Getting engaged should be one of the happiest moments of your life. You’ve found someone who cares for you deeply and is willing to live with you through sickness and health, until death do you part. The highlight of that moment is your engagement ring, which will forever be a symbol of your eternal love. That’s why having a ring that fits correctly is so important.
Over time, your weight might fluctuate, making it hard for the ring to stay on your finger or for you to get it off your finger. Even worse, your fiancé might have bought it in the wrong size. Luckily, it is possible to get an engagement ring resized without damaging the metal or stone if you seek the help of a professional jeweler. Here’s everything you need to know about the process.
How a Jeweler Will Increase the Size of Your Ring
Option 1: Add More Metal
If the ring is too big, the first step will be to add more metal into the band to help stretch it out. This will involve cutting the ring’s shank and soldering on a small gold bridge to add more material and support. This is the preferred method, as it is the safest for the metal and stone.
Option 2: Stretch the Ring
However, one other method is to stretch the ring. This disadvantage to this is that it has a greater chance of damaging the ring and weakening the metal. Also, it can only be used to adjust the ring by about a half size, which won’t work if you need more room.
Either way, if you do have a lot of patterns or ornate work along the band, you might have to sacrifice this style in order to increase the size.
How a Jeweler Will Decrease the Size of Your Ring
Cut and Solder Your Ring
Making a ring smaller is an easier process than making it larger. All the jeweler has to do is make a small cut in the ring and then rejoin the two ends once again through soldering. Once these pieces are joined, the surface will be polished and smoothed out to ensure a seamless finish.
Again though, you’ll have to think twice before getting a ring resized that has a fancy embellished pattern. These might be damaged in the process, so consider the alternative of a ring overlay that can sit on the ring to prevent it from slipping off of your finger.
Which Metals Are Easiest to Rework?
As you might have guessed, not all metals are the same when it comes to reworking them. Yellow gold and sterling silver are by far the easiest metals to rework, as they are easy to refinish. White gold is a little more tricky, as it will require a new coat of rhodium plating in order to retain the beautiful white gold glow. Rose gold is the trickiest of the golds, as it has a penchant for cracking during the resizing process.
Platinum, titanium, and tungsten are all nearly impossible to work with. Platinum needs to be worked with a separate set of tools and has a higher melting point than gold, making the whole process more difficult. Most jewelers will not work on titanium, and tungsten is simply to hard to rework.
However, the best way to know for sure if your ring can be resized is to check with a jeweler directly.
How Long Will the Resizing Process Take?
While you might want your ring back as soon as possible, this won’t always be able to happen. Jewelers are busy people and need to spend a lot of time dedicated to each ring they resize to prevent any mishaps. Therefore, avoid jewelers who say that can get your ring back to you in just a couple of hours. They might be rushing through the process, which will result in a sloppy ring that might break or crack over time.
Overall, the factors that affect the time it takes to finish your ring include the width of the ring, whether you are going up or down in size, and if there are stones or engravings located along the metal band.
Does Your Engagement Ring Really Need Resizing?
If your ring is a little loose or a little tight, you might not be sure if it’s worth the hassle of getting it resized. Knowing how your engagement ring should fit is hard, and it’s a little different with every person. Generally, the most important thing is that the ring feels comfortable and won’t slide off your finger by itself. Your fingers will naturally swell and shrink in size due to heat and cold, so keep in mind that these fluctuations don’t necessarily mean you need a resizing.
The best way to check if your engagement ring really fits is to have your ring measurement taken with a sizing ring. Make sure to use a sizing ring that is close in width to your actual ring, as a wider band means you need a bigger size. If your ring measurement doesn’t match the size of the ring you have, you might want to get it adjusted.
You’ll also want to consider your finger shape and knuckle size. Some people have a larger finger base, while others have bigger knuckles. Regardless of what type you are, it’s important to make sure the ring can fit on the finger with a small bit of space beneath the ring and your skin.
Visit the Store with the Largest Selection of Engagement Rings in Delaware!
If you have any more questions about ring resizing, Janviér Jewelers is here to help. Visit Janvier Jewelers today or call 302-366-7448. We can take a look at your ring and how it fits to make an expert recommendation on what you should do next. Throughout the entire resizing process, we’ll take great care of your ring and provide you with a finished product that looks just as flawless as it did before!
