Ring Resizing And Other Common Ring Issues
It can be frustrating and annoying if you have a piece of jewelry that isn’t working out. The most common piece of jewelry that can cause problems is the ring. Is your ring slipping off your hand? Is it impossible to move or stuck on your finger?
Perhaps you have an itchy ring or it is causing irritation on your skin. From ring resizing to various metal options, here’s how to fix some of the most common ring jewelry issues.
Cutting Your Ring To Resize It
Usually, in order to resize a ring, jewelers cut its band and then increase or decrease its size before rejoining it.
To resize a ring, jewelers cut the band and then increase or decrease its size.
To increase the size of your ring, the jeweler will spread it as much as needed after cutting it and will then add a new piece of metal to fill the gap.
After the resizing is done, the jeweler will put your ring back together by soldering the band where it was cut.
New 18k White Gold Ring Changes Color
Ed. note: Before you get too confused, you might want to start with our FAQ: “Rhodium Plating and White Gold” to get an overall understanding 🙂
Q. A week ago I’ve got a Promise ring from my boyfriend. It was an 18K white gold ring. Several days, ~5-6 days, later the ring turned yellow in the place where it was sized. My boyfriend went back to this jewelry store and they told him that it could change the color because it was sized. I went to this store and they told me that it could change color ’cause of perfume, I don’t think the perfume could get there. Anyway they polished it and it looks like new but what REALLY could cause changing color of my ring especially in a week after my boyfriend bought it?
Thank you.
A. The perfume theory sounds like nonsense to me, advanced to deflect the blame. But this site is open to the public if a jeweler or anyone else wants to disagree with me.
It sounds like the ring is rhodium plated and, in resizing it, the rhodium plating at the repair point was injured. When they repolished it they probably also have replated it with rhodium. See letter 1237 for a fairly detailed discussion of this issue.
Hi, Maecelle. Hopefully another reader can explain the situation to you. I’m from the plating industry, and am not a jeweler, and I’m not really familiar with the procedure beyond what Anthony O wrote above.
Regards,
Regards,
Regards,
Regards,
Regards,
Regards,
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Can You Make A Ring Smaller
Yes! Making your ring smaller is typically much easier than making it larger. The ring will have a piece cut out of the band, and then itll be formed back into a circle again! The jeweler will polish and clean the band, so you wont notice where the cut was made. And with all resizing, the simpler the ring, the easier it will be to alter the ring. Also, ask to keep any leftover metal that is cut away from the ring, and hold on to it in case you need to alter the size again. However, remember that resizing rings is not advisable more than 2 times.
Can You Resize Any Ring
To be resized, your ring must be made of metal such as silver, gold or platinum. Jewelers cannot resize rings made of wood, quartz or other non-metal material. There must also be enough space around the ring for it to be made larger or smaller. Rings that have a simpler design are the easiest to resize, although it’s usually possible to do so with rings that have a channel setting or one with many gemstones. For those types of rings, it may be necessary to add, remove or rearrange the setting to resize it properly.
Certain rings should not be resized. These include:
Options for rings that can’t be resized include wearing a smaller ring next to it to help it stay in place or having the ring remade in the correct size. You can also invest in an inexpensive ring overlay which is a removable plastic adjuster that can fit over any ring shank to make it fit without cutting it.
Since ring resizing is such a delicate process, it’s imperative that you find an expert jeweler. When done by a knowledgeable and skilled jeweler, you shouldn’t even be able to tell that the ring was resized except for platinum which inevitably shows a fine line at the soldering joint. Expert jewelers are skilled in working with delicate gemstones and settings and will ensure that your ring is correctly resized and that all of the details, such as engravings and prongs, are restored correctly.
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Type Of Rings That Can Be Resized
“For a ring to be resized, it needs to be made of a metal that a jeweler can work with, such as silver, gold, or platinum,” says Gandia. “There also needs to be enough room on the ring for the actual work to be done.”
If your sparkler is set in a full eternity band, it can’t really be resized. Because the stones are set all the way around the band, there’s no bare metal to work with. “Depending on the design, resizing may not be possible,” says Gandia.
In terms of metals that can’t be resized:
- Tungsten cannot be resized because it is too hard.
