Calling Kenny - titanium and cobalt chrome

[Ashleigh]

Hi Kenny, I showed my hub The Man Ring you posted, offering to get it as his Christmas gift. He turned it down as it's 9mm in width. Might be uncomfortable since it's so wide. Anyway, he indicated an interest in alternative wedding band. See my love of jewelry has rubbed off on him
His few complaints about his current band is that the band will be hot when DH is hot. He also complained that it loses it's luster a few months after polish and dings easily. I sent our bands in for polish every 2-3 years. Mine remains shiny for a long while though.
I told him to look thru the titanium band designs and pick one. Then I saw your Octavia thread where you used cobalt chrome. I know you haven't worn the cobalt chrome ring for long though.

I would like advice on which metal he should pick if he wants:
Band to remain cool
Band to not ding easily
More scratch resistant
Needn't be polished as I doubt any jeweler polishes non-precious metal where I stay but I might be wrong

Or any other metal fulfilling the above criteria.

Looking forward to hearing your opinions. Thank you.

 

[kenny]

My new ring is not 9mm wide.
It's about 6 mm wide since it holds a diamond that's 6.6mm wide.

Bruce Boone can make bands any width you want, but the side grooves design I chose will be similar to the diamond's dimensions.
Does your hubby want a band or a tension setting with a gem?

I'm certainly no expert on jewelry metals.
My SO's titanium Boonering is 3 years old and has either become quite dark over time, or was always dark and looks darker next to the new cobalt chrome ring.
It is possible the darkness is the result of exposure to chemicals in his workplace.
BTW none of the pics I've posted so far show the darkness of my SO's ring since all four were taken in full sun, which obscures the tone of the metal.
Tomorrow I'll get some side by side pics up that will be taken in a light tent.
This should show the difference of the two metal's brightness, but here's a link with some info comparing modern jewelry metals …

http://www.e-weddingbands.com/store/contemporary-metals-comparison.html

About a band remaining cool … any metal worn will match the temp of the finger.
Yes some metals change temp more or less slowly but after that there's no difference IMO.
Silver will come up to the finger's temp fastest, then copper will, then gold, then aluminum.
The difference only matters during the first seconds, or less, when you put the ring on.
This may translate to people claiming silver "feels" warmer than gold.
After the metals are brought up to the temp of the finger all metals are held at the fingers' temp by contact with the finger.

Rings can be thought of as heat sinks that dissipate a tiny amount of the heat of the body.
If people perceive a difference in how 'cool' a ring remains it must be all in their heads or attributable to something else like the design, not the metal choice.
No metal has some inherent ability to stay cool or get hot; they all just follow the orders, temperature-wise, of their environment.

 

[Ashleigh]

Kenny, DH wants a 5-7mm ring, similar width to his current band. Simple band, no diamond. Thanks for the response and link. I will read it later. Thanks for the offer of the photo comparing 3-year old titanium color to your ring since I doubt we can send it for polish. We aren't in US.

 

[hippi_pixi]

anyone with a metal denture will be able to tell you about the temperature of the metal as metal dentures are chrome cobalt! but i agree with kenny that all metals should end up body temperature when worn

 

[Ashleigh]

Update:

Kenny, I showed DH the link you posted and he saw that there was a sale so he quickly ordered a 6 mm titanium band. He told me it was under $80! He actually paid first as I was busy when he decided in his band. Oops! Then again, I BOUGHT HIS Christmas present TO ME, lol. We'll just bill each other when our statements come in.

 

[TC1987]

If you want it to feel "cool," then get a narrower band. I used to wear a 6mm YG band and it was about like putting a neck sweat on a horse, lol. It made my finger swell up in the summer, and made my skin crack in winter. I dropped down to a 2mm and the problems went away. Of course, a man would want more than a 2mm. A round shank is also better than a comfort fit is better than a squarish or flat, too. If the ring is up against skin, no air circulation can occur.

I use Mother's Mag and Aluminum Polish on everything metal, except the plated finishes that will be worn off by polishing.

 

[Ashleigh]

TC, he just bought another 6 mm. I think I'll see if there's a 4 mm version and get him that should he still complain about the new band.