Choosing a wedding band is a once in a lifetime decision. So, anyone faced with this challenge should do their own research into what kind of material best suits their lifestyle and needs.

For those that are considering purchasing a ring made with modern day contemporary metals, such as titanium and tungsten, there are several questions that should be answered.

"Exactly how hard is the ring I am going to purchase?"

This is an important question for several reasons, for instance, in engraving the ring. With titanium, although it can be engraved, the results will be very faint and difficult to read. Tungsten, on the other hand, cannot be engraved at all because it is too hard.

Also, a titanium ring can be bent out of shape under extreme conditions, such as slamming your hand in a car door. So, if you use heavy duty machinery on a daily basis, tungsten would be the better choice.

Because of how hard tungsten is, it cannot bend. Instead, it will crack or chip under extreme conditions. However, as you can see in this video demonstration on Titanium-Jewelry.com, it would take a lot of power to crack or chip a tungsten ring. This makes it a safer ring to wear under harsh conditions. Instead of bending out of shape and pinching your finger, it would more than likely crack into pieces and simply fall apart.

"Can the ring be re-sized?"

This is a very important question to answer unless, of course, you don't plan on ever losing or gaining weight for the rest of your life.

Titanium can be re-sized, however, it is a very difficult and more expensive process. Tungsten, on the other hand, is impossible to re-size as it is too hard of a metal. Therefore, choosing the proper ring size is very important. A good idea is to get a ring sizer for an accurate measurement of your size. It is recommended that you take several measurements at different times and average out what size your finger is, as it will vary slightly for some people throughout the course of the day.

The best solution to this is to make sure that the jewelry store you buy the ring from has a lifetime ring size guaranty.

"Can it scratch, and if so, under what conditions?"

These are two very important questions, especially for men who get their hands dirty at work. Although titanium rings are very strong and durable (enough to where it takes a diamond to actually cut through the material), they are very prone to "surface scratching." So, if you need a ring that will not scratch, go with tungsten carbide, as it will not scratch with even the most abrasive materials, such as sandpaper or even a file.

If you do purchase a tungsten ring with the idea of getting a ring that can take a beating, make sure that if it contains any inlays they will not be easily damaged as well. For instance, if you purchase a tungsten ring with a gold or silver inlay, the inlay will not be as durable as the ring itself and could be easily damaged if proper care is not taken.

Do your research!

Most importantly, make sure to do your research before choosing your wedding band. There are a lot of cheap imitations out there! If you see a ring in one store that costs hundreds and in another store a ring seemingly identical for ten times less, ask yourself "why?"

What you will more than likely find is that the cheaper one is cheaper for a reason. Likewise, the more expensive one is more expensive for a good reason. Just because a store is selling, "titanium rings," does not mean that they're selling 100% pure titanium rings.

Although this may seem to be a trivial issue, it is not. Titanium is a completely inert and hypoallergenic material, but only if you get 100% pure titanium. Tungsten is completely scratch proof, only if you get an actual "tungsten-carbide" ring and not simply a "tungsten" ring. Tungsten by itself, or with any alloy other than carbide, is actually very fragile and can be easily cracked.

Finding the happy medium between price and quality is the hard part. Making sure you do the proper research will guaranty that you do not get ripped off and you get a ring that you will treasure and will last you a lifetime!