Cheap Wedding Ring Metals

An interview about alternative wedding ring metals

If you're looking for a cheap wedding ring, one of the easiest ways to save is to choose a non-traditional metal. Not knowing much about these metals, I decided to talk to someone who does and so recently, I had a chat with Anthony Edwards, the owner and founder of WeddingRings-Direct.com, a family business specialising in cheap wedding rings.

He took the time to explain how many of their customers are saving on their wedding rings by using lesser known metals instead of traditional platinum and gold.

I was surprised to learn that these different metals are actually just as beautiful and just as hardwearing as platinum and gold wedding rings and in many cases you couldn't even tell the difference! Here's more on what Anthony had to say about these cheap wedding ring metals and what you should look for:

So are non-traditional, cheap wedding ring metals really gaining in popularity?

In the run up to this year's wedding season we're definitely seeing a growing trend towards more contemporary and often less expensive metals. There are many new and exciting wedding ring metals in the market with amazing properties and a much smaller price tag, making it easy to find a cheap wedding ring. None of these metals are new of course but there are workshops out there that specialise in working with these materials so the technology is getting much more sophisticated and the range of designs is amazing. About a year ago we hardly sold a single titanium ring, this month it is one of our biggest sellers!

Palladium

Palladium ring with wood inlay

You've mentioned titanium, what other metals are being used?

Palladium has been used to make wedding rings for a few years now and has firmly established itself as a high quality wedding ring material, so much so that the London Assay Office will create an official palladium hallmark this year.

We have been selling wedding rings made from titanium and tungsten carbide for almost a year now. More recently we also added zirconium and stainless steel, and are currently working on an amazing range of rings incorporating wood!

Wood?! Really?

Yes, wood. We offer a range of rings where our customers can combine traditional metals such as gold or platinum with wood. These rings have beautiful properties and look stunning when polished.

Some of the woods we use are oak, yew or plum or more exotic choices such as mahogany, ebony or African black wood.

How are the metals you mention above different to gold or platinum?

Well, palladium is a metal from the platinum family with very similar properties. It is bright white and very hard. The main difference to platinum is the lower density and therefore lighter weight. The weight of a ring is personal taste, same as the colour so this works well for some people. The price tag is similar to that of 9ct white gold making it about quarter the price of platinum!

Titanium is extremely hard and light-weight. It is difficult to work with in the workshop but is highly scratch-resistant. The colour of titanium is quite grey rather than silver, so looks good with a matt finish and is a popular choice as a cheap wedding ring.

Zirconium is a metal from the titanium family, although it's a little heavier than titanium and not quite so grey. This metal offers lots of opportunities to add colour to a wedding ring as it goes black when heat treated, so creates a whole new world of contrasting black and silver coloured wedding rings that are scratch resistant.

Tungsten carbide wedding rings are fast becoming popular for their similar properties to platinum. You can easily get a mirror-like finish and they're a similar weight. This metal is also the hardest metal in the world, so makes the ring incredibly durable and therefore very attractive as a cheap wedding ring.

Titanium with silver inlay

Zirconium

Tungsten

What are the benefits of these kind of rings?

First of all there is the price of course. An average platinum ring that costs around £500.00 will cost only about £65.00 in titanium - beat that when you're looking for a cheap wedding ring!

But it is not only about the price, we started venturing into all these new metals long before the credit crunch became an issue. We try to guide our customers away from 9ct gold towards palladium or titanium as the metal is much harder, keeps its colour, is easier to look after and is a similar price.

Zirconium is in a league on its own as no other metal can offer the two-tone effects you can get with the black zirconium. Zirconium rings can also be made with a wide range of coloured inlays to bring some colour into every day life.

Each of these metals have their own character and style and doing your research will help you determine the metal that is right for you.

Tungsten with gold inlay

The great thing with many of these metals is that they can be combined with more traditional metals. We have a wide range of titanium rings made with yellow gold, platinum or silver inlays creating wonderful colour contrasts.

Tungsten is available with gold inlays as well and we can make any of our multi-metal wedding rings with palladium instead of white gold or platinum. This creates a combination of traditional and contemporary ring materials and brings down the price of your cheap wedding ring too...

So what's the price difference?

Well, you can see for yourself in the list below. The price difference is really quite significant and the price listed here is for a 4mm medium traditional court shaped ring in a size N.

• Platinum - £463.28
• 22ct gold - £355.78
• 18ct white gold - £284.39
• 9ct yellow gold - £127.78
• Palladium - £162.76
• Black zirconium - £138.42
• Zirconium - £132.62
• Titanium - £61.14
• 5mm tungsten - £60.89
• Sterling - £57.12

The prices listed here are for June 2009, remember, metal prices change regularly, so these prices may change.

Diamond titanium and platinum ring

Can you have diamonds inserted into them like with gold and platinum?

Yes, we can set titanium, palladium and zirconium with diamonds just like gold or platinum. Again with tungsten it is a bit more difficult - after all it's the hardest metal in the world!

Will people notice the difference when they look at the rings?

That depends. The colour of titanium, zirconium and tungsten will probably stand out and people may ask about it. Polished titanium is a bit darker than white gold but polished zirconium may pass as white gold or platinum. Tungsten especially has an intriguing glow to it that will make people ask you about it. Palladium looks very much like platinum or rhodium plated white gold, you will not notice the difference until you pick the ring up.

Do you have to maintain them in a similar way to more precious metals?

No ring is scratch-proof and all polished ring surfaces will start to wear after a while - some quicker than others. As most of these metals are harder than platinum, it will take them a bit longer to lose their shine but eventually every ring will have scratches. You will always notice the first ones most but then get used to it. None of these metals need to be plated in rhodium like white gold which is great and means that the ring will always keep its colour. So bottom line - they are all easier to look after than white gold and will benefit from a refreshing polish once in a while like any other ring.

Black zirconium ring with an inset diamond

Do you find that more and more people are choosing these types of rings?

Yes, definitely. Our sales of 9ct gold and silver have almost completely been replaced by these 'new' metals, so I don't think it is much a matter of people going for the cheaper option but it seems people who have set themselves a certain budget are happier to experiment and try something new.

Usually it's the properties of these metals that win our customers over, especially men who generally are not too impressed with the idea of wearing a ring, but love our titanium and tungsten rings as they offer them something special. Zirconium for example is also used in atomic reactors and by the weapons industry - boys love that!

WeddingRings-Direct.com has over a million different rings made from all the
non-traditional metals mentioned above as well as platinum and gold. They're the largest online retailer in the UK and offer a wonderful 'try before you buy' service, where you can try a mock-up of the ring you like in the comfort of your own home. Perfect for trying out different designs and seeing which colours and styles suit you. If you're looking for a cheap wedding ring, then they're a great place to start to your search for a bargain.

Thanks to Anthony Edwards for taking the time to talk me about these new metals used in making wedding rings.

Related articles:

Wedding Ring Designs, Styles and Shapes
Engagement and Wedding Ring Sets
Alternative Sources For Cheap Wedding Bands
The Low Down On Cheap Wedding Rings

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