Protecting your tension set diamond with a zirconium ring

Zirconium rings and the facts you need to know regarding the tension setting of diamonds.

Understanding the true properties of zirconium can be a confusing issue for first time buyer of this type of jewellery. We have mentioned titanium as an option for tension setting a diamond but zirconium can also be used to tension set diamonds. Its just as tough and up to the job.

Zirconium is a metal from the same family as titanium but whilst in its natural state it has the same silvery colour as titanium it also has the almost magical ability to change colour when exposed to high temperatures. In fact almost any colour can be created from the spectrum including black. The black rings you see on our website are made from zirconium. The ring is first machined into the customers chosen specification and then heated in specialist ovens to create the coloured surfacing. It can then be finished like any other ring in a polished or satin finish and have some of the colouring removed to create further interesting designs.

The result is in fact a thick surface coating that differs in many ways to normal plating used in conventional jewellery manufacturing techniques. First and foremost its comparable hardness is to that of sapphire. This means that it won’t scratch badly from everyday wear and tear. In fact to actually scratch away the black coating would take quite some force and does take specialist equipment to do so. Customers that experience the appearance of the removal of the coating when subjected to this type of wear and tear are surprised to learn that it is in fact the surface of the object that has been in contact with the ring that has come away and literally moulded itself into the coloured zirconium.

Secondly the black surfacing does contain what can be classed as healing properties. Light scratches can literally be polished away using using a jewellers polishing cloth. However with this mind heavy scratching will be more difficult to move and in relation to the claim that the ring is as hard as sapphire, sapphire to can be scratched when subjected to certain sharp or metal objects. We recommend customers look after their jewellery when working with tools, gardening or even washing up. Remember no mater what the metal is, all metals scratch against tough surfaces such as stone etc. However Zirconium and titanium will stand up to far more abuse than traditional precious metals such as silver or gold.

So to conclude zirconium is a tough alternative to titanium and highly recommended should you require its unusual colouring properties. Both make excellent choices for diamond rings.