Black Tungsten Vs Black Ceramic

Black rings have been steadily increasing in popularity for use as wedding bands. Maybe it's the beauty of the dark color, maybe it's the mystery or maybe people just plain love how it looks. Whatever the reason may be, it's here to stay, and more and more black ring styles are constantly being introduced. The two most popular materials used to make black rings are black tungsten and black ceramic. What's the difference between the two and which one is better? Read on and find out.

Tungsten by nature is a grayish color metal and cannot be made in a black color. Black tungsten is made by shooting tiny particles of titanium zirconium alloy, which is black in color, at an extremely high velocity so that the particles embed themselves into the surface of the tungsten ring. It is this titanium alloy that gives the black color to black tungsten rings. While tungsten itself is extremely scratch resistant, black tungsten rings are not as scratch resistant because the outer surface is actually titanium. Titanium is rated a 6 out of 10 on the Mohs hardness scale and is very resistant to scratching compared to most metals. Tungsten, which is rated an 8.5 is the most scratch resistant metal known to man. In case you are wondering, the hardest material known to man is a diamond, which is a 10 out 10 on the Mohs hardness scale. Beware of any jeweler that says their black tungsten rings can't be scratched. They are not being truthful. Just like how white gold rings can be re-plated with rhodium to bring back its white color, black tungsten rings that lose their color can also be re-plated to bring back its beautiful onyx like finish. If there are no stone settings, a black tungsten ring can be re-plated, but if there are stone settings, the ring cannot be re-plated as this will affect the stones.

Black ceramic is an extremely hard light weight non-metallic material that has recently been used extensively in jewelry. Its black color is not a coating so, if the ring is scratched, it will not show another color underneath. Black ceramic rated a 7 on the Mohs scale of hardness, which makes it harder than every metal, except tungsten. For those who don't like their wedding rings to be completely black or completely metallic in color, there are many styles of wedding bands that combine tungsten with black ceramic to give them beautiful two tone designs. By combining the two hardest materials used to make wedding bands, you get the most durable wedding bands known to man. For those who like the contrasting beauty of a black color ring with white diamonds, the best way to go is to get a black ceramic ring with diamonds. Although you can get black tungsten or titanium with diamonds, it is not a good idea because the black color will wear off eventually. Black ceramic is also very lightweight, which makes it ideal for women's wedding rings.

In my experience as a jeweler, I would have to say black ceramic is the better option due to its true black color and greater scratch resistance. The choice is ultimately yours and no matter which ring you choose, you should always choose the ring that best matches your style.

Visit LarsonJewelers.com on the web to find the finest collection of high quality black tungsten rings. Larson Jewelers also carries a wide selection of exquisite Tungsten Wedding Bands, palladium wedding bands, platinum rings, and both gold and white gold rings. You may also visit Larson Jeweler's Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/larsonjewelers, for the latest news or discussions on our rings.

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