Zirconium-plated tungsten?

[drippyzeo]

Hello all -- long-time lurker, first-time poster. These forums were quite handy when I was doing research for an engagement ring.

Well, she said yes and I''m now looking for a wedding band for myself. A friend of mine who''s also getting married sold me on tungsten carbide. Only thing that''s been holding me back so far was color -- I got her a yellow gold ring.

After toying with the idea of a gold inlay, I found the following:

http://www.forevertungstenring.com/gold-tungsten-carbide-ring/

Gold tungsten? Is this for real? After some more research, I''ve found that it''s usually attributed to zirconium plating, as stated here:

http://www.sabrinasilver.com/Tungsten-Carbide-516-8-mm-Comfort/M/B000KDZH50.htm

...or ionic plating, as stated on a number of other stores on eBay.

Does anyone know what''s up with this? What is zirconium plating? Would a zirconium-plated tungsten carbide ring still maintain it''s shine and not scratch?

 

[boonerings]

Zirconium is a white metal similar to titanium. It can have a coating of zircon, a ceramic that is usually black, but can be made to take other colors. The treated zirconium has a Mohs hardness of around 8.4, whereas tungsten carbide is around 9. Both are pretty tough customers. I have a hard time trying to even sand through a black zirconium coating on a ring I''ve made.

 

[drippyzeo]

Thanks, Bruce -- that was extremely helpful.

Would zirconium shatter like tungsten does?

 

[boonerings]

Zirconium won''t shatter like tungsten does. If it''s a coating on tungsten, the underlying ring would do the shattering. That''s actually a good thing; tungsten carbide is so hard that it could not be cut off in case of emergency, but it can be shattered in a vice like ceramic. Black zirconium rings have a very hard surface, but it can still be cut through. The underlying metal is quite a bit softer than the surface.

 

[drippyzeo]

Hmmm ... that actually makes me nervous. Does that mean in an emergency, they would have to cut through the zirconium, and THEN shatter the tungsten underneath with a vice grip?

 

[monarch64]

Aren''t most hospitals/paramedics now equipped with proper tools to cut off tungsten rings? I thought that the caveat with tungsten rings was that they had to be cut in two places...is zirconium not as easily cut through? Just curious.

 

[boonerings]

No, a coating will easily crack off when the ring is cracked. It won''t have to be separately cut. Tungsten carbide rings can definitely not be cut, even with power tools, but it is very easy to break with a vise or visegrips. Titanium or zirconium can both be cut, even with normal ring removal tools.