The Science Behind Tungsten Wedding Rings: Why They’re Nearly Indestructible
Tungsten carbide’s reputation for toughness isn’t marketing hype—it’s materials science. Understanding its atomic structure and manufacturing process explains why these womens rings shrug off damage that destroys gold. Let’s break down the chemistry and engineering making tungsten a matrimonial superhero.
Pure tungsten, element W (atomic number 74), is a rare metal denser than lead, with the highest melting point (3,422°C) of any element. But it’s brittle alone. Jewelers use tungsten carbide (WC), formed by sintering tungsten with carbon at 1,400–2,000°C under pressure. The result: a ceramic-metal composite harder than steel, titanium, or gold. On the Mohs scale, WC scores 8.5–9