Methods for preparing jewelry articles comprising sintered tungsten carbide

A method of making a jewelry article which comprises:

• providing an annular substrate formed of a hard material comprising tungsten carbide and having an outer surface with an outer diameter and a depression disposed circumferentially in its outer surface;
• providing a metal band having an inner diameter that is greater than the outer diameter of the annular substrate;
• and
• inwardly deforming the metal band to squeeze it into the depression in the outer surface of the annular substrate so as to form the jewelry article which further comprises heating the metal band or brazing the metal band using a brazing material, or both, to assist in attaching the metal band to the annular substrate.

A method of making a jewelry article which comprises:

• providing an annular substrate formed of a hard material comprising tungsten carbide and having an outer surface with an outer diameter and a depression disposed circumferentially in its outer surface;
• providing a metal band having an inner diameter that is greater than the outer diameter of the annular substrate;
• heating the metal band or brazing the metal band using a brazing wire, or both, to assist in attaching the metal band to the annular substrate;
• contacting the brazing wire proximate a point of contact between the annular substrate and the metal band;
• heating the brazing wire sufficiently so that it liquefies and flows into the junction;
• and
• continuously feeding the brazing wire into the depression while heating and moving the point of contact to cause the liquified wire to at least substantially fill interstitial gaps between the annular substrate and the metal band;
• and
• inwardly deforming the metal band to squeeze it into the depression in the outer surface of the annular substrate so as to form the jewelry article.

A method of making a jewelry article which comprises:

• providing an annular substrate formed of a hard material comprising tungsten carbide and having an outer surface with an outer diameter and a depression which comprises one or more apertures in the annular band and which depression is disposed circumferentially in its outer surface;
• providing a metal band having an inner diameter that is greater than the outer diameter of the annular substrate;
• and
• inwardly deforming the metal band to squeeze it into the depression in the outer surface of the annular substrate so as to form the jewelry article.