Battle of the Bands: Tungsten Carbide versus Cobalt Chrome

The huge surge of new materials used in the creation of jewelry today has given customers more choices of fresh products that bring in style. But the surprising thing about the impact of these new products is the increased interest of men to accessorize.

Though there are men who do love to dress up with necklaces, bracelets and pendants, most male customers prefer to buy signature rings as their main jewelry. Titanium, tungsten carbide and stainless steel jewelry apparently are now directly competing with silver and platinum. The affordable price and same appearance of alternative metals make most men think twice about spending thousands of dollars on precious metals.

But even in the alternative metal jewelry arena, competition is also tight. Because the price point is nearly the same with each type of alternative metal jewelry, tungsten carbide jewelry and stainless steel jewelry appears to be further fragmenting the market. Designers and consumers are now debating whether tungsten carbide or stainless steel jewelry is better when it comes to men's wedding bands.

Tungsten carbide has always been marketed as a tough and very durable metal. Because of this perception, sales of tungsten carbide rings surged and are now estimated to be between 300,000 to 500,000 wedding bands a year. But some industry experts and designers are arguing that tungsten carbide is not as indestructible as what customers were led to believe.

Actually, tungsten carbide is not really a metal but a metal matrix composite. It is a very tough material with hardness that is comparable to sapphire. But because it is not a true metal, wedding bands crafted from tungsten carbide cannot bend or tolerate sharp shocks, like getting dropped on a marble floor. Tungsten carbide rings (though this is subject to the quality and design of the jewelry) has the tendency to shatter, crack or chip.

With the creation of a new breed of stainless steel jewelry in the form of cobalt chrome alloy, many advocates and fans of this alternative metal argue that customers will likely benefit more by buying cobalt chrome wedding bands instead of tungsten carbide rings.

Cobalt chrome is a member of the stainless steel jewelry family and is considered to be an innovation of the industrial alternative metal. It has luster that is comparable to platinum but four times as hard. Like stainless steel jewelry, cobalt chrome rings can withstand corrosion, scratches and sharp shocks. Also, unlike tungsten carbide rings, cobalt chrome bands can be resized.

Compared to 316L stainless steel jewelry, cobalt chrome is fairly new. As of the moment, the types of cobalt chrome jewelry that is available are limited to statement rings and wedding bands due to the restrictions in the manufacturing process, though this may change in the coming years.

As more men get enticed to improve their style with jewelry and accessories, retailers should analyze what are the best products that they can offer to tap this new market. Tungsten carbide and cobalt chrome rings have their own pros and cons, thus, the best way to go is to give the decision to customers on which kind of wedding band is better.

Alternative Metal Trends for Women

Many women are great in embracing new trends in fashion and jewelry. In fact, the majority of products in the fashion industry are created and targeted for women. And by comparison to men's jewelry, women's jewelry and accessories are greater in number not just in available designs but also in the frequency of new styles being released each season.

 It is only expected that the alternative metal jewelry market, though primarily been targeted to men, is now seeing the great potential of getting a slice of the female consumer market. With the advancements of techniques in manufacturing and materials used to craft high quality alternative metal jewelry for women, retailers can now maximize their inventory and take advantage of alternative metal jewelry to help female customers enhance their style for a fraction of the cost.

 Fashion experts dubbed 2011 as the year of stainless steel jewelry because it has been a great alternative metal jewelry for men. And even in women's fashion, stainless steel jewelry proves to be a great choice for high-end designers who are exploring the trend of alternative metal jewelry for women.

 Here are some of the trends in womens steel jewelry predicted to be popular this year:

 Bold and Massive

Mens steel jewelry and womens steel jewelry, especially stainless steel jewelry, is very versatile when it comes to design accents and details. Stainless steel jewelry, in particular, can be crafted in any number of ways that can create statement pieces whether by utilizing texture, shape or sheen. Large stainless steel jewelry for women will cost far lower compared to a piece with the same size but made in silver. Most people may not be inclined to have large alternative metal jewelry as they tend to possess more surface area which is susceptible to scratches and dents. But stainless steel jewelry and other mens steel jewelry and womens steel jewelry are very durable and is capable of withstanding wear and tear that results from everyday use, no matter how big the jewelry may be.

