Multi toned · Black zirconium
Stepped two tone
From £255
A machined step, black on one level and bright on the other.
A stepped band on two levels in black zirconium with bright natural metal, made in your size in widths from 4mm to 10mm. £255 from 4mm to 7mm and £280 from 8mm to 10mm, delivered free in the UK, with engraving included. About 3.2g at 6mm in UK size N. Made to order in 1 to 2 weeks, with 30 days to return it unengraved.
Rather than a groove cut into a flat face, the band is stepped: two distinct levels at different heights, one black and one bright. It reads as architectural rather than decorative.
Made to order · 1 to 2 weeks · posted insured
Ask a question about this ring
Before you order, in one place
- What you are buying
- Stepped two tone, black zirconium, made to order in your size. Widths 4 to 10mm.
- Price
- £255 total. UK delivery and engraving are included and nothing is added at checkout.
- When it arrives
- 1 to 2 weeks to make, then one working day insured and signed for. Delivery in full
- Changing your mind
- 30 days from delivery, return postage paid, unless you have it engraved. The cancellation right
- Who you are contracting with
- Trothe Ltd, registered in England and Wales, company number 17431230, Lytchett House, 13 Freeland Park, Wareham Road, Poole, Dorset, BH16 6FA. Questions and complaints to hello@trothe.co.uk.
- MaterialBlack zirconium
- Surface hardnessMohs 8
- Density6.5 g/cm³
- ResizableNot usually
- HallmarkedNot applicable, non precious
- MadeTo order, in your size
- Delivery1 to 2 weeks, insured
- Returns30 days, unengraved
- EngravingOptional, included, inside the band
Also in: Wedding rings, Promise rings, His and hers, Men's rings
In short
Stepped two tone: price, weight and delivery
| Width | How it reads | Weight, est. | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4mm | Slim, the quietest everyday width | 2.1g | £255 |
| 5mm | Between slim and classic | 2.6g | £255 |
| 6mm | Classic, the usual starting point for a band | 3.2g | £255 |
| 7mm | Classic to broad, more of the pattern shows | 3.7g | £255 |
| 8mm | Broad, a ring that is clearly there | 4.2g | £280 |
| 9mm | Wide and bold, best on a larger hand | 4.8g | £280 |
| 10mm | Wide and bold, best on a larger hand | 5.3g | £280 |
Weights are estimates for a plain band of the same width in black zirconium at UK size N with a 1.6mm wall, from our ring weight calculator. Not sure of the width? The band width guide helps you choose.
- When it arrives
- 1 to 2 weeks to make, then one working day in the post.
- Delivery and returns
- Free UK delivery, insured for its full value, tracked and signed for. 30 days from delivery, return postage paid, unless you have it engraved. How returns work
- Size
- UK A to Z+10, half sizes included, all one price. Buying it as a surprise? Choose I do not know yet and we confirm the size with you before anything is made. Find your size
- Resizing
- Not in the usual way. The black is grown into the surface of the metal, so cutting or machining the band would show bright metal underneath. That is why the size is settled before the ring is made and every ring is made to that measurement.
- Titanium or black zirconium
- Titanium is the lighter of the two at 4.5 g/cm³ against 6.5. Black zirconium has the harder surface, around Mohs 8 against 6. Neither is plated and neither tarnishes. Black zirconium or titanium, compared
- Working with your hands
- Take any ring off for abrasive or heavy work and follow your workplace rules around machinery and electrics. Wedding rings for hands-on jobs
About this ring
Stepped two tone, in detail
Instead of a groove cut into a flat face, this band is stepped: two levels at different heights, one black and one bright, meeting at a single machined edge. As the hand moves, the change in height throws a line of shadow along the join, so the two tones separate cleanly. Nothing else decorates the band. It reads as architectural rather than ornamental, closer to a moulding or a building's profile than to a pattern and the step changes the ring's silhouette as well as its colour.
How it wears
The black level is oxide (around Mohs 8) and resists most daily contact. The bright level is the zirconium core. It is softer and collects fine marks that the satin finish blends in. Because the two sit at different heights, the upper level takes the first of any knocks and the lower one is a little sheltered. A pale mark on the black can be transferred metal rather than damage. Zirconium is hypoallergenic and at 6.5 grams per cubic centimetre it has a steady weight.
Choosing yours
A step reads best with some room, so 6mm and wider shows the two levels clearly; at 4 or 5mm it becomes a fine, tidy detail.
