Just because the hype about blood diamonds died down, doesn’t mean the problem has magically disappeared. True, after the major diamond stakeholders got together in 2000 to implement the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme, funding for African rebel groups appeared to drop significantly. However, as is obvious to anyone living in Angola, Zimbabwe and other diamond-rich nations, the blood diamond problem is still a cause of human misery. Ten years on after the Kimberly Process, some say it hasn’t changed much at all.
Continue reading ‘Blood Diamonds and Why You Should Consider The Alternatives’

Once upon a time, there lived ancient peoples who wanted to symbolize eternal love. They believed that symbols held special, magical powers. For these ancient people, a circle represented eternity, and it was not long before lovers exchanged small rings that fit on one’s fingers. At first the people used grasses, bone and wood as rings, but these were no good because they could break or come undone easily. This was a very serious problem for the ancient peoples, because if the symbol itself was broken, that meant the powers of the symbol were broken.

As the ages passed, the ancient peoples searched far and wide for a way to create the perfect symbol of love. Civilizations rose and fell; great empires ruled the world and then receded back to their origins. Religions were invented then replaced; gods created and then forgotten. Yet the power of symbols was never ignored, and the search never ceased. The people found mysterious metals in the earth, some rare and others common. They discovered how to forge these metals into newer, stronger, finer rings. For a while they were happy, but as it were, all their new rings eventually became decayed and broken by the passage of time and the adventures of life. The symbols were better, but they were still breaking; and so the search went on for thousands of years, for people everywhere in this world, to this day.

It sounds like a fairytale, and yet that’s essentially the true history of rings – some say it started 4,800 years ago. It’s a history that’s still being written, because we’re still trying out new metals and other materials year after year. Diamonds were discovered early in human history to be the hardest material, able to be cut only by another diamond (diamond is adapted from the Greek word adamis, meaning “unbreakable”). However, they are too small to be cut into a ring, so it became practice to put diamonds onto rings.

However, the ring itself; the symbol representing eternity; really needs to last for an eternity. But they say nothing is forever. Is there anything out there that can actually last forever?

As of very recent history, the search may be over. Titanium has properties that range from highly useful to downright bizarre. For example, while most metals will corrode away over time, titanium actually grows its own protective layer. While most think of titanium as a metal, it’s actually an element and is found in many things, even organic matter like some plants. The growth rate of this protective layer is so slow that it’s not perceptible to the human eye, but it thickens over a period of years which severely impedes any kind of degradation. Potentially, this protective behavior could go on indefinitely, making it invulnerable to any natural degradation at all.

If this is in fact the end of the search, then this is what it has come to: a ring that is strong, weightless, unbreakable, and beautiful. Just like true, eternal love.

“Frost” is a certain kind of finish that makes up the outer face of a titanium ring. It looks like the ring is covered in silver-colored frost (like things in your freezer, but the color of titanium), hence the name. But there are many rings which combine frost and other styles, too.

A Frost Titanium Ring

Check out these images of Frost rings to get an idea.

Frost is unique in that it can take the most punishment out of all the rings out there. It’s mainly due to the textured finish, which is patterned in a way that makes scratches unnoticeable. As titanium is extremely scratch-resistant in the first place, a Frost ring virtually guarantees that it will be unaffected by even the most high-impact lifestyles. It’s recommended for people who engage in activities like hiking, construction, contact sports, and so on.

How is Frost created? The Frost technique is a trade secret, and can only be achieved through handcrafting. Many rings you’ll find come straight off an assembly line, but a Frost finish ring won’t be one of them – so this makes it a recognizable indicator of quality. They’re stunning to look at too; Frost rings sparkle in bright light, while in low light they are a subtle-yet-compelling sight to behold.

Do titanium rings require maintenance? The short answer is no. Titanium rings are tarnish-proof, extremely corrosion-resistant, and one of the most durable metals known to humankind.

That said, titanium is not invulnerable, and can be affected is a number of ways. The most common issue is a titanium ring becoming dirty. In this event, simply use any household cleaning product, such as dish soap or window cleaner, rinse with water, and dry with a towel. Due to titanium’s corrosion-resistance, you don’t have to worry about ruining the facade with any household chemicals (in fact, only the most concentrated acids can affect it).

Titanium rings with high-polish finishes are more prone to scratches if a scrape or impact is severe enough. If this happens, you may have to have your titanium ring polished – fortunately, however, all the solutions are low-cost. Click here to have your titanium ring re-polished. You can also try a cream metal polish if the problem is not severe.