- Rose gold cannot be resized because it can crack.
- Some jewelers will avoid resizing titanium, as well, because it is very difficult to resize.
If your ring is unable to be resized, wearing another tighter ring can help a ring that is too loose to stay in place. Other than that, there’s one last resort if you’re in love with your engagement ring but it can’t be resized. You can talk to a jeweler about remaking the ring in the correct size, and then you’ll have your dream ring and the perfect fit!
What Factors Affect The Process And Resizing Time For Ring Resizing
As we mentioned, depending on the ring type or metal, resizing might require different approaches. Here are some things that will impact how jewelers will resize your ring:
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Considering Durability And Your Lifestyle
Well go into durability a little more later on, but a quick note about it here. When youre considering yellow or rose gold, theres a big difference in the durability between 14k and 18k. But that just isnt the case with white gold. Youre going to notice very little difference in their strength because theyre both dipped in rhodium.
Why might you choose 14k white gold vs. platinum? Again, cost. But if durability is a serious concern for you say, you’re a doctor, craftsperson or in the service industry and use your hands a lot all day you might want to look into platinum for to see if the investment is worthwhile for you.
Gemstones Are Also An Issue
Most stones in class rings are not genuine stones. They are man-made, synthetic, simulated birthstone, CZ gems that cant take the heat from a torch. So when sizing class rings great care must be taken not to subject the stone to direct heat. Too much heat can shatter your stone. When this happens its nearly impossible to replace the stone without sending it back to the original manufacturer.
Also Check: 1/10 Ounce To Grams
Karat Vs 18 Karat Vs 14 Karat White Gold:
It’s made by combining gold alloy with a variety of white metals such as silver, nickel and palladium. The mixture’s amount of alloy vs. gold creates the karat, or purity of the gold. Twenty-four-karat gold is considered pure, but it’s also soft and easily damaged, which makes it impractical for everyday wear. This is why gold is alloyed to make it more durable. Eighteen-karat white gold is a classic metal with a high purity level within the gold realm it consists of 75% gold and only 25% alloys, which gives it a high value. Pieces made of 14-karat white gold tend to last longer, because they consist of 58.3% gold and 41.7% pure alloys.
Can I Resize My Ring Even If I Didnt Buy At Diamond Story
Yes! You are welcome to bring any ring made in Platinum 950, 18K white/yellow/rose gold or 9K white/yellow gold and we can resize it for you. There are some exceptions: rings with diamonds more than half way down the band, rings made in other materials, Coated rings, rings with engravings you would like preserved
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White Gold Vs Platinum Durability
Durability and cost should be considered together. Platinum is more durable and requires less repolishing. But that doesn’t mean you only need to re-polish your white gold engagement ring every so often to keep it shining. White gold is finished with a rhodium plating to give it a pure white shine and improve durability. But it does wear off over time. That means you’ll need to replace it.
Depending on how often and how hard it’s worn, the rhodium plating could last anywhere from one to three years. Rhodium plating costs about four times as much as platinum, but “dipping” your ring, or having it replated, is relatively inexpensive. Expect to pay anywhere from $60 to $120 to have your ring dipped, depending on the complexity of the setting and style. If you need to get that done each year, the cost adds up.
Here at With Clarity, we try to save our customers that cost. That’s why we offer a lifetime warranty that covers ring replating and polishing. That ensures your With Clarity ring will be beautiful for a lifetime.
Variables Of Ring Resizing
As mentioned above, there are several factors that determine resize costs. Heres a look at some popular variables that will determine how much it costs to get your ring sized:
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Do you need your ring sized smaller or larger? How much resizing is necessary?
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Ring thickness: is the ring shank very wide or thin?
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Does your ring have a center stone? If so, is it a tension set or a half bezel? Half bezels will typically be more difficult to resize and ultimately cost more.
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Does the band have side stones or diamonds?
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What kind of ring metal are you resizing?
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Why Does Platinum Cost More To Size Than White Gold
Platinum’s Purity Adds to its Cost
The platinum in many rings is 95% pure platinum vs. 58% pure gold for 14kt white gold. This means that the metal costs are higher for platinum work.
