Titanium Steel Jewelry Confusion or Hoax?

1. Titanium

Yes? But what is “Titanium Steel”? Titanium is a metal, also know as Ti or by its atomic number 22. It is very hard to work with and thus very expensive to make.

2. Steel

Steel, however, is an alloy made from basically iron and carbon; and it is very cheap. They are typically sold by the pound. Its more expensive cousin is Stainless Steel, which has a bit of Chromium, Nickel, Silicon, Manganese and Nitrogen in it. It does not rust and is nice and shiny. But take a look all around you, Stainless Steel is everywhere.

3. Why sell stuff that doesn't exist?

So why bother with the term “Titanium Steel”? The obvious reason is money. If an unscrupulousness retailer can make you think a piece of stainless steel that looks like Titanium is worthy of being Jewelry, then they can and will charge you for it.

4. Who else is guilty?

The outrageous part is the participation and complacency of major E-Commerce Sites that allow these false advertising to continue. When pressed, these sites and their retailers will claim that “Titanium Steel” is actually an adjective describing the noun; a ring, a bracelet, a watch, etc. They will never claim that the material is actually made from Titanium Steel because “Titanium Steel” does not exist.

5. Making wise choices

So the next time you see this deception, give a shout to the E-Commerce Site to stop this madness. If you buy a Gold ring, it should be Gold. If you buy a Titanium ring, it should be Titanium. But if you buy a “Titanium Steel” ring, it shouldn't be Titanium looking Stainless Steel.