P.O.T.M. Niobium / Titanium - Precious Metals?

[chainmaillers.com]

Are they or aren't they? Let us know in the comments below why you think so.

 

[Frann]

Yes, we considers them precious. Because we WANTS The precious!

 

[Rick Bergeron]

Nope. While either may be considered more appealing due to their name, neither has any residual value to speak of. Titanium is one of the most abundant elements. Neither is traded as precious.

 

[Frann]

Nope. While either may be considered more appealing due to their name, neither has any residual value to speak of. Titanium is one of the most abundant elements. Neither is traded as precious.

While I seriously (unlike my original reply to the poll) don't consider them precious, I disagree about the value. Titanium wire is very valuable in jewelry applications as well as in welding. In jewelry the hypoallergenic properties alone are more appealing than metals that oxidize an cause skin irritation. Niobium and titanium body piercing jewelry is at an all time high in usage and has spilled over in the chainmaille community in the last decade.

 

[Rick Bergeron]

Sorry. I didn't say or mean that neither had value. I said neither had residual value as in.... take scraps to a recycler and trade for cash as you can with precious metal. Both have their due place because of hypoallergenic properties and reactive anodizing capabilies as you mentioned.

 

[Sharyn Hamilton]

While I love them both, they're not rare enough and therefore valuable enough to be considered "precious." However, they're precious to me because of their beauty, hypoallergenic qualities, and relative affordability (compared to "real" precious metals.) And nothing anodizes more beautifully than niobium, imho.

 

[Pamela Lunsford]

They not precious metals because they are not naturally occurring. Precious in cost though!

 

[chainmaillers.com]

Thanks for participating, this poll & thread are now closed.