White Gold vs. Tungsten for men's wedding bands

Bejohnson5 · January 2012

I'm so confused when it comes to this topic. I don't know what's the better choice. FI and I had picked out a white gold band for him a couple weeks ago and were going to get it tomorrow. Well FI was talking to a couple of married friends today and a few of them were saying to go the tungsten route. I know with white gold you have to get it replated but our insurance policy with the jeweler (Jared) includes that for free if you bring it in every 6 months to get it checked out (not a problem as I have a white gold engagement ring and have been doing it myself). So I guess what I'm asking you is what do you guys know about the good and bad of white gold and tungsten rings? What is your FI getting?

doeie04 · January 2012

I like tungsten better. I don't like how white gold gets scratched and worn looking. (I know they can buff it out and such, but why mess with it if you don't have to)Plus it is way cheaper! :P

Tungsten is darker than gold though. I don't know if your FI would care. If you are interested, Overstock.com (and other places) carry them for great prices!

DrPB2b13 · January 2012

My understanding is that Tungsten is often much cheaper, however it is not able to be resized if your FI gains or loses weight - but because it's so much cheaper, it's not difficult nor expensive to replace.

It is also likely to shatter in the event extreme pressure is put on it, like closing a door on your hand, so unlike white gold it won't bend around his ring to possibly injure it, but it also won't protect like titanium. Also, if it has to be cut off of his hand in a medical emergency to save his hand/finger, it will shatter and is impossible to repair - you'd have to completely replace the ring (but, again, not terribly expensive).

Tungsten WILL, however, hold up to a lot of abuse and show very little wear, unlike white gold which will need to be replated, as well as wear down. My dad's gold ring, for instance, wore down so much over the first 20 years of my parents' marriage that it was sharp and started to cut his finger (this depends on how much he works with his hands, too); Tungsten shouldn't do that.

laurabub · January 2012

We are going to get Tungsten due to the lower prices and how it doesn't show wear and tear very easily.

browner3 · January 2012

FI is getting his ring in cobalt. It's super durable (like scratch resistant) but looks just like white gold only (I think) cheaper. I'm not 100% positive on the cheaper part though. He just liked the look and durability of it. Hopefuly it's in this week

SheilaDancer43 · January 2012

FI wants a Tungsten. He likes that he can get one darker in color, as opposed to a white gold being "silvery". Also, Tungsten is scratch resistant. We workout everyday and he lifts heavy so being scratch resistant is really important, and I think the main reason for us going with it. It can withstand a lot of wear and tear, but can still be cut off if ever needed. Plus, they are cheap!

The only thing I don't like about Tungsten is that since they are scratch resistant I can't have it engraved at the jeweler. It can be laser engraved though, which I will hopefully be doing.

goodine11 · January 2012

I purchased my FI wedding band maybe three or four months into our engagement. He picked out a tunstgen ring. I

melntaitt · January 2012

We are getting Tungsten as well because my dear FI can get anything bent, broken or scratched within a few hours.

Seriously, when we got engaged I got him a white gold bracelet from Zales and that baby was all sorts of scratched up in days. He absolutely needs something that will stand up to wear and tear and Tungsten or Cobalt seem like good choices.

If your FI doesn't do much with his hands, then white gold is just fine; if he's anything like mine that spends more time fidgeting with stuff than anything else, then invest in getting him something that will stand up to scrutiny.

acaponi87 · January 2012

FI likes the look of WG so we got white gold. More expensive, yes, but he'll be wearing it the rest of his life. I like WG better too.

Chelsenator · January 2012

FI is a fabricator and he wanted something durable and didnt want to have to take off his wedding band when he gets to work like alot of the other guys he works with so we went with the tungsten. He likes that it wont scratch easily.

sweet_melissa81 · January 2012

My fiance was telling me that paladium is better than tungsten because it is a softer metal. If he were to wear a tungsten ring and get injured and his hand were to swell up... it's twice as difficult to cut a tungsten ring off.

diamondx423 · January 2012

I think your FI should go try on all the metals. Mine really wanted a heavy ring, so we were between Tungsten and White Gold; he works in PR so scratching up the ring didn't really matter. He did end up going with Tungsten, but honestly I wish he got WG for re-sizing purposes.

kelsey+brandon · January 2012

My engagement ring is set in white gold and I've never had a problem with it. I can go get is redipped every 6 months for free at the local jeweler we got it from and they'll buff it to keep it looking pretty in the meantime. My understanding is that Tungston is a cheaper metal and is also darker in color. FI's actually going the yellow gold route. He has a signet ring that is also yellow gold and it was more important to us that those match than our wedding bands - especially since mine will be an eternity band, they won't match anyways. The only advice FI has gotten from our married friends is for him to get a comfort fit one.

MMRoberts11 · January 2012

Tungsten is darker, heavier, stronger, and more common in the world (that's why it's cheap) than gold.

Also unlike gold, tungsten in rings is usually tungsten carbide which gives it it's strength (tungsten and carbon fibers).

EmDeVine14 · January 2012

We're getting matching black tungsten wedding bands. FI likes how it's tough and the look of the high shine polish. We were going to go the white gold route first, to match my E-Ring, but after talking so some Jewelers, we decided to go Tungsten.

Bejohnson5 · January 2012

UPDATE!! Well FI and I went back into the jeweler today. He decides against the white gold band we had picked out before and went with tungsten instead. I like it better and I think it's a good choice. Thank you ladies for your input! It helped a lot!

tgerl · January 2012

My FI likes Tungsten the best due to its durability. They make some white Tungsten rings so it looks just like a white gold ring, but at a much more reasonable price!

White Gold vs. Tungsten for men's wedding bands

Re: White Gold vs. Tungsten for men's wedding bands

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