Quick question about metal hardness and durability.

[Aedin]

To put it simply, I'm having a couple rings made, and I'm trying to decide between four different alloys. I might use different alloys for different rings, but I'm a little confused about the hardness ratings. Two of the alloys, their hardness ratings (Vickers hardness) is about 80-90. Another one is 100-110. The last, and the most expensive one lol, is 110-120. My question is, for the experts out there, are those big differences? Does the durability and all change that much from one to the next? I mean just from the numbers alone, they seem like only slight differences, but I'm fairly ignorant about these things, so I was hoping to get an expert opinion.

Thanks.

 

[purplesilk]

Vickers formula:
HV=1.854*F/(d*d)
so, if comparing the hardest (max) with the wickest (min) of your three alloys, you may find:
d[max]=0.81*d[min]
which means that to 1 mm of penetration in the wickest corresponds 0.81 mm in the hardest alloy, so it isn't worth the price difference IMHO since you're talking about ring settings ... my opinion would be the opposite if you were talking about buildings, bridges, ...

For more answers, post your question in the RockyTalky forum: I'm sure many Psers will find your topic very interesting.

 

[purplesilk]

Sorry, I forgot to ask you the price difference between the four different alloys...I assumed there's a big jump in prices...

 

[Aedin]

I'll be honest, I don't understand most of what you said. But from the little I do understand, it seems the difference in strength, is not very much, correct?

The price of each metal depends on the weight of the ring, of course, but the weaker two (which also have the most silver in them) one is about six dollars per pennyweight, the other is around 7.50 or so. The stronger two, one is around a hundred and fifty dollars per ounce, the other, the strongest, is three hundred dollars an ounce.