungsten. Plain tungsten, while it is a hard material, scratches much easier.

2. Make sure there is no cobalt in the ring. Many low priced manufacturers use cobalt as a binder. Cobalt reacts to the body’s chemistry and small white spots develop on the ring which cannot be removed.

3. Tungsten carbide rings cannot be sized. Make sure the retailer has a lifetime size exchange in case you gain (heaven forbid) or lose weight.

4. Tungsten carbide rings are incredibly hard, but also brittle. Should you drop your ring on a hard flooring surface it may crack. Make sure that the retailer has a lifetime free replacement policy to warranty against possible damage.

A PimpWiz Exclusive by Ron Yates