A functionally graded cemented tungsten carbide material produced via heat treating a sintered cemented tungsten carbide is disclosed and described. The heat treating process comprises at least a step that heats the sintered material to the multi-phase temperature range in which multiple phases including solid tungsten carbide, liquid metal binder, and solid metal binder coexist. Additionally, the material, after the heat treating process comprises a surface layer with lower metal binder content than the nominal value of metal binder content of the bulk of the material. The material is used to make tools for rock drilling, machining of metal alloys, and machining of non-metallic materials. The material can also be used to make engineered wear parts that are used in mechanical systems and applications where wear resistance is required or desired.