Be warned, however, that certain titanium ring types must be handled with caution. They are: anodized (colored) rings, inlayed (or two-tone) rings, and stone-set rings. In general, it is better to clean these with a half-ammonia (such as Windex), half-water solution and soak for several minutes. Air dry on a soft towel and repeat as necessary until clean. The need for caution with these ring types is not to protect the titanium, but the other metals, gems and oxide layers.

In a sense, yes, you can build your own ring. Stackable rings are basically sets of rings that are individually very thin, and can be stacked on top of one another (or kept separate on several fingers – it’s up to you). Each stackable ring has its own style, so in this way, you can buy several different rings and stack them together to create your own design. You can even spice up your existing ring(s) by combining Stackables with them!

To give you an idea, here’s a really neat tool which allows you to experiment with different designs from our website: interactive Stackable rings tool

(Just click and drag the rings from the left to the space on the right.)

The great thing about Stackables is that you leave your options open. Sometimes you want to wear just one thin, low-key ring. Other times, you want to match an outfit with various colors and prominent accessories. You can also sandwich your regular ring behind or between Stackables, allowing you to switch it to smaller fingers and still hold the ring in place. Stackables allow you to mix and match to suit your mood.

When you buy more than one you qualify for our 7% discount for ring sets. Check them out: Stackable Titanium Rings.

The crew here at TiRings.com is inviting you to join our new Facebook page. It’s our forum for news, loyalty discounts, new ring design images, and more. It’s also an opportunity to get to know the people who made the special ring in your life – whether it be your wedding ring, promise ring, or just that ring you wear because it defines a little bit of you.

Best of all, it’s a place where you get to share your thoughts, and read the thoughts of everyone else involved: be they the customers who enjoy our rings, the artisans who design and make them, or the support crew who hold the ship together.

Here’s the link: http://www.facebook.com/tirings?ref=nf

Just click on the “Like” button at the top center of the page to add us to your list (you may have to log in, the box for that is in the top right corner).

This is just a quick post to let everyone know that TiRings is on Twitter, meaning that by following TiRings you can find out about on-the-spot bargains, discount coupons, new ring designs, and more.

To kick it off, one of the first things we’re announcing is our Discount Range of titanium rings (well, more like “re-announcing.” Long-time customers will be aware that we’ve featured the discount range for a little while, but kept it low-key until now).

Here’s the deal: TiRings was founded on the idea of offering the highest quality handmade titanium rings. But sometimes you want a titanium ring for, say, a small gift and don’t want to pay “highest quality handmade” prices, right? The Discount Titanium Rings Range is the answer to that. They’re high quality machine-made titanium rings, rather than handmade, and cost just a fraction of the price.

Here’s a link to one of the rings in the Discount Range to show you what we’re talking about: $89 Discount Cable Fortitude Ring.

Once again, click here to follow TiRings on Twitter.

For some reason, there seems to be almost no information out there about the history of titanium jewelry. We figured we’d have to at least impart a bit of information for the curious out there.

Here is what we do know. The use of titanium in jewelry is a modern phenomenon, not something that human civilization has been involved with for a long time (as with gold). Titanium was only discovered in 1791, and an efficient method of adapting titanium ore to a usable metallic form for jewelry has only been with us for a matter of decades. Continue reading ‘The History of Titanium Jewelry’

Valentine’s Day is a day that brings mixed feelings. For those who have no love in their life, it can be an unwelcome reminder of that very fact. For those who do have love, it can bring a new appreciation for that person, or a reminder that the relationship isn’t quite as good as it should be.

But there’s another feeling that to me is the very epitome of Valentine’s Day: the yearning lover. It’s the people who secretly desire someone they know, and haven’t yet made their feelings known. For many people, the thought of revealing their desires are terrifying. Continue reading ‘Fortune Favors the Brave on Valentine’s Day’

Many people’s approach to buying titanium jewelry for men usually doesn’t extend beyond looking at the picture and the price. But we recommend a little preparation before your purchase to ensure you make the right choice. Here are the basics:

1) How to Find Out His Finger Size
We can’t stress enough how important it is to start by getting the correct ring size. With titanium rings, resizing can be difficult. Enlarging a ring can only be done with the correct tools, and thus usually incurs a fee. Conversely, shrinking a titanium ring simply isn’t possible. In our experience, it’s always better to go with a snug fit rather than a loose fit.

Continue reading ‘A Quick Guide to Buying Titanium Rings for Men’