Tungsten vs Diamond: Which One is Better to Choose?
When it comes to hardness and durability, tungsten and diamond are often mentioned together. Both are known for their exceptional toughness, yet they differ significantly in structure, applications, and price. Whether you’re interested in industrial uses or jewelry selection, understanding the differences between tungsten and diamond can help you make a more informed choice.
As a professional tungsten carbide parts manufacturer, in this post, we will guide you through the key differences between tungsten vs diamond, helping industrial users make informed choices in practical applications. Let’s dive in.
Part 1. What is Tungsten?
Tungsten (chemical symbol W) is a silver-white metal with high density and a melting point of as much as 3422°C, and it is one of the hardest naturally occurring heat-resistant metals.
Currently, tungsten is widely used in the production of cutting tools, welding electrodes, lamp filaments, military components, and tungsten carbide jewelry.
In the jewelry sector, tungsten is generally in the form of tungsten carbide. It possesses high scratch resistance and metallic shine, never losing its original sparkle for years without wear and deformation. So, it becomes a popular material for fashion jewelry and men’s wedding bands.
Key Features of Tungsten:
- High hardness and excellent wear resistance
- Extremely high melting point (highest among metals)
- Good corrosion resistance
- Relatively low cost
- Does not oxidize and low maintenance
Part 2. What is Diamond?
Diamond is a carbon that crystallizes under pressure and temperature. It has a Mohs hardness of 10 and is the hardest substance known to man. In addition to its use in high-quality jewelry, diamond has widespread usage in cutting and grinding, and in drilling.
Diamonds are not just known for their rarity and glittering brilliance but also for their unique crystal structure, which gives them better wear resistance and optical refraction properties.
Key Features of Diamond:
- The hardest natural material in the world
- Vibrant luster and powerful fire (dispersion)
- High level of rarity and symbolic significance
- Natural or lab-grown
- Widely used in industrial and jewelry purposes
Part 3. Tungsten vs Diamond: 8 Key Differences
Both diamond and tungsten are highly known for their hardness but possess a very large difference in structure, physical attributes, and application. In this part, we will outline their difference from different sides. Here are the key differences:
1. Chemical Composition
Tungsten is a metallic element with symbol W. When used industrially or in jewelry, it appears most commonly as tungsten carbide (WC)—a binary compound of tungsten and carbon, with the toughness of a carbide and the strength of metal.
Diamond is a crystalline form of pure carbon formed under extremely high pressure and temperature. Its crystal form is a cubic lattice with every carbon atom covalently bonded with four neighboring carbon atoms to yield one of the highest hardness in nature.
2.Hardness (Mohs Hardness)
Tungsten is approximately 9 on the Mohs scale, much higher than most metals. Due to its hardness, it resists daily scratches and wear and is a good choice for solid jewelry and industrial components. While its hardness is robust, tungsten can be scratched by diamond.
The hardest known natural material is diamond, the highest point of the Mohs scale with a hardness of 10. It is so hard that it can scratch nearly anything. This characteristic is the primary reason diamond is commonly used in cutting, grinding, and drilling, as well as other industrial equipment of high precision and fine jewelry where the maximum scratch resistance is essential.
3.Density
Density of tungsten is approximately 19.3 g/cm³, which puts it in the highest class of heaviest metals in the world. As a result of this high density, tungsten products, especially rings, will feel dense and heavy, and many people comment that they are “hefty” and high-end-feeling to hold.
Diamond, then, has a weight of about 3.5 g/cm³, or twice less than that of tungsten. While it is lighter and more comfortable when used as jewelry, it does not provide the thick, clunky sensation tungsten does.
4.Melting Point
Tungsten has a melting point of 3422°C, the highest of any metal. With this feature, it is indispensable in high-temperature industrial applications such as welding electrodes, light bulb filaments, and aircraft components.
The sublimation point of diamond is approximately 3550°C. Diamond will not melt with increased heat but will directly transform to gas (carbon dioxide) through sublimation. If it is exposed to air, it will burn rather than melt, which makes diamond quite different from tungsten in thermal properties.
5.Wear Resistance
Tungsten carbide is extremely durable against wear. Its abrasion- and scratch-resistant surface allows it to be ideal for repeated wear in jewelry or for components used in harsh industrial processes.
