To understand the durability and desirability of black titanium jewelry, one must first understand what titanium is and how it is used in the jewelry making process. Titanium was originally discovered in 1791 but did not come into production use until the 1950s for military design.
In the 1970s Japan began to use refined titanium in construction of skyscrapers. Japanese architects discovered the metal’s inherently low thermal expansion rate; it expands and contracts at close to the same rate of the glass it surrounds.
Working With Titanium
Titanium’s cost for consumers and infrequent use in consumer products is due, for the most part, to the difficulty in extracting the metal in a pure form. Titanium is not a scarce metal; it is among the most abundant elements on Earth and is also one of the most commonly found in nature.
The difficulty lies in extracting the metallic element in a form that can be worked into a useable format for practical applications. After the use of titanium in military armaments and design projects was made public, titanium became a more widely used metal in the production of regular consumer goods. The element became more commonly used in high-end consumer products such as golf clubs, watches and cameras.
Durability and Desirability
Titanium is a versatile element which can be incorporated in design and is used for everything from hubcaps on supercars to simple wedding bands. It has an inherent strength, resilience and is relatively light. Titanium is made even more desirable for jewelry design with its chemical and biological inertness.
It simply does not react easily with other chemicals or human skin; making it extraordinarily hypoallergenic. Titanium also resists most corrosive chemicals and is non-corrosive in its final form, making it an excellent choice for jewelry that is meant to last for a lifetime.
The desirability of titanium lies in its departure from the traditional.
Traditional engagement rings and wedding band sets made of silver, gold or even white gold, are highly common and are seen in most societies that use rings to signify the joining of mates.
Titanium, either in traditional form or in a high gloss black, is a unique and identifiable alternative to the usual. For those wanting a unique sign of their love, a sign that is meant to literally last for a lifetime, black titanium is a most desirable jewelry metal.
Metal-smithing Titanium
The properties that make titanium such a dream for jewelry designers are the same properties that make the element extraordinarily difficult for metalsmiths to work with. The metal is extremely strong, which makes forging it into the desired shape tricky and time consuming.
There are a number of ways to make the forged titanium black, which is becoming highly desirable in jewelry. Some of the methods are inexpensive and not as durable as other methods. Anodizing the titanium, or plating with other elements, is a less expensive method for turning titanium from matte silver to a glossy black.
When looking to purchase black titanium jewelry, especially for wedding jewelry which is meant to last forever, consumers should look for a designer that uses actual black titanium. There are jewelry manufacturers which use proprietary processes to make the elemental titanium black, as opposed to coating or plating. These proprietary processes are more durable and exhibit a higher gloss sheen that plated or coated jewelry pieces.
Wedding Sets
There are a large number of people who will fawn over the future bride’s engagement ring and not think twice about the future groom’s wedding band. Black titanium, being a more expensive and rarer element for jewelry, is an excellent choice for wedding ring sets that differ from the normal gold and diamonds. Black titanium rings can be produced to hold a precious stone for the engagement ring and woven with a precious metal inlay for the wedding band set.
Black titanium is the ultimate background for precious stones such as diamonds, amethysts, rubies, sapphires and emeralds; the black of the titanium frames the precious stone to its best advantage.
Along with providing a showcase for precious gems, the glossy black of the titanium also provides a stunning contrast with traditional titanium, white gold and yellow gold. Gold inlays can also be incorporated into significant Celtic and patterned designs to reflect a couple’s regional beliefs.
Sizing Titanium Rings
There a few methods that can be used to determine ring size, but only a couple of ways to ensure the closest accurate size possible. Finding the proper ring size when ordering or purchasing a titanium or black titanium ring is essential; the qualities of titanium make it extremely difficult to impossible to resize a ring once it is made.
The best method to get accurate sizing is to contact the designer who will be making your new rings and provide them with a ring you already own and can wear comfortably.
Another method for sizing is to visit a local jewelry store and have them size your rings with their sizing kit. This sizing should be done more than once, at different times per day, to ensure your new black titanium ring is comfortable to wear all day long.
One other method for sizing your new rings is to purchase low value rings that are comfortable to wear all day long and either provide these to the jewelry designer or find out the ring size and provide that when ordering.
Making it a Surprise
All but the method of sending in an already well fitting ring can be difficult to accomplish if a future groom is looking to surprise his fiancé with an engagement ring.
For the surprise purchase, it is usually best to find a way to procure a ring from your love that already fits very well and, of course, is fits the correct finger.
Where to Buy
There are several jewelry houses online that provide black titanium options for rings.
Not many of those houses provided prices online; the actual final price of the ring will need to be discussed directly with the jewelry house or designer.
There may be local jewelry store, higher end, that provide this option, but it is not widely advertised.
Black titanium is a jewelry option that is not within the budget of your average purchaser and the designers who sell designs in authentic black titanium usually sell on a case by case custom design basis.
Why You Should Consider Black Titanium
When looking for longevity, durability and style, black titanium is an elegant and classy jewelry option. While costing a bit more than your widely available precious metal ring options, black titanium is an option for those looking for wedding bands that stand apart from the norm.
Black titanium engagement rings and wedding band sets are generally custom made, to the purchaser’s specifications, and is a design choice that offers unlimited possibilities.
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