Titanium
Titanium as a Ring Metal
Titanium is the hardest natural metal in the world with a distinctive deep-grey tint. It is most often alloyed with aluminum, iron, molybdenum, and manganese. Ounce-for-ounce titanium is one of the strongest readily available metals. Titanium is abundant in nature so it is not considered a precious metal and the metal itself has little value.
The cost of buying a titanium engagement ring is really all in its manufacture. Because of its incredible strength, titanium is difficult to be shaped into delicate scroll work and patters such as Celtic engagement rings without an industrial type process to work the metal and to form it into a ring.
Nevertheless, titanium is a popular metal for jewelry because it can be colored easily to produce other colors including brilliant shades of red, black, blue, green, purple and yellow other than its more familiar greyish tint. In addition, because of its relative inertness, it does not interact easily with other elements and substances, is corrosion free, and resists most acids and other corrosive materials. It is also hypoallergenic, making it suitable for people with hypersensitivities to metals.
Other Popular Metals Used For Engagement Rings: Gold, Platinum, Palladium, Silver
Platinum
Platinum as a Ring Metal
Platinum is a precious metal that looks similar to white gold. It is over 30 times rarer than gold but, at current prices, only commands about twice the price of gold. Platinum’s workability is third to that of gold and silver. Platinum is resistant to corrosion. Platinum, like gold, is hypoallergenic.
Platinum used in jewelry is usually a platinum alloy, a mixture of six other related metals: platinum, palladium, iridium, rhodium, ruthenium and osmium. But sometimes it is also mixed with copper and titanium. The platinum used in jewelry is usually 90% and more in purity, meaning that platinum makes up 900 out of 1000 parts of the metal. The purity grade is expressed as 900Plat, Pt900, or 900Pt.
It is highly suggested that you not get a platinum engagement ring with less than 90% platinum because the alloys may change the color of the platinum or reduce its durability.
Other Popular Metals Used For Engagement Rings: Gold, Palladium, Titanium, Silver