**FAQ**



Why wooden rings?



*Plain metal is boring.



*Nickel allergies are quite common, and wooden rings are a great alternative. The titanium I use is also nickel-free and hypoallergenic.



*They are beautiful, and no two are the same.



*They make great gifts – especially for first wedding anniversaries (for which the traditional gift is paper [close enough]) and 5th wedding anniversaries (for which the traditional gift is WOOD)



How durable are your rings?



The most important factor that determines the durability of these rings is the owner. Each ring is given multiple coats of a hybrid epoxy finish, which is completely water-proof and soap proof. As for the normal wear-and-tear from daily use, the perfect gloss will eventually become scratched (just as with metal rings), but buffing wax occasionally applied will protect the ring and its shine for years.



The titanium lined rings are unquestionably significantly stronger than rings made of wood alone. On the Moh’s Hardness Scale, Gold and Silver are around 3, Platinum 4.5, and Titanium is 6, the oxide layer of Black Zirconium is 7.5, Cobalt is 8. Any circumstances under which your Titanium is scratched, any precious metal would have been scratched all that more severely. It is certainly not going to snap.



Please use common sense when wearing a ring with a wooden component. WedgeWood Rings the strongest and most durable wood rings you can buy, but it is still a thin piece of wood you are wearing on your finger. If you are going to be especially rough on your hands, take it off first; if you are going to go climbing, do not wear your ring; if you are going to do some landscaping and are moving some rough stones, pocket the ring.



“Hybrid Epoxy Finish”



Part shameless marketing term, part description of a secret, painstakingly brewed combination of epoxy and other finishes, this phrase describes the primary protection for the wood in your ring. Think boat finish, thats pretty close to the meat of it. The actual details I wouldnt tell my own mother (sorry mom!).



See this post for some more details: http://wedgewoodrings.wordpress.com/2012/07/28/the-promised-big-announcement/



What size am I?



Titanium ring sizes run from 4 to 16 including quarter sizes. I highly recommend going to a jewelry counter to determine your size, even if you already know your size. "Do it yourself" ring sizing methods (string, etc.) should absolutely not be trusted. Be sure to be measured using the width you plan to order. Keep a couple things in mind: your fingers are slightly swollen in the morning (don’t ask me why), your fingers are larger during warm weather, your fingers are larger after a meal (especially salty meals). This means that if you have your finger measured on a chilly evening before dinner, the result will be on the low end of your actual size.



************************************ IMPORTANT INFO ****************************************



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****PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE BE 100% SURE OF YOUR SIZE BEFORE ORDERING *****

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Titanium lined wood rings cannot be resized at all! Every ring is made to the exact size provided. An error in sizing that exceeds the margin provided above will necessitate a completely new ring. Refunds and exchanges will not be possible.



~~~HOW DO I CARE FOR MY RING?~~~



Water is no problem, sweat is no problem. Soap, occasional Purell, no problem! If you work in a medical field, or any other profession that necessitates that your hands come in regular contact with strong solvents, I do NOT recommend you wear your ring while engaging in these activities. No wood finish can withstand constant contact with solvents!



Your ring maintains its protection against water and soap only as long as the finish remains! If you damage the finish, you must contact me for refinishing, or your ring may be permanently damaged.



In terms of maintaining the beauty of the finish, you can apply wax to the wood portions with a cloth. I personally use a suspension of hard and soft waxes in mineral oil (commercially available as butcher block conditioner) because the oil carries the waxes into any scratches that may be present and makes them invisible. It is also the first line of defense against anything harmful to the finish (including the friction with your finger). If you wanted to be extremely conscientious, you could apply it very often, like every few days or so. This sounds insane (and it is not really necessary), but it is literally the work of 10 seconds.



Will my ring look just like the picture?



Each ring is made to order and unique. The appearance will therefore vary according to the individual characteristics of the piece of wood. However, you can be assured that each ring is made to exacting standards of beauty and durability.



Can I customize my ring?



The most common customization requests are width and profile modifications.



WIDTH: I strive for “normal” proportions. I know that is unhelpful, so here is a rough guide:



NOTE ON WIDTH:



The minimum width for the WOOD EXTERIOR style is 4mm. The maximum is 8mm.

The minimum width for the WOOD INTERIOR style is 5mm. The maximum is 8mm.



Recommended width is calculated in this way: Size 5 is 5mm wide. Width increases .5mm per size above that. So:



Size 5- 5mm

Size 6 - 5.5mm

Size 7- 6mm

Size 8 - 6.5mm

Size 9- 7mm

Size 10 - 7.5mm

Size 11+- 8mm



PROFILE: By default, my rings have a lightly sloping dome shape– a traditional ring profile. Some people prefer a flat profile, and that is no problem. Just put your profile requests in the "note to wedgewoodrings" section at checkout.



Engraving?



I do not offer engraving for my rings. For the wood exterior rings you can get it engraved, however I do not recommend it. A jeweler can engrave titanium, but I do not know what clamping methods they might use. Because the vast majority of jewelers will be unfamiliar with wood and wood finish, they might damage it. Such damage would absolutely not be covered by warranty.



Where do you get your wood?



Exotic wood dealers on Ebay mainly. In some cases, I use found wood. I’ve even been known to raid roadside piles of cutoffs.



Can you do custom orders using [insert wood/ wood combination here]?



I certainly can if I have the wood. If I don’t have the wood, I may be able to get it. Send me an email with what you have in mind.



Some examples of previous orders: ring made from the wood of an old house, ring made with sand from the honeymooners’ beach; ring made from a skateboard; ring made from a tree on the family farm.