No doubt if you have landed on this blog post you are interested in Damascus Steel, the forging process and the quality of our rings.
There is a true art to the forging of Damascus, first written about in 973CE, the making of weaponry and the high regards that the bladesmiths held that Damascus swords were the true treasures of the day.
The name Damascus comes potentially from a fusion of two Arabic words that loosely translates to "watered steel" drawing insight on to the beautiful ripple like patterns that different metal layering can bring. These swords were forged to be incredibly strong yet be able to flex well beyond what was thought to be maximum for that time period. Over the recent years, with TV series like Forged in Fire, has brought a renewed appreciation of the art of making Damascus and the unique individuality that it brings.
We get asked a lot about our rings and quality and rightly so! There are many inferior quality Damascus sellers out there, we know first hand of people who have turned into customers who thought they were purchasing a high quality metal, when in the end their finger turned green and the ring rusted. It is a minefield. We can help guide you through finding a high quality ring that will last you many years and wont rust or corrode.
Here is a customers ring, purchased elsewhere just a few days after he got married.
So what do you need to look for?
A lot of low quality Damascus is just sold as "steel" and it is incredibly important to know what steel as a lot will rust over a short period of time, so ask! Any reputable seller will be able to tell you their rings content. Ours are a combination of 2 different steels. 316L which is a marine grade stainless which won't rust or corrode and is incredibly strong and 304 stainless steel is durable and is corrosion and oxidation resistant making it perfect for everyday wear.
We also have independent certification to assure our customers that they are buying a high quality Damascus steel and not an imitation.
High cost, high quality?
Not necessarily! We have seen many low quality Damascus for the same, if not more that we charge and that makes us incredibly sad. We never want to overcharge and keep our costs as low as possible so we are always saddened to have new customers come to us after spending a few hundred pounds on a ring they thought were the quality they were looking for.
What alternatives are there?
We at LumoBlue started with a vision or true uniqueness and individuality and we do sell other rings that use a similar technique to Damascus but that use a different mix of Titanium and Zirconium. Try looking for Timascus or Zircuti if you are looking for a layered look with a burst of colour. If you have a higher budget why not take a look at Mokume Gane, again a type of Damascus that used precious metals like yellow gold, rose gold, white gold and platinum.
Budget
We know we are at the lower end of the Damascus price range, that's just fine by us, but remember to shop around! Independent jewellery makers in the UK all have a passion to provide high quality rings. If we can't do it we will absolutely recommend someone else who can!
We hope this blog post has helped with knowing the differences of high and lower quality and helps you make an informed choice. You can email us at lumoblue@gmail.com if you'd like to know anything more.