EXCLUSIVE: Handle with care? Tungsten ring break, shatter and crack warning - National News You Can Use
Tungsten carbide wedding rings breaking, shattering and cracking? Wait a minute aren't these touted as one of the strongest, hardest and most scratch resistant rings you can buy? "Tough and durable", "To last a lifetime," some websites advertise. So complaints surfacing from brides and grooms saying their tungsten rings split into pieces seems, well, surprising.
Mike Hellebuyck
Mike Hellebuyck
Just how strong is tungsten carbide? On the Mohs Scale of mineral hardness the material is actually stronger than diamonds.
How popular are the rings? Incredibly popular and growing. A recent study from TheKnot.com and the WeddingChannel.com found:
In 2011: 27% of grooms had a Tungsten ring, and 1% of brides chose tungsten
In 2009: 19% of grooms, and less than 1% of brides chose tungsten for their rings
What's happening to ring wearers? Some of these contemporary tungsten ring wearers have a warning: The tungsten carbide is actually so hard it's brittle. If you drop the ring from your 'big day' it could break, shatter or crack, kinda like when a ceramic bowl or glass hits the ground.
Mike Hellebuyck is now on his third replacement tungsten ring! The Southfield, Michigan resident says he bought tungsten figuring it would stand up well to all the work he does with his hands, like fixing snowmobiles and car engines.
He never thought it would break in half just hours after he said, "I do", at his own wedding reception. "I was doing a dance called the 'Alligator'. It's an odd dance that includes hitting your hands on the floor. During this phase of the dance, I was slapping my hands on the dance floor and the Tungsten wedding band snapped in two." Pictures you see in this article show how that magical moment was caught on camera by the wedding photographer. Mike's new wife looks, well, not too thrilled.
Luckily Mike's jeweler replaced ring number one for free.
Tungsten ring number two broke while Mike was vacationing Cabo. The ring fell from the hotel safe and snapped in half when it hit the floor. Back to the jeweler he went, where he was given, and is still on ring number three.
Amanda Molina from Albuquerque, New Mexico had a similar experience. "My husband and I picked out his wedding band together and we both liked the thick, modern look of the tungsten band that we went with. A few months after we had been married, he dropped his ring on our concrete floor and in two pieces it went! We couldn't believe it! It was a bummer because there's something special about having the actual ring that was in your wedding ceremony, but the company replaced it with no questions asked."
Are there official consumer complaints filed? Many couples had good luck asking their jeweler to replace their broken tungsten rings, so not a lot of complaints have been filed with consumer agencies and jewelry associations. But the fact these rings could crack is no secret to insiders.
Helena Krodel from Jewelers of America confirms:
"Tungsten carbide (which is not actually a metal, it is a metal matrix composite) does in fact shatter if exposed to an extreme blow. Unlike other precious metals like platinum, gold or sterling silver, tungsten carbide will shatter not bend if exposed to a high impact blow."
The Jewelers Vigilance Committee, which mediates disagreements between jewelers and consumers has had no complaints about tungsten rings breaking, but president and CEO Cecilia Gardner says, "I certainly have heard about this happening."
Even some of the Tungsten websites admit it:
Q. Can Tungsten Carbide or Zirconia Ceramic shatter or chip?
A: Yes - While extremely strong and scratch-resistant, Tungsten carbide and Zirconia Caramic are a bit more brittle than traditional metals used as wedding bands. The metals properties behave more like a marble or a concrete then a metal.
Has anyone been injured? If they have, no one's reported it to the Feds. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission says it has no complaints about tungsten carbide rings breaking or people being injured.
Is there video proof? Oh yes. Online videos are now creeping up and multiplying about tungsten rings, and it's becoming the tungsten drama of: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly", on YouTube.
This clip shows a guy dropping his ring on concrete and it breaks in half.
This video and this video both show different kids who were given hammers, (yup, some adult gave them hammers...) and the kids whack what they claim are tungsten rings and they pop into pieces. The kids then howl with laughter and make fun of the rings breaking. Not sure if their parents were disgruntled ring wearers?
There's actually a number of videos, like this one, showing how to remove a tungsten ring in an emergency situation. Though the tungsten is brittle, the rings are still strong, and can't be just "cut" off in the ER, you need special tools. (Perhaps smashing it against the ground while it's on a patient's hand is not a good idea?)
Yet this video shows a tungsten ring surviving a hammer strike. If you are looking for best deals on fine jewellery visit Voltaire Diamonds website. You'll find out more about their huge offer of sapphire engagement rings
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Voltaire Diamonds is leading UK and Ireland diamond dealer. Testers show how white gold, platinum and titanium rings get smashed from a circular to an oval shape. Three minutes and forty-five seconds into the video, the tungsten ring takes a lickin' and does not bend or change shape. What's interesting to note is in this video: The tungsten ring is hammered on a wooden surface and does not break. The other videos show it breaking when it strikes or is striked on concrete.
A Facebook page called "Broken Promises" popped up with thousands of followers and dozens of examples of wedding bands that did not "last a lifetime".
Are there any satisfied customers out there? Certainly. Bonnie Taylor from Las Vegas, Nevada says, "My husband and I got married in July. He only wanted a Tungsten band. He is a chef, and a lefty so durability was really important to him. 4 months later there is not a scratch on it, still looks brand new and he loves it."
"Love my Tungsten ring, had it for 14 months. It has a 14k gold band in the middle and an inscription on the inside, as well," is the raving review Victor Cooper from Atlanta, Georgia has about his wedding ring.
Should I purchase a tungsten ring? Creative wedding dancer Mike from Michigan says he hopes the third time's the charm for his tungsten ring. His advice? If you buy one, confirm with the store a guarantee is part of the deal. "I'd suggest to anyone in the market make sure whomever it is purchased through would provide a lifetime warranty."
Mike loves his ring's "look" and gets lots of complements on it, but admits replacing it two times was a hassle. Is it worth it? He says: "Stay tuned!"
Do you have a tungsten carbide ring? What have your experiences been like? We want to hear from you. Please leave your comments below.
http://www.examiner.com/article/exclusive-handle-with-care-tungsten-ring-break-shatter-and-crack-warning