If you've ever gone shopping for wedding bands, especially online, you may have been quite surprised at the number of metals now available. This is particularly true with men's rings, which are now available in a wide range of sturdy industrial metals and ceramics, as well as the traditional precious metals. When I first learned about this "men's ring renaissance," I found a metal that seemed to offer everything one would want in a wedding ring at a reasonable price - men's tungsten wedding bands. Now that they've been around for awhile, it looks like I'm not the only one to appreciate this fantastic alternative metal. You may be wondering, "What do men really want in a wedding ring?" and that is a fair question, because it depends on the man. But after spending 30+ years in the jewelry industry, I am fairly confident that men want a ring that is affordable, stylish and practically indestructible. That is precisely what men's tungsten wedding bands have to offer, and perhaps that's why they have grown so quickly in popularity.

After seeing how many alternatives there are to gold and platinum, such as titanium, cobalt and stainless steel, I've heard many customers decide very quickly on a metal. Not surprisingly, they usually choose tungsten. In order to understand what makes these rings so popular, it's important to get familiar with how they're made. Known for its uncommon density and strength, tungsten wasn't always available as a jewelry metal. That's because it wasn't always possible to mold tungsten into jewelry. Until a process was discovered for making an alloy out of tungsten and carbon, raw tungsten was too dense to form into a ring. Known as Element #74 throughout the scientific community, tungsten was more commonly found inside an incandescent light bulb than a jewelry store.

The process used to make today's men's tungsten wedding bands involves grinding the metal into a powder and mixing it with a carbon powder, then heating the mixture to a very high temperature before compressing it into a mold. After firing it in a 2,400 degree oven, it can be shaped and finished with diamond tools into a beautiful work of art. This may sound a bit tedious and complicated, and some may even wonder, "Why bother?" But once they try on a tungsten ring they see why. Men's tungsten wedding bands are heavier and sturdier than any other men's wedding ring. They are also scratch-resistant and hypoallergenic, making them nearly indestructible. The process used to make tungsten jewelry results in a material of unparalleled strength. Men appreciate the unparalleled strength of these rings, as well as the technology used to create them. And designers are now making men's tungsten wedding bands in a broad range of styles. They offer long lasting durability and a lower price than gold or platinum. Whether you are looking for men's tungsten wedding bands as a new ring or to replace an older one, this is the ideal metal to wear for eternity.