My son-in-law Greg, offered this post. I hope you enjoy it.
I love metal. As a welder and blacksmith I bend, pound and shape
metal to make all sorts of useful and artistic items. Ironically (okay a little iron pun there)
heavy metal is my music of choice. Pantera, Volbeat and Testament are a few of
my favorite bands.
That is why when I needed a replacement for my wedding ring
I chose Tungsten. More specifically I selected a polished Tungsten ring with
carbon fiber inlay (itemTD066-8) at http://tungstendirect.com/8mm-polished-tungsten-with-carbon-fiber-inlay/.
If you go to www.tungstendirect.com you will see
some other great choices as well.
I use my hands a lot for work and I wanted something that
looked cool, but held up better than softer metals like silver, gold and
platinum. Titanium is strong too, but something about that metal irritates my
skin. I know a few other people whose skin reacts to titanium too, so if you
are considering that metal, make sure you don’t have a problem with it before
you commit to a ring you are going to wear all the time.
My Tungsten band has a sleek, aerodynamic appearance and the
carbon fiber looks awesome. The inlay is smooth and doesn’t have any
indentations. Another ring I owned had indentations and the ring caught on my pants
every time I put my hands in my pockets. But best of all, this ring is tough.
No scratches, dents or dings, in spite of the abuse I put it through every day.
My mother-in-law, Sally, noticed a guy who works at the recreation
center was wearing an interesting-looking ring. She asked him if it was made of Tungsten. The guy was proud to demonstrate what his
jewelry was made of it. Apparently he took his ring off, rubbed it against the
brick wall and showed her how it survived unscathed. This was not news to me,
but my mother-in-law was impressed. When Sally told her friend, Joan about the
guy’s ring, he did a repeat performance for her. Apparently Joan’s husband lost
his wedding ring. Who knows, maybe a Tungsten ring might be in this guy’s
future? I’m sure it would be a fraction of the cost of his original wedding
band.
I think Tungsten is a great choice for jewelry in general,
but wedding rings in particular. If you’re making a lifetime vow to someone you
need something that can last. If you’re
a guy like me and you work with your hands, tinker on cars, and fix things
around the house, it helps if you can wear something that won’t scratch, bend
or dent. Some of the more expensive metals like gold, platinum and silver don’t
hold up well. You either have to baby
the ring and take it off (and pray you don’t lose it) or your wedding band
winds up looking like a used crankshaft.
But I’m not apologizing for my ring. Even though my wedding
band didn’t cost anywhere near one that is constructed of a precious metal, it
is still awesome. The carbon fiber inlay
reminds me of the hood I saw on a tricked-out racecar. In fact, NASCAR and
other racecars are using more carbon fiber – and not just for lightweight-strength.
It’s because it looks amazing.
Women can talk about the sparkle of gold and diamonds, but I
like a metal that is tough. And Tungsten is all that. Welders, mechanics and
others who work with metal and machinery know that Tungsten is 10 times harder
than gold, five times harder than tool steel and four times harder than
titanium. And it holds its shape and shine. No wonder you are seeing more
Tungsten in the aerospace industry, civil engineering, motorsports and military
equipment.
In my ring the carbon fiber is used as an accent against the
gun-metal color. But it’s more than just a fancy design. Carbon fiber is a workhouse of a composite.
It’s a perfect complement for Tungsten’s durability. Carbon fiber is being used
more and more for sports equipment like tennis racquets, golf clubs, softball
bats and hockey sticks. Having sports
equipment that is super sturdy AND lightweight gives an athlete an advantage.
Political correctness aside, this is an awesome ring for a
man. That said, now my wife said she wants one too. I can’t blame her. She welds, she works hard
and buying a Tungsten ring is something a working man can afford. I think it
would make a great Valentine’s Day gift.
Most of the women’s rings are only around $109. Here are a two examples:
Most of the men’s rings are in the $100 to $199 range, but
if you want something with diamonds you will pay anywhere from $500 to $1,000.
It’s worth checking out
It all boils down to different strokes for different folks. Some
like silver, some like gold. But like I said, I like metal. And I think my
Tungsten ring with the carbon fiber inlay is a handsome choice that reflects my
trade, my hobbies and my knowledge of metal.
