Tension Wedding Rings and Tension Engagement Rings

The use of the word "Tension" in tension rings and tension settings is a bit misleading. Tension diamond rings are actually setting under Pressure rather than Tension. This form of diamond setting was used first in Germany and Prof. Becker is credited with its inception in the 1950s. In the 1980s, it was heavily marketed by the Niessing Company of Germany.

It was brought and made famous in North America by designer Steven Kretchmer and later by Gelin & Abaci (G&A).

Niessing, Kretchmer and G & A all apply special techniques to render particular alloys of precious metals, strong and springy. This is achieved through work hardening and/or special thermal and other treatments.



Tension diamond rings are based on the principle of retaining a gemstone under the pressure (indeed..., not tension...) exerted by the metallurgical strength of the metal alone. In other words, the gemstone sets in tensions squeezed by the springiness of the ring, which, typically would contain a gap, so that a gemstone placed within the gap under pressure would remain static and fixed. In the case of precious metals, the tensile strength of the alloys used may reach the upwards of 12,000 psi (that's pounds per square inch!). Accordingly, a Tension Setting ring can retain only a gemstone of hardness of or exceeding 9 on the Mhoe scale, the likes of Rubies, Sapphires, Cubic Zirconia and, of course, diamonds.

In the early days of the growth of use of advanced metals in jewelry making, in the late 1990, several designers, in fact--very few at the start, saw the potential and connection between the immense strength (over 100,000 psi in tensile strength) and other metallurgic alloy appropriate qualities of these metals and the ability to use them in creating new concepts in tension setting engagement rings and tension wedding rings.



The designers of Absolute Titanium Design Studios were amongst the first to employ titanium and later zirconium metals in creating new tension diamond ring styles and tension earrings. Their design-oriented touch has created several original designs for tension men's rings, tension set diamond engagement rings and many other designs that are all protected as proprietary designs.

Furthermore, in introducing their "Black Zone" (TM) Absolute Titanium Design Studios are offering all their Tension Setting bands also in Black Zirconium metal and in their in house developed, proprietary Black Titanium. Now, you may have your black tension setting in either black titanium tension rings or black zirconium tension settings

It is not surprising, therefore, that Absolute Titanium Design Studios obtained the legal rights for the slogan "The Tension is Mounting"®. Their rings use tension settings in their mounting in creating unique tension Engagement Rings. Where else, after all, in one's life cycle, one experiences more mounting tension? A diamond tension ring is presented... the question is popped... "the tension is mounting"... And, hopefully, the Tension setting does it...

The studios work closely with jewelry designer Maria da Costa, and the result is a stunning array of designs in both black Titanium and black Zirconium metal, amongst which the various tension settings stand out most.

Designs such as " Black Tango " and " Black Doric " are truly breath taking in their simplicity, elegance and conjurer like magical gripping of the gemstone which appears to be suspended in midair...