Titanium- (pronounced, tye-TAY-nee-em) is a chemical element with the symbol TI and atomic number 22. Sometimes called the spaced age metal.
Named for the Titans, sons of the Greek gods, Titanium, was discovered in Cornwall, England, in 1791 by an amateur geologist William Gregor. In the 1940′s, it was used by the space and defense industries. Today, titanium is used in aerospace applications, automobiles, prosthetics, buildings and sporting equipment.
Only 5 percent of the titanium mined today is used in its pure metal form. The remainder is used to manufacture titanium dioxide (TiO2), an ingredient in paper, paint, plastics and white food coloring (including the coloring that is used to print the “m”s on M&M candies).
When pure, titanium is a lustrous, grayish white metal. It has a low density, good strength, is easily fabricated, and has excellent corrosion resistance. Titanium is mainly used in jewelry as an accent metal in Men’s wedding bands and watches. A ring made from titanium is very light and comfortable, as well as hypoallergenic. Its inertness and ability to be attractively colored also make titanium a popular metal for use in body piercing.
Titanium is a lightweight metal that has a very high strength to weight ratio, and high tensile strength. Two of its most notable features are that it has excellent corrosion resistance, and is non-toxic. These features have allowed titanium to be used in a vast array of medical applications.
Most other stores use “commercially pure” grade titanium, which is the most commonly used form of titanium used in the jewelry industry. At The Men’s Wedding Band Store we have bands made of a titanium alloy, which is not so common in the jewelry industry. The 6AL-4V-titanium alloy is about three times as strong as pure titanium, and is much lighter. It contains 6% aluminum and 4% vanadium. Titanium 6AL-4V is a little more expensive and more difficult to machine, but is far more scratch resistant and durable. This means that your 6AL-4V-titanium ring will maintain its finish far longer than other titanium choices. We believe your comfort and need for an attractive and durable ring are worth the extra effort.
Titanium can be finished to a high polish, satin, stone finish or sand blasted. The Men’s Wedding Band Store offers you the choice of any of these finishes as well as most of our men’s wedding bands.