Platinum is a completely different metal than gold. Gold is actually an easier metal to work with than platinum.
Among other things required for working platinum is a tank of different, hotter burning gas, used for soldering. Then there are separate tools that can not be shared with any other metals. Just like tomatoes, which prefer to grow in soil they’ve already grown in, platinum will discolor if you dare to use tools on it that have been used to work gold.
Picky picky.
Purity of Gold Metal in 14kt White Gold Rings
This means your jeweler must be versed in the quirky requirements of platinum and have the separate tools and separate gas and a separate work space to care properly for your platinum ring.
You pay more for the expertise and quality work space to have your platinum ring worked on.
Some jewelers do platinum jewelry repairs using 14kt white gold. This saves them money. If you get a low bid on your platinum work, before you say, ‘sure, let’s save some money here,’ and use ABC Quickie Jewelry Repairs, ask if the repair work is being done with platinum. There’s a good chance it is not.
Limitations Of Ring Resizing
If youve inherited a ring or received a ring as a gift, its important to ensure the ring is within 1-2 sizes of your ring size as rings can only be resized so much. This means that theres an actual limit to how much you can add or remove from a ring.
If a ring needs to be upsized or downsized greater than two sizes, resizing is simply not a good choice. Essentially, resizing a ring too far from your ring size can damage the ring. Additionally, the style of ring and ring metal will affect whether or not it can be resized.
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Why Does White Gold Cost More To Size Than Yellow Gold
With for example yellow gold wedding bands with no gems, they merely need to be polished after sizing and they are ready to wear.
White gold on the other hand needs to be rhodium plated after the sizing is done. White gold started its life as a yellowy, orangy metal and needed white metal alloys to create the white gold color.
It’s not quite truly a white metal. The final process of making new white gold jewelry is to rhodium plate the piece of jewelry. This gives your ring a very white and shiny finish. It has also been known to shield people from the irritation some people feel from the nickel in the alloy of white gold.
The extra cost in repairing white gold rings comes from the rhodium plating done after the sizing work. It is necessary, and it’s a step that any fine jeweler includes when sizing or repairing your white gold jewelry.
Should I Get My Ring Resized
It’s always recommended you have any ring, especially engagement rings, professionally resized to ensure that they fit properly. When deciding whether or not you should have your ring resized, you should wear it for a few days to determine if it is indeed too big or too small. Keep in mind that the average finger fluctuates in size throughout the day and throughout the seasons, with rings tending to fit more snugly in the summer when fingers swell and looser in the winter when they shrink in the cold.
While proper sizing is important for all rings, it’s especially critical for those that you will wear daily. A ring that fits correctly slides on easily but requires a little effort to get off and over your knuckle. It may feel slightly tight.
Rings that cause swelling or discomfort and are obviously too tight should be resized. If the ring easily slips off your finger, then it is too big. If your ring spins, it may be a sign that it is not correctly sized. In addition to being annoying, a spinning ring can also cause the setting to wear and loosen, which can cause gemstones to fall out.
It’s not recommended that women get their rings resized during pregnancy as finger size can vary significantly during this time and for some time after.
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Our Favorite Settings For Platinum & White Gold Rings
Although all of our engagement ring settings are available in platinum as well as either 14k or 18k white gold, these are some of our favorites to pair with that clean white hue. The design elements lend themselves well to this icy shine in order to make your hand-selected diamond the true star of the show.
These Metals Cant Take Heat Either
The problems dont stop there. Some of these class ring metals dont take heat very well. Their melting points are different than gold. Applying the wrong temperature to them could cause them to break, crack or melt. Not a great scenario.
The easiest class rings to size are going to be the more expensive rings like solid 10kt, 14kt and 18kt yellow and white golds. Jewelers deal with these metals on a daily basis and will have no problems sizing themBut
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Can White Gold Be Melted Down And Reused
For yellow gold, your metal can be melted down and remade with almost no … In the case of white gold, this is not possible because white gold will have to be …
For yellow gold, your metal can be melted down and remade with almost no … In the case of white gold, this is not possible because white gold will have to be …
Many buyers prefer white gold to yellow gold because it is more durable, stronger, high-quality, and does not tarnish over time. Its shine and gleam are …
