How Are Tungsten Rings Made?
If you are looking for a tungsten wedding band or a tungsten carbide wedding ring, you might be interested in learning how these exquisite rings are made. The toughest metal ever used to make wedding rings is processed in an innovative manner using cutting-edge equipment and methods. Understanding the process that led to the creation of the amazing work of art not only increases one's appreciation for its beauty, but it also aids in the selection of the ideal ring to wear for the rest of one's life.
The ring-to-be-formed is molded with a thin powder made of finely pulverized pure tungsten metal and carbon. Sintering is a patented method that involves compressing the mixture in a mold and heating it in a vacuum furnace to about 1400 degrees Celsius so that the tungsten can combine with the carbon to form the tungsten carbide structure.
The ring blank, which is an unpolished, dark piece of metal, will go through approximately 30 different polishing procedures to achieve the glossy sheen seen in jewelry stores. The vast majority of these polishings are carried out using standard gold and silver jewelry polishing equipment.
Diamond polishing paste is used instead of traditional polishing wax due to the exceptional hardness of tungsten carbide. Each polishing step reduces the micron or grit of the paste, resulting in a finer polish. Finally, a 0.5 micron paste is applied to produce the mirror-like high polish finish seen on the vast majority of tungsten bands.
A standard polishing machine and a diamond coated wheel are used to brush finish a rounded surface.
Some blanks are designed with grooves for inlay installation. Silver, gold, platinum, wood, stones, carbon fiber, and ceramic can all be used to create inlays.
Although tungsten rings are scratch-proof and extremely durable, their inlays are not. Because precious metals such as silver, gold, and platinum are so soft, inlays made from them will scratch jewelry just as easily as a ring made entirely of those metals. Despite the tungsten portion's side support and protection, a gold inlay, like a gold ring, will scratch. To avoid scratching the inlay, remove the ring before handling anything hard, such as hand tools or steel handles.
Some tungsten rings are made by adorning plain tungsten rings with designs or patterns. The designs are engraved using a subpar laser machine. This method produces sharp, long-lasting engraving.
