1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:11,360
Welcome to the Gilt Trips podcast. I'm your host, Kendra Lockhart. As a goldsmith and

2
00:00:11,360 --> 00:00:17,560
gemologist, I'll be speaking 24 carat on all things jewelry, metals, and gems. Join

3
00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:24,080
me plus a few friends to demystify both materials and designs as your private jeweler. Let's

4
00:00:24,080 --> 00:00:34,400
tune in on these topics and get golden. Some clients and consumers crave being different.

5
00:00:34,400 --> 00:00:41,360
It is a part of our humanity to both belong and stand out. Exploring alternative alloys

6
00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:48,080
allows for embracing the tradition of a wedding band and expressing with the nonconformity of

7
00:00:48,080 --> 00:00:55,440
the material that made it. Is there a romance to wearing the same metal as used in transportation?

8
00:00:55,440 --> 00:01:03,920
Or having your ring match the composite of a joint replacement? Does it go further than our

9
00:01:03,920 --> 00:01:10,960
human innovation and progress and into our emotions and aesthetics? Let's shed light on the less

10
00:01:10,960 --> 00:01:17,440
familiar to completely unknown compounds, their characteristics, and some of the disadvantages

11
00:01:18,000 --> 00:01:25,040
of straying from the noble metals of the last episode. Chapter time stamps will be in the show notes.

12
00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:34,960
These first three were grouped as options for alternative alloys in wedding bands

13
00:01:34,960 --> 00:01:42,720
as we entered this century. On deck we have titanium, cobalt, and tungsten. Let's start with

14
00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:49,680
titanium. Titanium is found in nature as an oxide, meaning it is bonded to at least one

15
00:01:49,680 --> 00:01:56,720
oxygen molecule. It is relatively abundant in the earth's crust, and when reduced to its purest form

16
00:01:56,720 --> 00:02:05,840
it is a silvery gray white metal. Discovered in 1791, just over 50 years after platinum,

17
00:02:06,560 --> 00:02:13,440
it would take some evolution to settle on uses for this element. In fact, it would take almost 150

18
00:02:13,440 --> 00:02:21,680
years to find a useful way to extract it from mind ore. Named after the Titans in Greek mythology,

19
00:02:21,680 --> 00:02:30,720
titanium debuts as a material in timepieces. Fast forwarding to 1970, with its calm luster,

20
00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:39,120
low density, and high strength, it made for a perfect element in watches. Here it allowed a

21
00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:47,040
wearer to have a scratch resistant, rust proof, and weightless daily accessory. One of my favorite

22
00:02:47,040 --> 00:02:54,240
watch houses, IWC, which stands for International Watch Company, which is located closer to the

23
00:02:54,240 --> 00:03:01,520
German side of Switzerland, and was hearing of the use of titanium in cars. Now, given vehicles

24
00:03:01,520 --> 00:03:08,640
and timepieces are both mechanically engineered, it makes sense that the late 70s and early 80s

25
00:03:08,640 --> 00:03:16,400
would see that macro and micro relationship and application. With those advantages in mind,

26
00:03:16,400 --> 00:03:21,920
it would be a matter of just over a decade that titanium wedding bands would make a mainstream

27
00:03:21,920 --> 00:03:29,920
splash in the 1990s. The fact that it is pure and wasn't alloyed into a blend was a perk,

28
00:03:30,880 --> 00:03:39,440
and it made for a hypoallergenic piece of jewelry. Add to that, it could be worn in the ocean or the

29
00:03:39,440 --> 00:03:46,400
swimming pool and not corrode. It can take diamonds being set, as well as the inlaying of other

30
00:03:46,400 --> 00:03:52,240
precious metals. Sounds great, right? Now it's time to address the drawbacks.

31
00:03:54,080 --> 00:04:01,600
Titanium requires high heat forging. It had a long journey until a successful process to

32
00:04:01,600 --> 00:04:09,920
isolate it once an earth was created. It is not a precious metal, so there is no real intrinsic

33
00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:18,720
value to the material. And it can't be sized by a jeweler without some workaround. We simply don't

34
00:04:18,720 --> 00:04:26,720
have the tools on a classic workbench. Also, it can't take a strong shine, and goldsmiths also

35
00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:34,640
don't have the means to polish it up or buff out scratches. Where else does titanium show up?

