Are Tungsten Carbide Rings Hypoallergenic?

Buyer beware: not all tungsten rings are created equal.

If you suffer from metal allergies or have skin sensitivities to metal, know that some tungsten rings can cause reactions while others are completely hypoallergenic.

Cheap tungsten rings, like many of those sold on eBay and Amazon, can come from industrial grade tungsten. Industrial grade tungsten is perfect for industrial uses, as the name implies. However, it is not suitable for fine jewelry due to the skin irritation it can cause.

Industrial grade tungsten is mixed with cheaper cobalt as a binder, which is a known allergen. People with metal sensitivities should actively avoid contact with cobalt for this reason. Yet, because it is cheaper to mix tungsten carbide with cobalt binder, unscrupulous tungsten ring sellers on Amazon and eBay sell them at low cost, hoping buyers are unaware of this issue and luring them with a cheaper price.

When it comes to tungsten rings, you do get what you pay for.

Reputable jewelers like Timeless Tungsten only sell rings made from high quality jewelry grade tungsten carbide. This type of tungsten is mixed with nickel binder, which is more expensive than cobalt. However, the nickel binder in our rings does not cause any allergic reactions, even to people who are allergic to nickel! We use a precise mixture of nickel and when it is combined with tungsten carbide, becomes 100% hypoallergenic.

All rings sold by Timeless Tungsten are of the highest quality, made in the USA, and are hypoallergenic to all wearers, even those with metal allergies.

If you or someone you know has sensitivity to metal, your best course of action would be to avoid the cheap tungsten rings you see everywhere online and not fall victim to deceptive sellers who might be using industrial grade tungsten, perhaps even unwittingly not knowing the difference themselves. You don't want to end up with skin irritation on your ring finger like this:

These rings look no different online, but what you can't see is the cobalt binder which can cause a rash. Moreover, these rings tarnish easily because cobalt oxidizes with the skin's natural oils. Oxidation is what causes the ring to turn black and tarnish.

The key takeaway from all this is: not all tungsten rings are hypoallergenic. A quality made tungsten ring, made from jewelry grade tungsten carbide mixed with the proper proportion of nickel binder, will not cause irritation and will not tarnish. Those are the only types of rings you will find at Timeless Tungsten.