Which metal for engagement ring?

[Joemonkey]

Originally posted by: Fenixgoon

Originally posted by: Joemonkey

Originally posted by: Fenixgoon

Originally posted by: Joemonkey
4. Tungsten Carbide

qfmft

I'm surprised at all the love for Tungsten Carbide in this thread! My wife has a ~$300 engagment ring, like a 1/4 carat decent diamond in yellow gold. Our wedding bands were a $50 ebay yellow gold set. After being married 8+ years, I introduced her to Tungsten Carbide and she decided we had to get them as replacement bands. Any ring that will last through cremation seemed just too awesome for her to pass up.

Now, Tungsten Carbide for an engagement ring may be weird, but I'm sure they're out there. It is VERY shiny if you don't get the grayer looking type.

WC is awesome.. one of the hardest, strongest, highest melting point materials on the planet - what's not to love? 😀

Exactly. May not be a 'precious' metal or stone (whatever that means) but if you are using it as a symbol for the beating, heat, and damage it can take without looking any worse for the wear, you've found the winner. Cheap too!

 

[Babbles]

Me and the girl just got engaged a couple weeks ago and I went thru the ordeal of deciding between white gold and platinum. After I saw the price of platinum, I went for the white gold. I put the money in the rock, where in my opinion, it seems to make more sense.

We did go look at wedding bands and I never thought of palladium as an option until a jeweler in town had some. I am now set on getting a palladium band for myself; it seems like perfect mix of characteristics. I have not seen a Pd ring for women, so we are going to go for white gold for her band.

I would never consider titanium or tungsten carbide, especially tungsten, because of potential medical emergencies. It is not entirely uncommon to have to have one's ring cut off during an emergency, and to get a 'fad' metal like tungsten and/or titanium does not seem well thought out.

 

[soccerballtux]

Originally posted by: Babbles
I would never consider titanium or tungsten carbide, especially tungsten, because of potential medical emergencies. It is not entirely uncommon to have to have one's ring cut off during an emergency, and to get a 'fad' metal like tungsten and/or titanium does not seem well thought out.

huh? I don't know what you are talking about. Splain please.

 

[Joemonkey]

Originally posted by: Babbles
Me and the girl just got engaged a couple weeks ago and I went thru the ordeal of deciding between white gold and platinum. After I saw the price of platinum, I went for the white gold. I put the money in the rock, where in my opinion, it seems to make more sense.

We did go look at wedding bands and I never thought of palladium as an option until a jeweler in town had some. I am now set on getting a palladium band for myself; it seems like perfect mix of characteristics. I have not seen a Pd ring for women, so we are going to go for white gold for her band.

I would never consider titanium or tungsten carbide, especially tungsten, because of potential medical emergencies. It is not entirely uncommon to have to have one's ring cut off during an emergency, and to get a 'fad' metal like tungsten and/or titanium does not seem well thought out.

rofl... you won't pick a superb metal "just in case" a ring needs to be cut off due to medical emergency? I believe Tungsten Carbide can be crushed w/ a pair of pliers rather than cut off, just in case...

 

[Kelvrick]

Originally posted by: Joemonkey

Originally posted by: Babbles
Me and the girl just got engaged a couple weeks ago and I went thru the ordeal of deciding between white gold and platinum. After I saw the price of platinum, I went for the white gold. I put the money in the rock, where in my opinion, it seems to make more sense.

We did go look at wedding bands and I never thought of palladium as an option until a jeweler in town had some. I am now set on getting a palladium band for myself; it seems like perfect mix of characteristics. I have not seen a Pd ring for women, so we are going to go for white gold for her band.

I would never consider titanium or tungsten carbide, especially tungsten, because of potential medical emergencies. It is not entirely uncommon to have to have one's ring cut off during an emergency, and to get a 'fad' metal like tungsten and/or titanium does not seem well thought out.

rofl... you won't pick a superb metal "just in case" a ring needs to be cut off due to medical emergency? I believe Tungsten Carbide can be crushed w/ a pair of pliers rather than cut off, just in case...

From all my research, jewelry grade titanium can still be cut off just like the other metals. Tungsten isn't cut, but broken off just as you've said. I just didn't like the weight of tungsten and preferred the feel of titanium.

 

[alkemyst]

It's funny ever since non-gold became popular for e-rings there are tons of people justifying their purchases claiming gold allergies.

If you want a ring buy it. Platinum is the way to go if you don't want gold. Titanium and the others are just highly profitable for jewelers.

 

[Fenixgoon]

Originally posted by: Joemonkey

Originally posted by: Babbles
Me and the girl just got engaged a couple weeks ago and I went thru the ordeal of deciding between white gold and platinum. After I saw the price of platinum, I went for the white gold. I put the money in the rock, where in my opinion, it seems to make more sense.

We did go look at wedding bands and I never thought of palladium as an option until a jeweler in town had some. I am now set on getting a palladium band for myself; it seems like perfect mix of characteristics. I have not seen a Pd ring for women, so we are going to go for white gold for her band.