36
00:04:35,520 --> 00:04:42,560
Sporting goods and medical industries. Let's look at lightweight bicycle frames, tennis rackets,

37
00:04:43,200 --> 00:04:51,120
helmets, and glasses frames for some examples. And because it is a biocompatible material,

38
00:04:51,120 --> 00:04:58,240
it works well for dental implants and artificial limbs. It's neutral enough to spend a lifetime

39
00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:08,640
in the body or on your own finger to commemorate a vow. Next would be cobalt. Again, found in the

40
00:05:08,640 --> 00:05:15,440
earth in combination with other metals, it takes smelting to get it to its pure form. When we do,

41
00:05:15,440 --> 00:05:24,640
it is lustrous, gray, hard, but brittle. So what is it like as a piece of jewelry?

42
00:05:25,520 --> 00:05:33,120
Let's find out. Its durability is in its form of hardness. It is four times that of platinum

43
00:05:33,120 --> 00:05:41,040
and five times that of gold. So this is highly scratch resistant. And about that brittle characteristic?

44
00:05:41,040 --> 00:05:47,040
Well, cobalt rings have been marketed as shatterproof, as not every alternative of metal can say that.

45
00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:54,560
It holds the shape under pressure, unlike the noble metals of gold, platinum, and silver.

46
00:05:56,560 --> 00:06:02,960
Cobalt has a natural white luster that's similar to white gold and platinum, so it won't feed or

47
00:06:02,960 --> 00:06:09,040
tarnish over time. And it's a natural white, so there's no yellowish undertone like a white

48
00:06:09,040 --> 00:06:16,800
gold alloy. Similar to titanium, the material is hypoallergenic, so there's no risk of reaction.

49
00:06:17,360 --> 00:06:22,880
And if there is irritation, it is what's on your cobalt ring, not the cobalt itself,

50
00:06:23,520 --> 00:06:31,920
so active lifestyles can have a peace of mind. One benefit for manufacturing is that cobalt's

51
00:06:31,920 --> 00:06:39,280
lower density and malleability make it easier to work yet produce strong lightweight pieces.

52
00:06:40,240 --> 00:06:44,560
And lastly, that helps lower the cost compared to other options.

53
00:06:46,800 --> 00:06:54,240
The drawbacks are that it also can't be sized. Some brands allow consumers to trade in their

54
00:06:54,240 --> 00:07:03,760
ring if a size change is needed, which means it's not your ring anymore. Engraving can only be done

55
00:07:03,760 --> 00:07:10,960
with a laser, unlike handwork, in gold or platinum, and titanium is soft enough to do so by hand.

56
00:07:12,400 --> 00:07:16,800
And there are special tools that are needed to cut this ring off in case of emergencies.

57
00:07:16,800 --> 00:07:23,200
Meanwhile, it makes appearances in other industries, like sensors and electroplating,

58
00:07:23,920 --> 00:07:30,240
as there is a magnetic characteristic to it. The element is essential to our metabolism,

59
00:07:30,240 --> 00:07:35,520
and a deficiency in it can show up in our physical panels. And perhaps the most romantic use is cobalt

60
00:07:35,520 --> 00:07:41,520
is a very familiar term in paintings, glassware, and ceramics. And it's a very common term in

61
00:07:41,520 --> 00:07:48,160
cobalt, as cobalt is a very familiar term in paintings, glassware, and ceramics, as that

62
00:07:48,160 --> 00:07:56,640
compound that makes for a brilliant royal blue hue. And lastly, tungsten. What sets this apart

63
00:07:56,640 --> 00:08:03,040
is that its melting point is double that of titanium. Like its counterparts, it too needs

64
00:08:03,040 --> 00:08:10,000
purifying to get it to its isolated state. It's another element that was discovered in 1781,

