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The history of wedding bands is as ever evolving as it is fascinating. Ancient Egyptians believed that the vein from the fourth ring on the left hand connected straight to the heart. Since then, the wedding band has been placed on that finger as a pledge of love and lifelong devotion.
However, some cultures consider the right hand's fourth finger the "ring finger" because of the hand's use in taking up oaths and vows.
The tradition of exchanging wedding bands can be traced back to 3000 years ago in ancient Rome and Greece. At that time, people used wedding bands made of bone and ivory - even leather. In Rome, wealthy people exchanged silver and gold rings, while others exchanged iron rings. Nonetheless, this began the exchange of metallic rings as a promise of love.
From being part of a marital dowry to becoming a promise of fidelity, no one can deny the symbolic, cultural, and religious importance of exchanging wedding bands with the one you love.
In recent years, tungsten bands and ceramic bands have gained immense popularity. Due to their sustainability and price point, they have become a top choice to exchange among brides and grooms, as they declare their promise of forever.
Around the 12th century, the Christian church established an official wedding ceremony, and wedding bands were made part of it.
Earlier, people exchanged rings as a token of devotion and affection. After the church sanctioned the wedding rings, it is believed that people started exchanging two rings - one became a more personal engagement ring, the other was the official wedding band exchanged during the ceremony.
Men didn't always wear wedding rings. Until a hundred years ago, only women wore wedding bands during the official ceremony even though the rings were asked to be exchanged by the church to keep the men faithful.
However, when American and European soldiers left for war during WWII, they started wearing wedding bands to remember their wives. Thus, the tradition of dual rings began. After the Korean war, the dual wedding bands became famous amongst civilians as well.
The diamond wedding ring culture was in full swing by the 1950s and 1960s after the precious stone was glamorized with the help of numerous marketing campaigns. The iconic "A Diamond is Forever" campaign made diamond the most favored stone for an encrusted wedding band and an engagement ring. It was previously one of many precious stones chosen for such bands.
While still popular, many people have started thinking of alternative options to diamonds, gold, and platinum for wedding bands.
Tungsten bands and ceramic bands have risen in popularity over the last few decades due to their versatile design, strength, and durability. Moreover, it doesn't hurt that they don't cost you an arm and a leg. These high-quality and long-lasting wedding bands offer a modern spin on the traditional wedding ring.
Wedding bands represent love and, more prominently, devotion. Tungsten and ceramic bands are a good representation of a promise of a lifetime due to their longevity.
The tungsten carbide wedding bands have gained reasonable popularity recently. The material was first used for jewelry by the Rado watch company in 1962 when they launched their scratch-resistant watch. Soon after, due to its lustrous mirror finish, tungsten carbide made its way into the wedding industry. However, their popularity has skyrocketed in the last decade.
Despite the fact the tungsten wedding bands are infants compared to the more traditional diamond and gold wedding bands, they are all the rage. It is estimated that 1 out of 4 grooms prefer a tungsten band as their wedding ring.
Tungsten carbide production began in the 1920s. By 1922, the Germans used it for precision cutting and milling of steel. With the boom in the weaponry industry during WWII, tungsten alloys played a vital role as raw materials for different weapons. It is still used in ammunition, surgical instruments, and skis.
Tungsten has many other uses and thus, was used in various industries before becoming a sought-after wedding band material.
Tungsten is used to make wedding and engagement bands, bracelets and watches. If you have incandescent bulbs in your home, the filament is made from tungsten.
Tungsten bands are made with specialized tools and machinery since the element is rigid. Its scratch-resistant nature makes it difficult to shape and work with everyday tools. Tungsten carbide is almost ten times harder than 18-carat gold.
You also must use diamond abrasive to add a polished finish to tungsten rings, as no other material is hard enough for the job. Despite its dark and muted color, a polished tungsten carbide ring shines like a mirror.
Just when tungsten wedding bands have gained popularity, another humble yet extremely durable wedding band option has taken the wedding industry by storm: ceramic wedding bands.
Not only do ceramic wedding bands last for years, but they are also said to have adjoining qualities of both titanium and tungsten carbide. That is, ceramic is lightweight, scratch-resistant and highly durable. Even though one cannot resize ceramic wedding bands, they prove to be a much more practical option than traditional gold or titanium bands.
Ceramic jewelry has been popular for centuries. The discovery of clay led to jewelry, ornaments, and religious emblems made of ceramics that people have since used as a way of expression.
Except for the Victorian era, when hand-painted ceramic plaques were used to make jewelry, this material has always been considered a lower cost alternative to more expensive jewels. However, nowadays, with advancements in technology, you can find new forms of ceramics such as ‘high-tech’ ceramic. These new forms offer sleek designed wedding bands, which are distinctive yet affordable.
Over the last decade, tungsten and ceramic wedding bands have won over many to-be brides and grooms. They look great, last longer, and are comparatively very cheap. These rings offer a modern alternative to gold and platinum without breaking your bank.
However, the relatively cheap pricing is not the only reason why tungsten carbide rings and ceramic rings have risen in popularity.
Tungsten wedding bands allow you to sport a unique style with the look of precious metals. Along with hardness and density, it is exceptionally resistant to high temperatures. Especially if you have a laborious job, a tungsten wedding band is a perfect choice for you due to its durability and scratch resistance. These are qualities you won’t find in so many the other expensive metals.
On top of that, they are hypoallergenic. So, people can wear them without worrying about allergies to metals. However, since tungsten is so hard, it can also be brittle and can crack if dropped or hit on a hard surface, such as a cement or tile floor.
On the other hand, ceramic rings prove to be another great alternative to widely used precious metal rings. These wedding bands are an eye-catching choice for people who like to make a statement or want a unique sleek look.
Like their tungsten carbide counterparts, ceramic wedding bands are affordable yet fashionable, making them a sought-after wedding band alternative in the last decade or so.
Ceramic wedding bands are made of high-tech ceramic that gives in the strength and lightweight quality found in, for example, titanium. These qualities make the wedding bands comfortable to wear and easy to take care of.
With affordability, these kinds of wedding bands also offer an endless array of design options. While the most common ceramic design is a simple black band, you can find bands with a unique touch of etched and faceted designs. There are also numerous styles with an inlay of other materials, such as, wood or carbon fiber.
Both tungsten bands and ceramic bands are for people that value uniqueness and practicality. They are affordable without compromising on the look or the quality. They last much longer and are much less pliable than metals costing five times the money or more.
You can easily clean tungsten bands with mild soap and water using a soft cloth. The cleaning process will not cause any stain or scratches because of the material's scratch resistance quality.
Caring for ceramic wedding bands is very easy, which is another checkmark to the ever-growing positives of choosing this material for a wedding band.
Like tungsten bands, all you have to do is use a soft cloth with mild soap and water. Clean the band gently. Even though these rings are not at risk of scratches, it would be wise to avoid using abrasive materials.
While the tradition of exchanging rings dates back to hundreds of years, tungsten bands and ceramic bands have entirely changed the game recently. Their ever-growing popularity despite their brief history in the wedding industry is proof of their quality.
If you are looking for longevity, easy maintenance, affordability, and strength, these unique wedding bands are for you. You can select your favorite designs in a wide variety of colors and customizable options.
These bands are yet to be considered the conventional choice when going for a wedding band. Still, they have quickly become top sellers at fine jewelry stores, indicating that they are here to stay despite their recent advent in wedding band history.
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