Non-traditional or alternative metals (those that aren’t gold, silver, platinum or palladium) are becoming increasingly popular as a choice for jewellery; particularly with men.  There are a range of options available, each offering something slightly different, but they can often offer a more affordable price, chunkier design or more engineered look than you may see in more traditional materials.  We stock jewellery in titanium, tungsten carbide and stainless steel.  Each of these metals has its own features and properties, so here is the first of a series of handy guides…

Titanium

Titanium is a very tough and lightweight metal ideally suited to a range of jewellery uses.  The vast majority of our titanium jewellery is made in the UK and includes brightly coloured statement earrings and necklaces as well as beautifully engineered men’s rings. 

Titanium is an incredibly strong and durable material; it has the greatest strength-to-weight ratio of all metals and excellent corrosion-resistance.  It is also hypoallergenic making it a good choice for those with allergies or sensitive skin, and very lightweight which allows even large, statement pieces to be worn comfortably. 

Although titanium has a cool, darkish grey colour, you will notice that titanium jewellery is available in a beautiful rainbow of hues.  This is because the metal has a unique ability to form a microscopically thin oxide layer on its surface though a process called anodic oxidation.  This layer splits light that hits the surface into its spectral colours and by carefully controlling the process a range of colours can be produced.  This is most often used to eye-catching effect on earrings and pendants but can also add a striking highlight to grooves or patterns on a ring.

Titanium’s hardness and strength make it ideal for creating precise, engineered shapes.  Sharply defined grooves and bevelled edges work beautifully and polished, brushed, hammered or textured finishes are taken well.  It is also particularly suitable for laser engraving with finely detailed text, symbols or images such as fingerprints. 

Having a UK supplier allows us to offer a great degree of flexibility, especially with our titanium rings, which may normally be ordered in any finger size or width and in different profiles or with varied finishes.  You might then choose to personalise your piece with engraving or by adding a dash of colour to highlight a grooved pattern. 

As with most alternative metals it is important to keep in mind, especially if you are choosing a titanium ring as a wedding band, that future alterations may not be possible.  A limited amount of resizing is sometimes achievable on our straightforward titanium bands although this does need to be done with the supplier.  More detailed designs may not be able to be resized at all.  If your ring becomes too tight and you cannot remove it then specialist equipment is required to cut through the metal and although we are able to help you with this should the need arise we would strongly advise removing your ring before it reaches that stage!

We have a wide range of titanium rings and other jewellery available to view in our showroom.  A selection of these are also featured on our website.  Visit our showroom to try on titanium jewellery and talk to our jewellers about your requirements.