Often, picking a wedding band is an afterthought – but it shouldn’t be! It’s something you’ll wear for a lifetime and should complement your lifestyle.

A wedding band is an opportunity to add a unique, personal touch. Whether with an inlay or engraving, there are endless possibilities. Here are some unique materials that are perfect for alternative bands.

Gold

The 79th element on the Periodic Table of the Elements, gold is a very malleable and shiny metal. It has been treasured for its beauty, strength and rarity, a reason it inspired the formation of many empires, led to wars that left permanent scars and even became part of some nations’ national identity (Ghana and Mozambique include gold in their flags as symbols of their mineral wealth).

The most common use of the precious metal is as a conductivity metal in microcircuits, with a small amount used in almost every sophisticated electronic device including cell phones, calculators and global positioning system devices. Its excellent corrosion resistance and high electrical conductivity (71 percent as much as copper) makes it the ideal material for connecting wires in the electronics industry.

The metal is also a very good reflector of infrared radiation and light, making it useful as the coating on the mirrors in space telescopes and the faceplates in astronaut visors to reduce heat. It is a very durable metal, resistant to scratching and corrosion, so it can stand up to rigorous wear and tear.

Tungsten

Tungsten, or W, is one of the five major refractory metals along with molybdenum, niobium, tantalum and rhenium. It has the highest melting point and tensile strength of any metal on the planet. It has a rich silvery-white color and can be used in a number of ways including as an alloy with steel, for high-speed cutting tools, lamp filaments and as an electric contact element.

It is most often found in the mineral wolframite and harvested by reducing it with carbon. It is also an essential element in tungsten carbide, which is used to make drill bits. It takes about 10 minutes to cut just one drill bit from tungsten using diamonds.

In a pure form, tungsten is an extremely dense metal. It is also very brittle and can crack easily. This is why it needs to be heated to improve its ductility and workability. It is also poisonous if inhaled, as it can irritate the mucous membranes and the lungs. It is often used in kinetic bombardment, a military tactic that uses the super-density of the metal to breach armor rather than explosives. Tungsten is also useful for forming compounds with calcium and magnesium to produce phosphorescent light bulbs.

Tantalum

Tantalum is a metal that, like titanium and zirconium, can be mixed with other metals to create alloys with high melting points and exceptional strength. This alloying makes tantalum extremely useful in applications that experience extreme temperatures, such as the aerospace engine and nuclear industry. Tantalum is also used in capacitors and microchips, as a corrosive-resistant coating on other metals, and in 3D printing.

Tantalum’s toxicity is limited because it has one of the lowest atomic masses on earth and is therefore inert. However, it can cause irritation to the eyes and skin if inhaled or ingested. It is also a toxic metal to aquatic life and can cause severe damage to soil, plants, and human skin if absorbed through the ground.

Mining for tantalum begins with the beneficiation of niobium-tantalum ores (columbite-tantalite, niobite-tantalite). It is then concentrated to a primary concentrate (4-7% Ta2O5) and refined into pure metal or powder. Angular powders are ideal for cold spray application to provide a tough, corrosion-resistant coating on other metal structures. Spherical powders are also utilized in 3D printing and metal injection molding applications.

Meteorite

Unlike other metals that have been ground, polished and turned into rings, meteorite comes straight from outer space. When a meteorite hits the ground, it leaves behind unique features like regmaglyphs (fingerprint-like indentations) and fusion crust (a dark rind that forms as the meteoroid streaks through our atmosphere). Moreover, wedding bands are made of a number of materials that might differ depending on everyone’s style and preferences.

These distinctive markings help scientists identify meteorites. However, not all meteorites contain these clues. Some are too small to leave marks, and other features can be confused with terrestrial rocks.

For example, hematite is an iron-rich rock that sometimes looks like a meteorite. It also gives a red streak when rubbed against a white test plate, which is the same color as the oxidized surface of meteorites.

Fortunately, there are tests that can confirm whether or not a hunk of rock is actually a meteorite. The best way to determine if a rock is a meteorite is to look for a fusion crust, which only forms on space rocks. Additionally, earth rocks don’t have metallic iron metal, as it has been rusting away over time. If a meteorite does have metallic iron, it will likely feel cold to the touch. It may even have a chrome-like sheen to it.

Zirconium

Zirconium is a silvery-gray transition metal that is highly durable and incredibly resistant to corrosion. It is also hypoallergenic and lightweight, making it a perfect material for jewelry. It is also known for its incredible chemical resistance and is able to withstand extreme heat. Zirconium has a wide variety of industrial uses.

It is often combined with aluminum to make zirconium-aluminum alloys, which are used in high-end bicycle frames because they combine strength and lightness. It is also used in crucibles and other refractory materials. It can be mixed with niobium to create superconducting alloys, which are used in magnets. It is also used in ceramic opacifiers and as a hardening agent for steel alloys. It is also used in flashbulbs and lamp filaments, as well as in artificial gemstones and some deodorants.

Zirconium is often found in nature as the gem-diamond simulant cubic zirconia (ZrSiO4), which has become popular for use in jewelry. It is also found in some meteorites, and lunar rocks collected by the Apollo missions contain surprisingly high concentrations of zirconium oxide. Zirconium can be separated from hafnium by utilizing different solubility in special solvents, such as methyl isobutyl ketone. It can then be purified for industrial applications.

Wood

Wood is a natural, renewable resource that is one of the most versatile, resilient, and useful materials on earth. It is strong in relation to its weight, provides insulating properties against heat and electricity, and adds a sense of warmth to a room or building.

It contains cellulose fibres that are strong in tension and embedded in a matrix of lignin that resists compression. It is composed of a complex mixture of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen, with smaller amounts of other elements including sulphur, chlorine, silicon, and phosphorus.

It is very durable and easy to work. Wood rings are also hypoallergenic and have an extremely comfortable fit. It is also available in a wide variety of colors and finishes. Some manufacturers even offer a wide range of custom options for your ring like an offset inlay or a half-and-half inlay, allowing you to combine two different types of material into the same ring. When choosing a wooden band, it is important to make sure that the wood was harvested in a responsible and ethical way. Look for labels that say “sustainably sourced” to ensure this is the case. This is a standard that guarantees that the wood has been harvested from forests in an environmentally-friendly manner.

Cobalt Chrome

Cobalt chrome is a white metal that is extremely strong and durable. It is hard to break, bend, or deform and has an appealing shine similar to precious metals like platinum and gold. It is also hypoallergenic, making it an ideal option for those with sensitive skin. Because of its durability, it is a popular choice for wedding rings. Cobalt chrome is a bit pricier than titanium, but it’s worth it for the extra strength.

CoCr alloys are used in dental implants because of their biocompatibility and excellent wear resistance. They are free of nickel and beryllium, which is beneficial for those with allergies. It is a harder and more lustrous metal than titanium and can be polished to a brilliant shine. It is also much easier to work with than tungsten carbide.

Cobalt is found on its own in nature, but it is most often combined with chromium to make the metal used for jewelry. Unlike tungsten carbide, cobalt is not very hard on its own and lacks the malleability necessary to create intricate styles. However, by combining it with chromium, the result is a metal that is both strong and flexible enough to incorporate into a wide variety of designs.