About Tungsten Carbide & Ceramic
Tungsten Carbide Fact
"Tungsten" (from the Swedish and Danish tungsten, means "hard" or more accurately, "heavy-stone") is used in English, French, Italian as the name of the element, although in many other languages (e.g. in German and Spanish) it is known as "wolfram", and this is also the origin of its chemical symbol, W and the atomic number is 74. Tungsten carbide, WC, or tungsten semi-carbide, W2C, is a chemical compound containing tungsten and carbon. Colloquially, tungsten carbide is often simply called carbide. Our Tungsten Carbide Rings are composed of 85-88% of Tungsten Carbide, with a minority composition of materials including Tantalum, Titanium, Niobium and Chromium.
In its raw form, tungsten is a steel-gray metal that is often hard to work. Of all metals in pure form, tungsten has the highest melting point (3,422’C, 6,192 ’F), lowest vapor pressure and (at temperatures above 1,650’C) the highest tensile strength. Tungsten has the lowest coefficient of thermal expansion of any pure metal. It is remarkable for its robust physical properties, especially the fact that it has the highest melting point of all the non-alloyed metals and the second highest of all the elements after carbon.
Tungsten Carbide is the only metal that can be permanently polished and scratch-free. The polish and finish will virtually last forever and will never deform. It is 10 times harder than 18k gold, 5 times than steel and 4 times than titanium. Many people also enjoy the heavy weight of a tungsten carbide ring. The enduring polish of a tungsten ring together with the solid weight, speak of commitment, security and an everlasting bond.
High Tech Ceramic Fact
High-tech ceramic is commonly used in producing watch cases. The material is valued by watchmakers for its light weight, scratch-resistance, durability and smooth touch. IWC is one of the brands that initiated the use of ceramic in watch-making.
High-tech ceramic rings are the latest contemporary fashion trends. The term covers inorganic non-metallic materials which are formed by the action of heat. Basically, when heat is applied to ceramic, it forms an oxidized coating. This coating creates enables the ring to be 100% scratch resistant. The coating has the same strength of sapphire and will prevent much of the wear and tear. High-tech ceramic material is heavier than titanium, but lighter than tungsten carbide. It shares hypoallergenic qualities like black zirconium rings and titanium rings but offers a stylish look. Just like Tungsten Carbide, High-tech ceramic rings are permanently polished, scratch-free with everlasting durability.
