If you do a quick Internet search for "men's tungsten wedding bands", you may be surprised at the number of online retailers now selling them. Less than a decade ago, it would have been hard to find wedding rings made from tungsten carbide, but the trend in wedding jewelry is moving swiftly toward industrial metals. One recent testimonial I read suggested that men's tungsten wedding bands have so many great qualities; they could become more popular than white gold. If you compare the features and benefits of tungsten, and then look at the difference in price, it's easy to see how this could happen. Let's take a look at the facts.
Men's tungsten wedding bands are much stronger and more durable than white gold, and they are ten times harder than 18K gold. Tungsten requires very little maintenance, and unlike white gold it will never need re-plating. Some men have an allergic reaction to the nickel that is often alloyed with white gold, but men's tungsten rings are hypoallergenic. And since tungsten is such a dense and solid metal, it is much more resistant to scratches than white gold. This same density makes tungsten feel heavier on the finger than other metals, which may be perceived as either a positive or a negative, depending on personal preference.
There are some ways that men's tungsten wedding bands may be less attractive than white gold. For example, if you like the idea of wearing a "precious metal" to celebrate your marriage, then there is no substitute for gold and platinum. Guys are usually less concerned about this than their fiancs, but they are often overruled by their bride-to-be. Higher gold prices have driven up the cost of gold jewelry too, which is fueling the trend toward alternative wedding rings for men and women.
Some shoppers have expressed a preference for the color of white gold over tungsten because of the natural gray tint of tungsten carbide, but it looks like that problem has been solved. The newest collections of men's tungsten wedding bands include white tungsten rings, which have a "whiteness" that is brighter than white gold, even rivaling platinum. And if you are looking for something a little more contemporary and unique, it is possible to buy an all black tungsten ring or one that is a combination of two different shades.
Finally, the price of a men's tungsten wedding band is much less than a white gold ring. Looking at the men's rings for sale at JustMensRings.com, it is easy to find a beautiful 7mm tungsten ring for under $70, while a similarly sized 14K white gold ring is about $230.
To be honest, when you look at all these characteristics and do an "apples-to-apples" comparison between men's tungsten wedding bands and men's white gold wedding rings, it's not surprising that men are choosing tungsten like never before. If this trend continues, then it won't be long before <a rel="nofollow" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackPageview', '/outgoing/article_exit_link/4247157']);" href="http://www.justmensrings.com/mensweddingrings.asp?wedding=tungsten">men's tungsten weddingrings</a> start outselling white gold.
Susan Peiffer:
peiffer22@comcast.net
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