Which metal?

[split_shank]

We''ve only been married about 6 weeks and my husband''s palladium ring is getting beat up pretty bad from work, etc. He is now so used to wearing a ring that he doesn''t want to not wear one. We were thinking of maybe getting him a ''placeholder'' ring to wear for work and when he is outdoors so that he doesnt ruin the ring we were married with. What metal type do you suggest for durability and a low price, since this is just a second ring, not his original. Also he just likes the plain comfort fit bands, with no stones or etching. THANKS!!!

 

[MonkeyPie]

Titanium or tungsten. Or even stainless steel!

 

[gemgirl]

I originally bought my husband a 10K gold wedding band to wear to work everyday, thinking that 10K would be harder to scratch and dent. He mutilated it anyway. I''m getting him a stainless steel band for every day this time. If he destroys it? I won''t mind for the twenty bucks!

Just a suggestion, but if he''s as hard on jewelry as mine is, check out Ebay. It won''t hurt as much.

 

[girlie-girl]

I''d suggest getting one made of tungsten carbide if he''s hard on rings. They''re supposed to be the most durable.

 

[cdndman]

as the other''s suggested... tungsten carbide is most likely your best choice... it has a hardness that is just below the hardness of a diamond I believe its somewhere around 9 mah.... The only disadavandtage i have seen is that some people claim the tungsten carbide is so tough that in a instance where a finger has gotten crushed it is hard for e/r''s to cut off the rings.

 

[MustangGal]

I also recommend tungsten. And in the case of an emergency, the tungsten band can be broken by squeezing it with vice-grips, so it is safe to wear. My DH has a titanium band, and they do hold their shape, but the surface gets very scratched up.

 

[Rhea]

My DH''s titanium ring shows wear very easily, it''s still beautiful though. His steel ring doesn''t show wear near as much.

I like steel, it''s shiner than some of the other metals and seems to hold up really well.

 

[Catmom]

My DH switched to a tungsten carbide and he loves it. It shows no wear.

 

[Tuckins1]

I agree with the tungsten carbide/ titanium crew! There are many gorgeous rings made from these materials and they are durable and long lasting...
BTW- Your ring is GORGEOUS!!!

 

[split_shank]

Thanks so much for all the suggestions so far! I will have to see how much he wants to put towards a second one. That might end up determining which metal we go with!

Tuckins1-Thanks! I actually should put a new one up. That was taken before my wedding bands were done.

 

[split_shank]

Ok, now I had to do a mini photo shoot to update the avatar! Anyhoo, back to topic!

 

[Diamond*Dana]

I am not too familiar with tungsten and titanium, but my husband has been wearing his 14K band for 11 years (everyday, never takes it off) and it has held up very well. He works in a factory and he has even worn it during softball season.

 

[geckodani]

If you want a cheap tungsten band, try ebay. I''ve seen the exact same bands that sell in stores for $400 on ebay for $30.
My husband has a tungsten band, and it looks brand new after 3 years of wear. This Seller has quite a few. This one, for example, is under 30 bucks.

 

[split_shank]

Is tungsten a little heavier compared to other metals? I remember him trying on various ones and he didn''t like the heavy ones. Keep in mind this is the guy who never wore jewelry and can''t stand the thick metal feeling between his fingers.

I found a stainless steel one on ebay for $19.95. Would that be little lighter in weight perhaps?

 

[girlie-girl]

We purchased my husband''s band from deBebians for $99 with a lifetime guarantee. The local B&M wanted to sell us the same ring for $700, but if we bought my rings there they''d give it to us for $500. LOLOL Needless to say, we didn''t purchase any of the rings from the local shop.

Here''s a link if you want to check them out.

http://store.debebians.com/all-tungsten-wedding-rings.html

 

[MustangGal]

Tungsten is heavy, about the same as platinum, so if he doesn''t like the weight I''d try titanium or stainless. I don''t have any experience with stainless rings, but they look nice in the pictures.

Overstock also carries rings in all three metals if you don''t like ebay.

 

[Kevin509]

To add to other comments, tungsten carbide rings have heft, which give most people a sense of value and it does not scratch. Due to tungsten rings being relatively new to the market the price differences are considerable. Just be sure to buy a tungsten carbide ring that does not use cobalt as the binding element. This can break the ring. A quality tungsten jeweler uses nickel as the binder.