Tungsten is an industrial metal traditionally used to make equipment for the aerospace and military industries. More recently, tungsten has been used to make rings. Tungsten rings are becoming more popular, especially for men's wedding rings, because of the metal's durability, sleek look and affordability. One drawback to tungsten rings is that they cannot be resized. If you are interested in a tungsten ring, accurately measure your ring size before going through with the purchase. If your ring size does change, purchasing another tungsten ring will not cost you too much since the metal is more affordable than gold.

Sizes

Tungsten rings come in the same sizes as gold and silver rings. Women's rings range from sizes 3 to 9. Men's rings range from sizes 8 to 14. While tungsten rings come in the same sizes as rings made from traditional metals, this does not mean that a tungsten ring fits the same way. Most tungsten rings are made in comfort-fit design, where the inside of the ring is curved to provide a more comfortable feel. Since less metal touches the skin in a comfort-fit design, a men's size 10 tungsten ring may feel larger than a size 10 gold ring made in a straight-fit design. Some jewelers recommend ordering a tungsten ring a half size smaller than your gold ring size if the gold ring is a straight-fit design.

Measuring

Since tungsten rings cannot be resized, accurately measuring your ring size is important to avoid another purchase. A ring should be tight enough that it does not slip off the finger by itself but loose enough that it comes off with a pull. If you do not know what your ring size is, any jeweler can measure your finger for a tungsten ring. Since most tungsten rings are made with a comfort-fit design, which feels larger than straight-fit design rings, it is important that you are measured specifically for a tungsten ring. A person's ring size may actually differ a bit depending on the time of day and weather. Fingers are smaller in the early morning when it is cold and expand as it gets warmer. Measuring your ring size several times a day and averaging them is one way to get the most accurate ring size.

Purchase

If you purchased a tungsten ring in the wrong size, some jewelers have an exchange policy that allows you to exchange your ring for a different size within a certain time frame without any fees. Sometimes, weight gain or loss means that you need to purchase another ring several months or years after the initial purchase. Luckily, tungsten is more affordable than gold and
platinum rings, allowing consumers to more easily replace their tungsten rings.