 Geometric Shapes and Solid Metals

The dramatic geometric pendants and bangles have the perfect mix of vintage-modern style, more so, when crafted as a solid alternative metal jewelry for women. The use of shapes and form as design details combined with hue and sheen creates alternative metal jewelry for women that are pronounced and attractive even at a distance. Titanium and stainless steel jewelry are alternative metal jewelry that can be crafted in different sheens and textures making them perfect for customers who want variation from the classic metallic grey.

 Crystalsand Gems

No women will settle for an all-metal jewelry collection. Sparkle for this year is expected to be supplied by natural crystals, rhinestones and Murano glass. Unlike other womens steel jewelry, stainless steel jewelry is still versatile enough to be incorporated with crystals and gems without compromising durability and strength. This particular characteristic of stainless steel jewelry is what made it great for both men and women.

 The continued popularity of alternative metal jewelry for women suggests that another fashion revolution is eminent. With consumers’ changing perspective towards the value, those in the jewelry industry (retailers in particular) should explore other venues and trends, like alternative metal jewelry, to ensure continued growth and staying power in a highly competitive market today.

Alternative Metal Jewelry Trends for Men

Men's style is very different to women's. Most men want modest designs yet still have enough appeal to attract attention. They tend to use accessories like ties and belts to break the unvariedness of their style. And as time progressed, some men learned to accessorize wearing stainless steel jewelry including rings, cufflinks and pendants to enhance their looks, no longer bound by the tired classic fashion.

Though precious metal jewelry is popular to both sexes, alternative metal jewelry for men got a particularly positive reaction due to the distinct properties of the metals. Alternative metal jewelry, which includes stainless steel jewelry, titanium jewelry and tungsten carbide jewelry, has become a vogue in the past decade in men's fashion, with more and more contemporary mid-range and high-end designers getting on the bandwagon.

For 2011, here are some of the predicted trends in alternative metal jewelry for men:

Chunky pendants, necklaces and chains

Promoted at this year's Milan Men's Fashion Week, chunky alternative metal jewelry for men including pendants, necklaces and chains are the trend to follow. Though many may think it is a bit unusual trend, high-end designers like Armani and Vivienne Westwood presented collections with bold and chunky alternative metal jewelry for men.

Solid metal jewelry

Though plain and classic looking, solid metal alternative jewelry is gone far more interesting over the years. And experts say that their favorite material for alternative metal jewelry for men in 2011 is stainless steel. Versatile and durable, stainless steel jewelry proves to be every man's best friend as it can enhance a lot of styles and matches almost anything, more so when it is on solid metal form.

Statement accessories

Whether it texture, shape or design, alternative metal jewelry for men that gives a bold and powerful statement are said to get hot this year. Brands like Bulgari, Tiffany & Co. and D&G Jewels appear to have started offering alternative metal jewelry for men that are not only stylish but also very bold. Alternative metal jewelry for men, especially stainless steel jewelry, is very versatile when it comes to detailed designs and can meld beautifully with gemstones and other metals which make it perfect for statement accessories for men. It seems that the age of simple and bland accessories is ending due to growing choices offered by alternative metal jewelry for men.

Now that there is a lot of choices available due to the continued growth in popularity of alternative metal jewelry for men (particularly, stainless steel jewelry), men's fashion, like everything else, is evolving. After decades of stagnant trends and limited selections, men can once again express themselves and finally own their personal style with the use of alternative metal jewelry and with the rapid development of designs, each jewelries is already available not just for men but also for women. Several designs are already available on markets, retailers and even online that is just fit for women’s needs heavy or not on their pocket each styles are reliable, durable and fascinating. However, we can’t deny the fact that each styles were created from the creative minds of designers who give and spend their time on mens steel jewelry. But then, womens steel jewelry rise along with mens steel jewelry and has been on the trend for a very long time. This trend gives jewelry industries the hope facing our economy.