Titanium Wedding Bands: Not Worth The Hype

Titanium wedding bands have become increasingly popular due to their lightweight, durability, and affordable prices. However, there are several reasons why you may not want to buy a titanium wedding band. Firstly, titanium rings cannot be soldered or resized, unlike gold and platinum rings, which can be altered multiple times. This is a significant drawback, as fingers can change size over time due to weight fluctuations or ageing. Additionally, titanium is challenging to work with, and you may struggle to find a local jeweller capable of resizing or repairing a titanium ring.

Another disadvantage of titanium wedding bands is their limited design options. While titanium can be inlaid with precious metals or stones, creating intricate designs is extremely difficult, if not impossible. Therefore, titanium wedding bands may not be the best choice for those seeking a traditional or elaborate ring style.

Furthermore, while titanium is highly durable and resistant to scratches, it can still be scratched, and these scratches will be more noticeable on titanium than on gold or platinum.

Lastly, titanium wedding bands are not as valuable as gold or platinum rings, which have a long history as traditional wedding band metals. Gold and platinum are also heavier and feel more substantial and precious.

In conclusion, while titanium wedding bands offer advantages such as affordability, durability, and lightweight comfort, they also present several drawbacks. Therefore, it is essential to carefully consider your needs and preferences before making a decision.

Titanium rings cannot be soldered or resized

Titanium rings are a popular choice for wedding bands due to their durability, lightweight nature, and hypoallergenic properties. However, one significant consideration regarding titanium rings is that they cannot be soldered or resized like traditional metals such as gold or silver. This is because titanium is an extremely strong and hard metal, making it challenging for jewellers to work with.

While it may be possible to resize a titanium ring, the process is complex and limited. Some jewellers claim that they can only increase the size of a titanium ring, while others state that they can only decrease the size. Increasing the size typically involves shaving off a portion of the ring's interior, resulting in a very slight overall size increase due to the metal's hardness. Decreasing the size involves adding material to the inside of the band, which can affect the ring's comfort and aesthetics.

Additionally, resizing a titanium ring with gemstones or intricate designs is even more challenging and may be impossible. The gemstone setting complicates the process, and resizing can potentially damage the inlay or engraving.

Due to the difficulties in resizing titanium rings, it is crucial to determine your accurate ring size before purchasing. While titanium rings may be more affordable and durable, they cannot adapt to changes in finger size over time, unlike gold or platinum rings. Therefore, when considering a titanium wedding band, it is essential to keep in mind the potential challenges and limitations of resizing.

Gold and platinum rings are more valuable

Platinum rings are more valuable than gold because they are heavier, rarer, and purer. Platinum is denser than gold, meaning more of the metal is required to create a ring. Platinum rings are typically made of 90-95% platinum, while a 14k gold ring is only 58.5% gold. Platinum is also rarer than gold, with only 160 tonnes mined per year compared to 1,500 tonnes of gold.

Gold and platinum rings are also more valuable because they can be resized, repaired, soldered, and changed. In contrast, titanium rings are almost impossible to work with, and it is difficult to find a jeweller who can resize them. Gold and platinum rings can be passed down through generations, making them a more valuable and special choice for a wedding band.

Titanium rings are hard to repair

Titanium rings are also difficult to repair because they are hard to work with. Titanium and tungsten are almost impossible to work with, and it is unlikely that a local jeweller will be able to repair a titanium ring. Gold and platinum rings, on the other hand, can be easily repaired by jewellers all over the world.

In addition, titanium rings cannot be soldered or resized like gold and platinum rings. While some titanium rings can be resized, many cannot due to their design. For rings that cannot be resized, a lifetime exchange policy may be offered, allowing the ring to be exchanged if the wearer's finger size changes.

Another challenge with repairing titanium rings is that they are often created with designs that feature other types of metals. These inlays are not as durable as titanium and require more careful treatment. If scratches occur on the inlaid metals, they can often be buffed out, but these rings need to be treated with extra care.

Overall, titanium rings are hard to repair due to the metal's durability, the difficulty of working with titanium, the inability to solder or resize the metal, and the presence of less durable inlays.

Titanium rings are not shiny

Titanium is a lightweight metal with the highest strength-to-weight ratio among metals. Its resilience ensures that rings made from titanium can withstand daily wear and tear, making them perfect for active individuals. Titanium is also hypoallergenic, so it's comfortable for daily wear.

However, titanium rings are not scratch-proof, although they are highly resistant to scratches and dents. On harder grades of titanium, scratches will be very shallow.

Titanium rings are also difficult to resize, so it's important to ensure the ring is the correct size before ordering. Some shops don't even have the capabilities to resize a titanium ring.

Gold and platinum rings can be passed down to children

Durability

Gold and platinum are both strong and durable precious metals, making them ideal for everyday wear and setting fine gemstones. Platinum is the more durable of the two due to its extreme density and chemical structure. For example, the prongs holding the centre stone of a platinum engagement ring are less likely to break than those of a gold ring. Platinum's density means that it will take longer to wear away than gold. When platinum is scratched, the metal is merely moved, rather than being scratched off, and it develops a patina finish that many people love and desire.

Gold is harder than platinum, meaning platinum jewellery is more prone to scratching. However, when gold is scratched, the gold is lost, whereas platinum can be polished back to a high shine.

Hypoallergenic

Platinum is considered a hypoallergenic metal as it contains minimal added alloys. Gold rings, on the other hand, do not usually create an allergy issue, but some people can develop an allergic reaction to the nickel alloy used in gold rings.

Longevity

Gold and platinum rings can be passed down through generations. Platinum jewellery is easy to restore to its original condition by polishing, and it can be resized or reconditioned. Gold rings, on the other hand, require more maintenance. White gold, for example, will need to be rhodium plated to maintain its whiter finish.

Value

Gold and platinum rings are valuable and have actual metal worth. Gold and platinum are heavier than titanium and have been valued for thousands of years. Gold and platinum rings can be sized, repaired, soldered, and changed, whereas titanium rings cannot.

Frequently asked questions