While titanium is often not the first choice for an engagement ring, it certainly a a great option to consider. Most people, if the can afford, choose a platinum engagement ring. If they have a smaller budget they will choose a palladium diamond ring or a white gold engagement ring. Titanium, in most cases is not even considered. This is a pity because titanium has all the properties needed for a long lasting and hard wearing engagement ring.
Floating diamond in Titanium
The colour is the only noticeable difference compared to platinum, and it is a very similar color to white gold. It is a perfect metal for a tension set diamond or “floating diamond” setting as it is sometimes known. The hardness and springiness of the metal make it the best choice if you want a tension set gem in your ring.
Designs are limited though, the properties of titanium make it very difficult to make intricate designs – a good titanium jeweller will work magic though. The titanium ring picture seen is a beautiful design – grade 2 titanium (or pure titanium) was used and it took the goldsmith about a day to make. It is set with a half carat diamond – and the contrast between the sparkling diamond and the deep grey of the titanium is startling.
While the design of this custom made ring is very simple, making it in titanium is not so simple – unlike the precious metals like palladium and platinum, titanium cannot be melted down. The metal cannot be formed and hammered, or soldered using standard goldsmithing techniques. It is just too hard. Instead a small jewellers lath is used to turn a plain simple ring – similar to a chunky wedding band. The ring is cored out to the correct ring size and then the hard work for the goldsmith begins. Using a corundum cutting disk the center is removed to a width just smaller than the diamond size. The inside cut is cleaned and polished. The ring is then taken to a powerful grinding machine and the taper is ground in by hand. The edges and inside are then sandpapered and polished. Finally the diamond is gently eased between the the two edges – small cuts are made for the diamond to sit in. The edges are pulled slightly apart and the diamond is placed in the cut grooves. The tension is the then released, and with a bit of luck, the diamond pops into the ring. If luck is not on your side, or the diamond setter is careless then the stone shatters under the tension – not good. Softer stones, like tanzanite, are a nightmare to set in a tension style ring, but garnets, diamonds, tourmalines, and all the harder gems usually go in without a problem.
When choosing a diamond engagement ring people often make the mistake of thinking bigger is better when it comes to the diamond. While every bride wants a rock of note – it is not always the best choice. The bride will be wearing this ring for the rest of her life – it must be practical, wearable and comfortable. A diamond has depth as well as width. The bigger the diamond, the deeper the cut. This means that the bigger the stone the higher it protrude off the finger, and some ring styles and ring designs just don’t lens themselves to large stones – the biggest problem being comfort. So choose carefully, you want something you can wear and forget – not having to adjust and be careful with the whole time. The ring shank should not push your fingers apart too much – otherwise every time you pick up something heavy, or shake hands you will feel pain.
Titanium and silver - beautiful!
The size of your finger also plays an important part – the bigger your hands the more bold the design you can wear easily – although I have seen woman with tiny fingers wear huge diamonds and carry it off with aplomb. The biggest problem is that the groom to be usually chooses the engagement ring, often as a surprise. While the man may think he knows his bride to be, choosing a diamond engagement ring that will be worn for a lifetime is not an easy choice. Most often than not the man will get it wrong, and the bride to be will smile, and say yes, and wear it anyway (all the time wishing she had had a say in the choice of the engagement ring)
This style of floating diamond ring will work with almost any wedding band – if you have the engagement ring made in titanium it is a good idea to have a titanium wedding band as well – always match the metals of the two rings – a titanium wedding band next to a gold engagement ring may look good – but the titanium will wear down the gold.