Diamond is even better than tungsten carbide in wear resistance. Its extremely rigid crystal lattice enables it to withstand high friction and mechanical shock. Diamond thus has common uses in cutting tools, drill bits, grinding tools, and similar uses that require utmost endurance.
6.Luster Type
Tungsten possesses the metal luster of a bright mirror-like sheen, inducing a clean, minimalist, and masculine look. Its shiny finishes have sharp reflection of light, giving an impression of solidity and sophistication.
Diamond exhibits a unique brilliance due to its refractive index and dispersion (“fire”). It can disperse white light into rainbow-colored flashes and generate excellent sparkle and brilliance. This optical property makes diamond very valuable in jewelry due to its beauty.
7.Price Level
Tungsten is affordable. Even with polishing and precision cutting, tungsten products are significantly less expensive than natural diamonds, great value for money.
Diamonds, however, are expensive since they are rare, well cut, colored, clear, and carat-weighted. Natural diamonds, particularly, are not only collectible and symbolic in origin but hence also much more expensive than jewelry made of tungsten.
8.Main Uses
Extensively used in industrial uses such as cutting tools, welding electrodes, and mechanical components owing to hardness, heat resistance, and strength, tungsten is used in jewelry for men’s rings and fashion jewelry with wear resistance combined with a clean, modern appearance.
Diamonds serve two purposes. In jewelry, they are the ultimate symbol of luxury and elegance. In industry, they serve to cut, grind, and drill due to their high hardness and resistance to wear, and therefore they are decorative and extremely useful.
Summary Table: Tungsten vs Diamond Comparison
| Property | Tungsten | Diamond |
| Chemical Composition | Metal (W) or Tungsten Carbide (WC) | Crystalline pure carbon |
| Mohs Hardness | Approximately 9 | 10 |
| Density | About 19.3 g/cm³ | About 3.5 g/cm³ |
| Melting Point | Extremely high (3422°C) | Around 3550°C (sublimation) |
| Wear Resistance | Excellent | Outstanding |
| Luster Type | Metallic luster | High refractive brilliance (“fire”) |
| Price Level | Relatively affordable | Expensive |
| Main Uses | Industrial cutting tools, rings, mechanical parts | Jewelry, cutting, grinding tools |
Part 4. Tungsten vs Diamond: Which Material Is Best to Use in Industry?
In industry, the choice of material is not always a case of hardness. Wear resistance, toughness, and economy also count.
Advantages of Tungsten Alloy:
High Wear Resistance: Tungsten alloys, especially tungsten carbide, can endure prolonged subject to abrasion and friction environments and hence are made for tools like cutters, molds, nozzles, and other industrial components that undergo severe loads.
Cost-Effective: Tungsten alloys are more affordable than diamond. Due to this, they are ideal for mass production and applications where cost-effectiveness is a consideration.
Good Toughness: Tungsten alloy resists cracking or chipping when it is impacted, and the outcome is reliability under difficult industrial environments.
Advantages of Diamond:
Exceptional Hardness: Diamond is man’s hardest known substance, and it is well-suited for ultra-high accuracy cutting, grinding, and drilling where maintaining a sharp edge is a requirement.
Compatible for Micro-Processing: Its high hardness enables high precision parts and tools to be realized for micro-machining, electronics, and optical uses.
How to Choose?
Tungsten Alloy: Best for industrial components that require superior wear resistance, impact resistance, and cost. It performs well in heavy-duty usage and is easier to mass manufacture with greater scale.
Diamond: Best for scenarios where maximum hardness and machining precision are needed, such as micro-drilling, high-precision cutting, or high-precision grinding. Its brittleness and higher cost limit it to heavy-load or impact scenarios.
In a Word
Both diamond and tungsten have their own applications, and the selection of material in an industrial application depends upon the particular use. Tungsten alloys are used in industrial products due to their wear resistance, hardness, and low cost, while diamond is applied in its hardness and precision cutting.
As a professional tungsten carbide factory, XYMJ offers tailored, high-wear-resistant tungsten components to meet the diversified needs of machining, mining, and high-temperature industrial processes. For cutting tools, molds, or nozzle components, it ensures safe, successful solutions that suit your demands.
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