Tungsten carbide-based finger rings

Abstract

Wear resistant jewelry rings and methods of making same wherein jewelry rings are made from sinterable metal and/or ceramic powder materials compressed into a predetermined configuration and then sintered to form a blank from which a jewelry item may be made and to which softer precious metals, stones, crystals or other materials suitable for use in jewelry may be affixed. Such items of jewelry may have multiple facets and can be fabricated using various disclosed techniques and various combinations of materials.

1 . A finger ring comprising a unitary annular ring made of a sintered hard material comprising predominantly tungsten carbide, wherein the annular ring comprises first and second external surfaces each of which is continuous and has a width, with the first external surface having a polished grey mirror finish and the second external surface having a non-mirrored grey finish, and with the hard material being indestructible during normal use of the finger ring so that external surface retains its finish, wherein each external surface extends concentrically and continuously around the circumference of the ring without visually perceptible variations in its width, and the second external surface provides a substantially different visual effect to the finger ring compared to the first external surface.  
   
   
       2 . The finger ring of  claim 1 , wherein the hard material consists essentially of tungsten carbide and a relatively lesser amount of a metal binder material.  
   
   
       3 . The finger ring of  claim 2 , wherein the metal binder material comprises nickel, cobalt, or both.  
   
   
       4 . The finger ring of  claim 2 , wherein the metal binder material is present in an amount of 3 weight % to 13 weight %.  
   
   
       5 . The finger ring of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second external surfaces are cylindrical and each is concentric with a continuous corresponding inner surface portion of the ring.  
   
   
       6 . The finger ring of  claim 1 , wherein the sintered hard material comprises at least 85 weight percent tungsten carbide.  
   
   
       7 . The finger ring of  claim 1 , wherein the unitary annular ring includes design details that are maintained in their original configuration indefinitely.  
   
   
       8 . The finger ring of  claim 1 , wherein the first external surface has a permanent highly polished mirror luster that does not require re-polishing.  
   
   
       9 . The finger ring of  claim 1 , wherein at least the first external surface is curved around the circumference of the annular ring and in a direction across the width.  
   
   
       10 . A finger ring comprising a unitary annular ring made of a sintered hard material comprising predominantly tungsten carbide, wherein the annular ring comprises first and second external surfaces each of which has a predetermined shape and each of which is continuous and has a width, with a portion of each external surface having a polished grey mirror finish, and with the hard material being indestructible during normal use of the finger ring so that each external surface retains its finish and predetermined shape, wherein the first external surface extends concentrically and continuously and the second external surface extends around the circumference of the ring each without visually perceptible variations in its width, and the second external surface provides a substantially different visual effect to the finger ring compared to the first external surface.  
   
   
       11 . The finger ring of  claim 10 , wherein the hard material consists essentially of tungsten carbide and a relatively lesser amount of a metal binder material.  
   
   
       12 . The finger ring of  claim 11 , wherein the metal binder material comprises nickel, cobalt, or both.  
   
   
       13 . The finger ring of  claim 11 , wherein the metal binder material is present in an amount of 3 weight % to 13 weight %.  
   
   
       14 . The finger ring of  claim 10 , wherein the second external surface comprises a plurality of flat external portions.  
   
   
       15 . The finger ring of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of flat external portions are contiguous and disposed circumferentially around the ring at an angle to each other.  
   
   
       16 . The finger ring of  claim 15 , wherein the angle between each pair of contiguous flat external portions is the same.  
   
   
       17 . The finger ring of  claim 10 , wherein the sintered hard material comprises at least 85 weight percent tungsten carbide.  
   
   
       18 . The finger ring of  claim 14 , wherein the less than all of the plurality of flat external portions are finished.  
   
   
       19 . The finger ring of  claim 10 , wherein the unitary annular ring includes design details that are maintained in their original configuration indefinitely.  
   
   
       20 . The finger ring of  claim 10 , wherein each external surface has a permanent highly polished mirror luster that does not require re-polishing.  
   
   
       21 . The finger ring of  claim 10 , wherein at least the first external surface is curved around the circumference of the annular ring and in a direction across the width.  
   
   
       22 . A finger ring comprising a unitary annular ring made of a sintered hard material comprising predominantly tungsten carbide, wherein the annular ring comprises an edge and first and second external surfaces, each of which is continuous and has a width, with each external surface having a polished grey mirror finish, and with the hard material being indestructible during normal use of the finger ring so that each external surface retains its finish, wherein each external surface extends concentrically and continuously around the circumference of the ring without visually perceptible variations in its width, and wherein the edge has a predetermined shape.  
   
   
       23 . The finger ring of  claim 22 , wherein the predetermined shape of the edge is flat or curved in a direction across the width.