Zirconium is quickly becoming a popular choice for wedding rings due to it’s sleek appearance and hypoallergenic properties, but we have to ask…what actually is it?
In a galaxy far far away..
Zirconium is a lustrous silver-grey metal with extra-terrestrial origins. Although abundant in the Earth’s crust, zirconium has been discovered to be an important element in the makeup of S-type stars, the sun, meteorites, and lunar rocks! This universal metal has an incredibly high resistance to heat and corrosion and is used in not just in jewellery, but in nuclear reactors and space shuttle engines (oh my!).
It is a versatile metal, and beyond its natural silvery appearance we can manipulate its surface to create alluring and mysterious black zirconium, or add brilliant bursts of colour…
Black Zirconium
Heating natural zirconium slowly over several hours creates a hard coating of zirconium oxide. This layer is jet black in colour and takes on the feel of ceramic.
Black Zirconium vs Tungsten
The two metals are often compared as alternative choices for wedding bands. Although popular, tungsten is in fact an extremely brittle and heavy metal which makes impractical for the daily wear-and-tear that wedding rings endure.
Black zirconium on the other hand is shatterproof and much, much lighter. Also it is a more ductile and malleable metal, making it easier to work with and allowing for a wider range of designs!
Anodized Zirconium
Anodizing is an electrolytic process that alters the surface of the metal to create a colourful finish. To get a little bit scientific, it is the process of passing a direct current through an electrolytic solution to grow a layer of oxide on the metal. The end colour of the metal is determined by the thickness of the oxide (which is determined by the anodizing voltage). Anodizing zirconium generates an array of different colours without having to use dyes. With this process you can create beautiful and striking designs that will be the envy of all!
So…
If you’re looking for an alternative, hypoallergenic, durable, customisable, intergalactic, colourful, awe-inspiring wedding band, zirconium would definitely be our recommendation 🙂