It is paired with Twin groove, which divides black and bright with a cut rather than a change of height, so two rings can share their colours while each keeps its own shape. It suits someone drawn to clean geometry and to a ring that looks engineered rather than decorated.
How it compares with the rings nearest it
| Ring | What sets it apart | Metal | Widths | Surface hardness | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stepped two tone (this ring) | A machined step, black on one level and bright on the other. | Black zirconium | 4 to 10mm | Mohs 8 | £255 |
| Relieved black | Black cut back to bright metal along both edges. | Black zirconium | 4 to 10mm | Mohs 8 | £255 |
| Brushed centre, polished bevels | Matte through the middle, bright along both edges. | Black zirconium | 4 to 10mm | Mohs 8 | £255 |
| Colour line, all black | A flat black band with one anodised blue groove. | Black zirconium | 6 to 10mm | Mohs 8 | £269 |
There are 28 black zirconium bands in the range, from £199 to £1,525. All about black zirconium.
The metal, in brief
Heating zirconium forms a black ceramic oxide at its surface. The colour comes from that oxide, rather than applied black plating. It is a hard surface over a softer metal core, so scratch resistance does not mean the whole ring is black or immune to damage.
Surface hardness Mohs 8, density 6.5 g/cm³. It is hypoallergenic, so it is a sound choice for skin that reacts to nickel. It is not a precious metal, so it carries no hallmark.
Compared side by side: Anodised zirconium or black zirconium, Black zirconium or titanium, Black zirconium or sterling silver. Or read the full black zirconium guide.
Work it out before you order
About Stepped two tone
- How much does the Stepped two tone ring cost?
- £255 from 4mm to 7mm and £280 from 8mm to 10mm. That is the whole price: UK delivery is free, insured and signed for and engraving inside the band is included. The size makes no difference to the price.
- Can this ring be resized?
- Not in the usual way. The black is grown into the surface of the metal, so cutting or machining the band would show bright metal underneath. That is why the size is settled before the ring is made and every ring is made to that measurement.
- Is engraving included?
- Yes. It is optional. Leave the box blank and the ring is made plain. If you do want one it is laser cut inside the band where the ring is made, rather than sent out to a third party. There is no charge and no extra wait.
- How long will it take?
- 1 to 2 weeks. It is made in your size after you order, not picked off a shelf. That is the reason the widths and finishes are open choices.
- Can I return it if I have it engraved?
- Not for a change of mind. An engraving makes the ring clearly personalised, which puts it outside the statutory right to cancel. It cannot be resold. Every ring shop draws the line here. Order it plain and you keep the full 30 days. Either way, a ring that arrives faulty or is not what you ordered is covered by the Consumer Rights Act, which nothing waives.
- How much does the Stepped two tone ring weigh?
- About 2.1g at 4mm, 3.2g at 6mm, 5.3g at 10mm, estimated for a plain band in black zirconium at UK size N. Larger sizes and wider bands weigh more. It is a light ring by any standard: 18ct gold of the same size is more than twice the weight.
- What widths does it come in and do they cost the same?
- 4 to 10mm. 4mm, 5mm, 6mm, 7mm are £255 and 8mm, 9mm, 10mm £280, because the wider bands take more metal to make.
- What is closest to the Stepped two tone in the range?
- Relieved black (black zirconium) and Brushed centre, polished bevels (black zirconium). The comparison table on this page sets them side by side on metal, width, hardness and price.
- Can I see the Stepped two tone on my hand before I buy it?
- Yes. Our free ring try-on draws this ring onto a photo of your own hand, at any width from 4mm to 10mm, from this ring's own photograph. Press See it on your hand under the photograph. Each email address gets three pictures every thirty days and your photo is deleted once the picture is made.
- What if I get the size wrong?
- If it is unengraved, return it inside 30 days and we refund it and pay the postage. Use the free ring size finder first if you are unsure. If the ring is a surprise, ask us and we will talk you through the ways to find out without asking them.
- What should I know about black zirconium before I buy?
- The oxide is around Mohs 8: scratch resistant, not scratch proof. A hard knock against stone or steel can mark it and show the lighter metal underneath. A pale line is often metal rubbed off something else, which cleans away. Our maker refinishes black zirconium depending on the damage. Around machinery and electrics, follow your workplace rules on jewellery, whatever the ring is made of.