People resize rings for varying reasons. Some do it because they want to wear the ring on a different finger, and others because they got a new ring that doesn’t fit. Whatever the case, resizing a ring is a relatively easy process for jewelers.
When To Resize a Ring
A ring should fit your finger snugly enough that you have to pull a little to take it off. It should also slide easily onto your finger. If your ring is uncomfortably tight, bring it to a jeweler and have the band expanded.
If a ring is too big, the center might rotate from one side of the finger to the other. An oversize ring also slips off your finger with little resistance, meaning you risk losing it! If your ring is too big and consistently slides around on your finger, have a jeweler shrink the band.
How Jewelers Resize Small Rings
Jewelers stretch the metal on a small ring to make it bigger. This method allows the jeweler to make the ring half a size larger.
Other jewelers shave off some of the metal inside a ring to make the band thinner to fit around the finger. Shaving only works if your ring has a thick band. Otherwise, this technique would make the ring too brittle.
If you need to resize your ring by more than half a size, your jeweler cuts the ring band and adds a piece of metal to it. They solder the extra metal piece to the ring, shape it, then polish and clean it to remove imperfections.
If your ring has channel settings, your jeweler may have to rearrange the stones as they resize it.
How Jewelers Resize Large Rings
Large rings are easier to resize than small rings. When resizing a large ring, a jeweler cuts out a piece of the band. They then reshape the band into a perfect circle and solder it back together.
The jeweler then cleans and polishes the ring to remove any signs of oxidation that occurred during the process. After a jeweler resizes a ring, it shows no evidence of the resizing process.
Jewelers have to heat a ring to the perfect temperature when resizing it. If your jeweler applies too much heat, they may damage the ring. If the metal is too cold, your jeweler will struggle to cut it.
Go back to your original jeweler to resize your ring. The jeweler who made the ring knows how much heat to apply without changing the chemical properties of the metal.
Types of Rings That Are Resizable
Only rings made from metal are resizable. Jewelers can work with silver, gold, and platinum. Tungsten rings are too hard for jewelers to work with. Jewelers also avoid working with titanium rings because they are difficult to resize.
A ring should also have enough room to allow a jeweler to resize it without causing damage. If your ring has a thin band, any efforts to heat or expand the metal may damage it. A jeweler can damage the eternity bands and bands set with delicate stones if they try to resize them using the above mentioned methods.
Alternatives for Rings That Jewelers Cannot Resize
If you have a ring that jewelers cannot resize, they can use applied resizers to adjust its fit. Some applied resizing options jewelers use include:
Sizing Beads
Sizing beads are the perfect solution if you want to resize a large ring by half a size. Two metal balls are added to the back part inside your ring to keep it upright on your finger.
Sizing Bar
A sizing bar is a u-shaped fold-over bar that jewelers solder across the bottom of a ring to resize it. This device can make a ring several sizes smaller. This applied resizing solution is ideal if you have knotted fingers.
A sizing bar has a latch on one side and a hinge on the other. When you want a ring to pass over your knuckles, you open the latch, slide the ring onto your finger, and close the latch to secure the ring.
Spring Insert
A spring insert is a strip of metal shaped like a horseshoe that a jeweler inserts on the bottom half of the inside of your ring. The metal strip takes up three-quarters of your ring. This device springs open as you slide your ring down your finger. The device then springs back once the ring is at the base of your finger to give you a tighter fit.
If you do not prefer any of the above solutions, the only other alternative is to ask your jeweler to remake your ring in a smaller size.
The Best Solution for Ring Resizing
Jewelers have many resizing solutions for all types of rings. If your ring does not fit properly, visit the store where you bought it and inquire about your options for resizing. Your jeweler will have a solution to adjust your ring to the correct size without damaging it.
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