“Steeling” Love – Stainless Steel a Growing Fashion
Though certainly not the most popular of wedding ring materials, the appreciation for stainless steel rings is growing among younger couples. The strength, durability and overall cost in comparison to the other industrial metals used in band manufacture (i.e. tungsten or titanium), is what has possibly accounted for the annually rising demand for stainless steel that jewelers have been reporting over the past several years. Also, the metal has become extremely popular with modern “green” couples!
Stainless steel has many of the same benefits of its more costly counterparts, most notably titanium and tungsten. Though more often than not stainless steel is found in household goods such as cookware and cutlery, as well as a myriad of purposes within the medical field, its choice as a material for wedding bands is a solid one. Stainless steel is extremely scratch resistant as well as being famously stain and tarnish proof without losing any of the stylish elegance which can be found with other, more expensive metal and metal alloy alternatives. Its resistance to stretching, metal wear and general durability are comparable to tungsten and titanium as well. More over, like its more expensive counterparts, stainless steel too is hypoallergenic and remains the most inexpensive metal for use in wedding rings and other types of jewelry. Though buyers should beware that other composites within any alloy ring, such as nickel or copper, are capable of aggravating any allergies the ring wearer may have. A few simple questions regarding the specific piece you are contemplating purchasing should be enough to ensure such an issue is not overlooked.
Do not be turned off by the idea of buying steel if you are under the impression that a wedding band made from it will lack style or artistic. Unlike tungsten and to a lesser degree titanium, stainless steel rings can be made just as fashionable and are in some ways capable of being even more trendy. Stainless steel is easily etched, engraved, and capable of being molded into any number of shapes an styles. Though simply walking into a standard “off the rack” jewelry franchise chain will more than likely not yield a plethora of available models to choose from, custom boutiques and online retailers will often have many different styles and customized detailing available to the savvy client!
On a side note, but certainly not without importance, stainless steel wedding bands are a fine alternative to other precious metals when taking environmental considerations into account. Many modern couples who are environmentally conscious consumers choose stainless steel because of the far less invasive and damaging mining/smelting techniques which are employed in the refinement of iron ore. Believe it of not, some custom jewelers even specialize in making stainless steel wedding rings from recycled or reclaimed metal!
So when shopping for wedding bands that offer the same style, quality and durability as the pricier precious metals, but without the cost and environmental impacts associated with them, stainless steel is an obvious choice for creating a long lasting bond.
Tags: alternative, band, custom, environment, metal, precious, ring, stainless, steel, wedding