Tungsten rings are undoubtedly rising in popularity especially when it comes to wedding bands. Ranking 8-9 on the Mohs scale, tungsten carbide is a lot harder and more durable than traditional metals like gold and silver. This makes a tungsten ring ideal for couples who value a wedding band that won’t bend or deform and resists scratches, tarnishing, and rusting.
Because it is a very popular wedding ring option, and wedding rings are meant to be worn almost permanently on the ring finger, a lot of couples wonder: are tungsten rings waterproof?
CAN TUNGSTEN RINGS GET WET?
If what you have is a genuine and high-quality tungsten ring, then it is most definitely waterproof. Tungsten is not soluble in water, and water cannot penetrate the surface of a tungsten ring. Tungsten carbide, which is an alloy of tungsten and carbon, is extremely inert and will not react with humidity or air. The result is a great waterproof material that is perfect for wedding rings.
So if you are wondering if you can wash your hands while wearing a tungsten wedding ring, the answer is yes.
CAN I WEAR MY TUNGSTEN RING IN THE SHOWER?
You can wear your genuine tungsten carbide ring in the shower without having to worry about it rusting or corroding. However, you might notice that if you buy a new tungsten ring, the care instructions will tell you to avoid wearing the ring while taking a shower. This is because while tungsten carbide is waterproof, it can react badly to the harmful chemicals that are present in your tap water, degrading the integrity of the metal.
If you forgot to take off your tungsten ring before taking a shower, you can simply air dry your ring right after.
CAN I WEAR MY TUNGSTEN RING IN THE POOL?
To make sure your tungsten carbide ring lasts a very long time, it is wise to not wear it at all in the pool. While tungsten is a very durable metal, it does react poorly to harsh chemicals that are usually present in pool water. These chemicals often include chlorine and ammonia, and these can damage or blemish your tungsten ring.
However, if you are swimming in your own private pool and you are sure that it does not contain any of these harsh chemicals, then you can wear your tungsten ring while swimming. Just don’t forget to practice precautions and immediately air-dry your ring afterwards.
NOTE:
Not all tungsten rings are made equal. There are plenty of cheap tungsten rings readily available on online stores, and they are probably made of low-quality industrial-grade tungsten carbide made with cobalt binder. It is advisable that you avoid these low quality rings because they are not as durable as genuine tungsten carbide rings, and wearing one may even cause skin irritations. Also, they may not be waterproof unlike real tungsten carbide rings.