65
00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:20,480
and it seems the 1700s were prolific for finding new chemicals, eh? This is used as itself in jewelry,

66
00:08:20,480 --> 00:08:26,720
and also as a tungsten carbide alloy, which in that state needs a binder like nickel,

67
00:08:27,920 --> 00:08:33,360
which can be problematic if there's an allergy to nickel. The pros are the same,

68
00:08:33,360 --> 00:08:42,160
affordability, hardness, and resistance to scratching. Now the allure of a gunmetal tone

69
00:08:42,160 --> 00:08:51,200
definitely has visual appeal. The cons are also overlapping. It too cannot be sized. It also needs

70
00:08:51,200 --> 00:08:59,280
laser engraving, but in this case, with the right force or blow, it can shatter. Diamonds cannot be

71
00:08:59,280 --> 00:09:06,320
hand-sat in this material. Where tungsten shows up outside the industry is in military use,

72
00:09:07,040 --> 00:09:16,000
electronics, lighting, conductivity, and tooling and abrasives. Let's move on to two recognizable

73
00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:27,200
and familiar substances that made their way into wearable art and design. Steel. So we have a

74
00:09:27,200 --> 00:09:36,400
traditional alloy that is here, there, and everywhere. Steel appliances. Steel trains, planes,

75
00:09:36,400 --> 00:09:44,880
automobiles, and boats. Construction, needles, and orthodontic braces. It's simply a household metal.

76
00:09:45,760 --> 00:09:53,040
Cartier was using it in its watchmaking, which I cover in that episode. So it's been around

77
00:09:53,040 --> 00:10:02,320
for centuries. Stainless steel began getting worked as a stainless alloy as early as 1913

78
00:10:02,960 --> 00:10:08,640
and would get normalized as the decades would pass into the 1980s for commercial wear.

79
00:10:10,480 --> 00:10:19,280
Is it hypoallergenic? Yes, and strong. Where it begins to differ is that steel has the ability

80
00:10:19,280 --> 00:10:26,320
to be hand engraved and it can also be plated with other metals. So it can be made to look like

81
00:10:26,320 --> 00:10:36,960
yellow gold or rose gold or a chrome like white hue or even a glossy gun metal. It is cost effective,

82
00:10:37,840 --> 00:10:47,760
can be polished, satin finish, or sandblasted. Diamonds can be set by hand and in some cases

83
00:10:47,760 --> 00:10:52,720
steel rings are resizable and able to be shuttered together.

84
00:10:55,040 --> 00:11:01,600
The disadvantage would be that there is no value in the steel. It can be problematic to size

85
00:11:02,240 --> 00:11:08,720
and repolishing is more intense than with precious metals. If it comes in contact with

86
00:11:08,720 --> 00:11:17,120
certain chemicals, there is a reaction. If the ring is lightweight or a hollow form, it can also dent.

87
00:11:19,840 --> 00:11:26,160
The other everyday material is ceramic. My only non-metallic option here, you know you've seen

88
00:11:26,160 --> 00:11:34,880
it as dishware, roofing and tiling, coatings for kilns, bearings for machinery, plus it's the other

89
00:11:34,880 --> 00:11:43,280
half of the dental implants and cosmetic dentistry as crowns. Humanity has been working with variations

90
00:11:43,280 --> 00:11:55,760
of ceramics for 26,000 years. When did it start showing up in our industry? In 1986, IWC, that same

91
00:11:55,760 --> 00:12:02,880
watch house I mentioned with titanium, used ceramics in a watch and perpetual calendar

92
00:12:02,880 --> 00:12:10,720
as part of the DaVinci collection. Lightweight showing nowhere or tear, which I'll say more

93
00:12:10,720 --> 00:12:16,880
about that in a moment, and with some variety in color, it was a matter of time before it would

94
00:12:16,880 --> 00:12:24,480
debut in rings and more specifically wedding bands. The benefit will sound similar to other

95
00:12:24,480 --> 00:12:34,160
materials, the weightlessness, the affordability, the allergy free aspect, and a range of colors.

