Adjusting ring sizes: how do I resize my ring?

Resizing is a great option if you have a ring that doesn’t fit anymore. Before you trust your engagement or wedding band over to a jeweler it is worth knowing what will happen.

We will show you how to resize rings. You can adjust your ring with confidence if you read the facts.

What is Ring Resizing?

The ring’s circumference can be changed by resizing. You can adjust a ring to fit you again if you have gained or lost some weight.

This is a good option for rings such as wedding or engagement band that will be worn for many years. We don’t all wear the same size rings throughout our lives. After all, they are symbols for a lifetime promise.

In some cases, a cherished ring may be worn on a different hand. If a spouse passes away and the remaining partner marries again, the wedding ring can be moved to the right. New jewelry can be placed on a finger that is currently occupied with a beloved ring.

When should a ring be resized?

It’s important to determine whether you need to resize the ring before making a decision.

It should be easy to slide the ring onto your finger , but harder to remove. It should be a bit painful to remove the ring, but you’ll feel some resistance.

It’s a good idea to wait a few days if you are new to jewelry wearing and your ring is tight. You may be getting used to wearing a ring on your finger. This is often the case when men wear a marriage ring.

If the ring is causing pain and cutting into , your finger, then don’t wait! It may be necessary to apply a lubricant in order to remove the ring. Butter, soap or washing liquid will work. Slide some over your fingers and remove the ring gently.

If your ring is too loose, have it resized. The inconvenience of a short delay is nothing compared to the stress and anxiety that comes with losing your ring.

It’s a good idea to try the rings on well before your wedding. You can get your rings resized before wearing them.

Can a ring be made larger or smaller?

You can resize rings to make them smaller or bigger. The process is different depending on the direction in which you want to change the size. The limitations and potential pitfalls will also be different.

The rule of thumb to follow is not to try and adjust a ring more than twice its original size. Different rings have unique properties. Some rings may allow for a bigger change. Some may only allow a half-size adjustment.

In a minute, we’ll talk about some of the things that can influence this. It’s best to consult a jeweler for advice before you decide whether or not resizing your ring is necessary.

What happens if the ring needs to be made smaller?

The jeweler will remove a small piece of metal from the band if a ring needs to be smaller. The jeweler will then solder together the joint to make the ring complete.

Next, clean up the ring. This stage removes any marks left by soldering. The jeweler will then polish the joint to make it smooth and comfortable against your skin. After the work is done, your ring should no longer show any signs of having been a smaller size.

The process is relatively simple if the ring to be made smaller has an unadorned band. It will take much longer if it is ornately designed. For the most complex designs, this may not be cost-effective. It can be prohibitively costly to rework a design from scratch.

What about making the ring bigger?

The process to make your ring larger will depend on the size of the change. stretching the ring may be possible if the metal band thickness is large and the adjustment small. If you are increasing the ring’s size by about half, this is usually possible.

Jewelers can use a larger piece of metal to increase the size. To shrink a ring they must cut the band and then solder it back together. It is simple to do with a plain-looking band but much more complicated with one with an intricate design.

After cleaning, the ring is polished to make it uniform and smooth. The ring will then be polished to make the surface smooth and uniform. As with a smaller ring, a job done well should be invisible. This YouTube video explains the entire process.

Does this work for every ring?

We’ve seen before that a ring’s size can only be changed so much. resizing a ring that has a pattern band is much more difficult and costly. There are other limitations that you should be aware of.

First, the resizing procedure is only applicable to soft metals. Heat and solder can be used to resize rings made from gold, silver, or platinum. Harder metals are more difficult to work.

For example, Titanium bands cannot be altered. Titanium is a very hard metal and cannot be resized. Rings made from tungsten are no different.

It is , despite what some jewelers might say, possible to resize stainless steel rings. Standard resizing tools won’t work (pardon the pun) because it requires much higher temperatures than for gold or silver. There are jewelers that can handle the task. Online is a great place to find options.

Rings that are not made from metal will not be able be resized. Rings made of wood, quartz, plastic or glass cannot be resized.

What about Rings with Precious Stones?

Resizing jewel-set rings is also a challenge.

It can be difficult to work on rings that have a lot of stones around the band. It may be necessary for the jeweler to reposition and remove stones in order to maintain an even spacing. The jewels in rings that are set into the channels of the band are difficult to resize.

Adjusting the size of a ring that has a tension-set jewel requires great care. The jewel is held by the band’s pressure in tension settings. The stone appears to float in a ring’s middle.

If the band isn’t resized exactly, you could end up with an off-center stone. Resizing the band can upset the delicate balance of the stone because it is calibrated to hold. You risk damaging the ring and even losing the gem.

The type of metal used to make your ring and the color or any stones are also related. Your ring will have to be heated up to a higher temperature if it is made from platinum. If it’s a colored stone ring, the jeweler must be careful that the heat does not damage the color.

You can do this by using a soldering laser instead of a flame. Talk to your jeweler about your options and ensure that they will guarantee the safety of your gemstone before proceeding.

What is the cost to resize a ring?

The price of resizing an ring depends on the materials and labor involved.

In general, it’s much easier to shrink a ring than to increase it. An experienced jeweler can resize a simple gold band in just ten minutes. It will also be inexpensive because you don’t need to use any extra precious metal.

Stretching your ring is a simple and inexpensive way to make it a bit larger. If you want to increase the circumference of your ring by more than a half size, it will cost extra.

If you need to resize an ornate or jeweled ring, expect to pay a lot more.

Remember This…

It’s possible to resize rings so that you can continue wearing engagement and wedding rings or other precious pieces. It’s not for all jewelry.

Discuss your options with an experienced jeweler before you make a decision. Get a second opinion if you have a ring with a jeweled or ornate band or tension-set stones. You will feel better knowing that your ring is safe.