Titanium grades in jewelry — grade 2 and grade 5 (Ti-6Al-4V)

Grades are a system for designating titanium variants by composition and properties. Grade 1–4 is commercially pure (CP) titanium, differing in oxygen and iron content and thus hardness. Grade 5, designated Ti-6Al-4V, is the most popular titanium alloy — with about 6% aluminium and 4% vanadium added, much harder and stronger than pure. In jewelry one most often works with grade 2 (pure, ductile, implant) and grade 5 (alloy, hard, structural). The choice between them affects machining, appearance and price.

Grade 2 is the "workhorse" of pure titanium: it forms, welds and bends well, is easier in plastic working and is regarded as implant-grade (biocompatible, vanadium-free). It takes anodizing beautifully, giving clean, vivid colours. It is a good choice for earrings, posts and pieces for allergy sufferers, and wherever maximum biological inertness matters. It is a little softer than grade 5, so the surface scratches more easily, but it is easier to shape.

Grade 5 is an aerospace alloy: much harder, stronger and more scratch-resistant than pure titanium. It is used for the most durable wedding bands and pieces meant to take daily knocks for years. It is harder to machine and form, and anodizing gives slightly different, deeper shades. It contains vanadium, so for implant uses and the most sensitive skin grade 2 or the special grade 23 (ELI) is more often recommended. For durable men's wedding bands, though, grade 5 is the number-one choice.

In short: earrings, posts and jewelry for allergy sufferers, plus strongly coloured anodized designs — grade 2 (pure, biocompatible, takes colour beautifully). Durable wedding bands, signets and pieces exposed to knocks — grade 5 (hard, structural). For near-medical uses — grade 2 or 23 (ELI). Choosing the grade is one of the first technical decisions in a design, because it affects machining, colour and price. We describe the uses of various products in the article titanium products.

As a titanium jewelry manufacturer we match the material grade to the product's function, expected durability, anodizing colour and budget. We recommend grade 2 where biocompatibility and colour matter, and grade 5 where hardness is key. We gathered everything about the material on our titanium jewelry page, and we describe the metal's properties in the article titanium jewelry.