The Truth Behind How Silicone Rings are Made

If you have ever browsed through a website to look at stylish and increasingly popular silicone rings, you may have wondered what makes them so special. These rings, that can protect your fingers from injury and still look amazing and stylish are one of the hottest trends for people of all ages. Whether you’re looking for something to replace your current metal wedding ring that doesn’t fit, your diamond ring that is always in the way at work, or the ring you constantly have to take off because you can’t wear it at the gym or during your outdoor hobbies, silicone rings are the perfect solution. 

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Perhaps you’ve wondered how these incredibly comfortable, affordable, durable, and stretchy rings are made. Here’s an overview of what goes into a silicone ring. 


Making Silicone

The process to make silicone rubber is an extensive one, beginning with silica. This is the most abundant material found in the Earth’s crust, in the form of quartz sand or other minerals. It begins by isolating the silicon from silica, which involves heating quartz sand up to a temperature of 1800 degrees Celsius (that’s over 3200 degrees Fahrenheit) to get a pure form of silicon. After heating and isolating, the silicon becomes a fine powder material. 


To turn the silicon—a chemical element (Si)—into silicone (a polymer), you combine it with methyl chloride and heat it up again, triggering a reaction between two components and forming methyl chlorosilane. It must be heated to a precise temperature to create a siloxane bond of silicon and oxygen (Si – O – Si), which is the “backbone” of silicone rubber. Then it’s polymerized by adding various other components, like carbon, hydrogen, or oxygen. 


The end result is a super flexible and stretchy material that is also durable, because that siloxane bond is extremely strong.


Molding & Coloring

Once the silicone rubber is made, the next step is to mold it into a ring shape. Enso Rings uses only the highest quality medical-grade silicone so you can wear it all day without discomfort. The silicone is mixed with a gel-based or powder-based dye that will integrate uniformly for an all-over color without any streaks or other issues. Then it’s poured into a mold where it will be shaped to fit your finger. While you might be able to find some “DIY” videos online of how to do this yourself with a ring mold, keep in mind that the process requires a precise skill to get the silicone to fill the entire mold with a clean edge and without any air bubbles, which could weaken the final ring structure. 


Curing

The last step is to allow the ring to “cure”, which is when it sets and becomes a solid silicone rubber. 


Shopping (the Easy Way)

When it’s done right, the end result is a beautiful, durable, and comfortable silicone ring. Fortunately you don’t need to have the skills and tools to make your own silicone rings, because you can shop the whole collection of beautiful colors and styles at Enso Rings today.

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