I would never consider titanium or tungsten carbide, especially tungsten, because of potential medical emergencies. It is not entirely uncommon to have to have one's ring cut off during an emergency, and to get a 'fad' metal like tungsten and/or titanium does not seem well thought out.

rofl... you won't pick a superb metal "just in case" a ring needs to be cut off due to medical emergency? I believe Tungsten Carbide can be crushed w/ a pair of pliers rather than cut off, just in case...

compressive strength of tungsten carbide ~~ 4GPa (580,000 psi)... good luck breaking that with a pair of pliers.

edit: FYI, WC rings don't get resized if the sizing gets messed up. the ring is made completely new (i'm guessing they sinter it, which would make the most sense)

 

[Kelvrick]

Originally posted by: Fenixgoon

Originally posted by: Joemonkey

Originally posted by: Babbles
Me and the girl just got engaged a couple weeks ago and I went thru the ordeal of deciding between white gold and platinum. After I saw the price of platinum, I went for the white gold. I put the money in the rock, where in my opinion, it seems to make more sense.

We did go look at wedding bands and I never thought of palladium as an option until a jeweler in town had some. I am now set on getting a palladium band for myself; it seems like perfect mix of characteristics. I have not seen a Pd ring for women, so we are going to go for white gold for her band.

I would never consider titanium or tungsten carbide, especially tungsten, because of potential medical emergencies. It is not entirely uncommon to have to have one's ring cut off during an emergency, and to get a 'fad' metal like tungsten and/or titanium does not seem well thought out.

rofl... you won't pick a superb metal "just in case" a ring needs to be cut off due to medical emergency? I believe Tungsten Carbide can be crushed w/ a pair of pliers rather than cut off, just in case...

compressive strength of tungsten carbide ~~ 4GPa (580,000 psi)... good luck breaking that with a pair of pliers.

edit: FYI, WC rings don't get resized if the sizing gets messed up. the ring is made completely new (i'm guessing they sinter it, which would make the most sense)

From what I've read, you don't really crush it with the pliers, you crack it, as the material is brittle.

You really think tungsten rings are remade? I figure they get tossed back in the "resell" bin and you get sent a different one.

 

[Praxis1452]

Originally posted by: BigToque

Originally posted by: 40Hands

Originally posted by: buck

Originally posted by: 40Hands
Does it piss off anyone else that someone would have to pay a shit load of money just to impress the people who ask their wife about the ring? Oh no! A "sub-par" ring? He must be an asshole! Your husband doesn't love you! Give me a fucking break. :roll:

Welcome to the "real" world. I would have been game to just give her a candy bar and a box of condoms; unfortunately it doesn?t work like that.

Mmmm.. I see. Just sit back and deal with it is your answer? I would like to think individuals can make changes in this world and this is an area that I will be participating in. I've heard girls say that a man has to pay something like 3 months of his salary for a ring. What stupid shit is that? So she can go brag to her friends about how much of an idiot I was for wasting money? How about a nice symbolic gesture (can be in the form of a ring or anything) and how about putting the money I was "supposed" to spend towards our kid(s) college fund? A vacation? Etc... Nah....that would be just stupid!

Nobody said to spend more than you can afford. The bottom line is that here in the real world, regardless of how you feel about them, wedding rings and diamonds are part of this generations social norms. Don't follow them if you want, but you're insane if you think a nice trip or a college fund is just as nice of a symbolic gesture in your significant others eyes.

Your SO can justify putting the money toward something practical, but that big expensive platinum ring will make her happy to be able to gloat to her friends that she has something special and it makes you look good.

You may think that social standing means nothing, but you're wrong. You also make yourself look worse in your social standing when you criticize others for following the norm.

And norms change because people change. The idea that a social norm is anything worthwhile is something I highly disagree with. Now I don't criticize you because you follow the social norm, in many ways we all do without knowing it, but because you feel it is important in the first place.

People make social norms and by believing they are important you only continue them.

 

[DivideBYZero]

'Lord of the Toolbags'. LOL!

 

[mrrman]

Originally posted by: RaistlinZ
3-months salary for an engagement ring is such utter B.S.. Anyone who spends $8-10k on a ring just because it's 3 months of their salary is a complete idiot.

I dont follow this analogy...I think its stupid...you buy what you like and can afford..period...dont go into debt over a ring...its just a ring

 

[cmv]

Go for lead.

 

[krunchykrome]

Don't go with white gold. It's cheap, and it wears out quickly.

Palladium is quickly gaining popularity. It's almost identical to Platinum, except it has the funny name "Palladium". Many of the better retailers are dropping white gold, and offering Palladium instead. Anybody here who is saying don't go with Palladium has not been in the market for an engagement ring lately.

That said, I purchased an engagement ring in November of 2007. I ended up going with Platinum, for no good reason other than Platinum was the best.