96
00:12:35,360 --> 00:12:39,440
The beauty of ceramic is that it looks like day one even after years of wearing,

97
00:12:40,640 --> 00:12:48,400
and then we also have the non-sizing issue and that breakage is definitely problematic,

98
00:12:48,400 --> 00:13:00,560
which cannot be repaired and requires replacement. So let's round this out as far as a discussion

99
00:13:01,120 --> 00:13:08,240
with a side-by-side on two alloys that can be mistaken for gold, brass versus bronze.

100
00:13:09,680 --> 00:13:16,880
What they have in common is that both are copper-based compounds. Brass, which is softer and

101
00:13:16,880 --> 00:13:24,240
more malleable so it is easier to form and polish, is blended with zinc. As for bronze,

102
00:13:24,240 --> 00:13:32,800
it has tin added into its mix. Brass allows a jeweler to easily play with and manipulate the

103
00:13:32,800 --> 00:13:40,240
metal, and it is an ancient alloy dating back to 500 BC, mostly used decoratively.

104
00:13:40,240 --> 00:13:48,640
Even today, we see it in buttons and fasteners, fashion hardware, to fashion jewelry,

105
00:13:49,600 --> 00:13:56,800
and we've also recognized it in musical instruments, from trumpets to church bells to symbols.

106
00:13:58,000 --> 00:14:03,920
It's so easy to work with and it can help a hobbyist become proficient on certain metal

107
00:14:03,920 --> 00:14:11,200
smithing techniques before buying more expensive material, because mistakes are low cost when

108
00:14:11,200 --> 00:14:19,200
you're working with brass. As easy as it is to cast due to a low melting temperature,

109
00:14:19,920 --> 00:14:27,200
the cost of wearing brass jewelry is due to its high copper content. It can turn green when it

110
00:14:27,200 --> 00:14:35,440
comes in contact with your body oils, sweat, saltiness, or certain chemicals. It can also

111
00:14:35,440 --> 00:14:41,200
oxidize fairly quickly even if you're not wearing it, so have your polishing cloth handy.

112
00:14:43,280 --> 00:14:51,760
Bronze, on the other hand, has superior durability. For me, the alloy is closer to 14 carat gold

113
00:14:51,760 --> 00:14:58,560
than the yellowy hue of brass. Its hardness is tougher to file, sand, and polish,

114
00:14:59,440 --> 00:15:04,800
but the payoff is it holds its shine and oxidizes over a longer period of time.

115
00:15:06,400 --> 00:15:13,520
It has also been around for longer, placing us in the Bronze Age at about 3500 BC,

116
00:15:13,520 --> 00:15:22,320
where it was strong enough to be tools, weapons, armor, and sculptures, which it is still used

117
00:15:22,320 --> 00:15:30,960
for in modern day. Several statues are made of this. I'll leave you today with my personal love

118
00:15:30,960 --> 00:15:38,080
of both yellow bronze and rose bronze. In my career, it was a simple solution to cast a few

119
00:15:38,080 --> 00:15:44,080
wedding band samples to carry around to clients when it came time to pick between the colors of

120
00:15:44,080 --> 00:15:50,720
gold for their rings. I didn't have to insure them, nor did they need frequent polishing.

121
00:15:51,680 --> 00:15:58,720
The richer colors looked, well, richer than brass, and therefore less costume jewelry like,

122
00:15:59,680 --> 00:16:05,280
closer to what they'd be wearing at their wedding. I still get stopped when I'm wearing my bronze

123
00:16:05,280 --> 00:16:12,320
arrowhead necklace, and in a pinch, if I forget my pocket knife, it's strong enough to open packages

124
00:16:12,320 --> 00:16:16,960
or mailers without damage or dulling whatever finish I've put on that piece.

125
00:16:23,360 --> 00:16:27,600
Thank you for listening and learning with me. I would love you to share this project with

126
00:16:27,600 --> 00:16:32,880
people finding rare beauty in today's world and throughout our times. Until the next episode,

127
00:16:32,880 --> 00:16:38,480
keep your own story sparkling.