| To many people, titanium is a mysterious term. | | | | titanium jewelry is listed among the precious |
| General understanding of the public for this metal | | | | metals silver, gold and platinum under precious |
| is that it is a very hard substance, and some may | | | | metal categories. Also, the price range for titanium |
| know that is very light as well, especially for folks | | | | jewelry is similar to the precious metals that are |
| who own any titanium jewelry or watches. We | | | | actually scarce on the Earth. The reason is that |
| would like to clarify some common myths about | | | | although the metal itself is abundantly available, |
| this metal and give brief explanation for each one. | | | | the process for producing titanium alloys is |
| Titanium is a newly found metal | | | | expensive compare to traditional precious metals. |
| Titanium is new to many industries and recently | | | | The technology for creating titanium alloys |
| applied to many new applications, but the metal | | | | involves extremely high temperature and vacuum |
| was first discovered in 1791, in England. It was | | | | condition, and tight control of environment to |
| discovered by an amateur chemist in an impure | | | | avoid any contaminations. This drives the prices of |
| form called rutile. It was not used widely until the | | | | titanium jewelry to the range of jewelry just like |
| last century because the technique for extracting | | | | gold jewelry. |
| titanium from its naturally occurred ore remained | | | | Titanium jewelry is indestructible |
| a failure until 1910. It was used in many | | | | Wrong. Even though titanium alloys have high |
| applications after it was shown that its alloys can | | | | strength and resistant to wearing, it can be |
| be produced commercially by reducing titanium | | | | damaged. In fact, it can be worked almost in the |
| tetrachloride with magnesium in 1940. | | | | same ways as other jewelry, such as resizing, |
| Titanium is very hard | | | | filing, polishing and engraving. However, special |
| It depends. It has to be noted that the metal | | | | equipment is needed to do so. Therefore, in case |
| (chemical periodic table symbol Ti), is rather soft | | | | of an emergency, titanium rings can be cut off |
| compare to the commonly known "strong" | | | | like any other rings, except that some special |
| version, which is the alloys made from a mixture | | | | equipment is needed. Note that pure titanium |
| of titanium, tin (Sn), aluminum (Al) and vanadium | | | | jewelry can be scratched and bent just like gold |
| (V). In jewelry industry, titanium is offered in | | | | and silver jewelry. |
| different grades. The pure titanium jewelry is | | | | Titanium jewelry is hypoallergenic |
| much softer than the other two alloys, known as | | | | Right. Titanium alloys are inert and does not |
| 6Al4V and 6Al4V2Sn. 6Al4V means that the alloy | | | | contain nickel or cobalt which most people with |
| consists of 90% titanium, 6% aluminum and 4% | | | | more sensitive skin are allergic to. They will not |
| vanadium. | | | | change color or cause outbreak to virtually |
| Titanium is a precious metal | | | | anybody. In short, titanium jewelry is very safe |
| Quite on the contrary, titanium is abundant on the | | | | to wear. |
| Earth and not precious at all. Nevertheless, | | | | |