How much it will cost to resize your ring will depend on what factors, and where can you get the best jewelry. To learn more, continue reading.
It may be necessary to have a ring resized to fit, whether it was once someone else’s or your finger size has changed. The process can take as little as two hours for a jeweler, but if the ring has a complicated setting, it could take up to a month.
Depending on the type of metal and geographic location, a simple resize can cost anywhere from $20 to $60. The price ranges from $50 to $150 for a more involved resizing. No matter the design, enlarging a ring will always cost more.
Cost Of Resizing A Ring
Depending on the type of ring, the material, and the level of complexity involved, a professional ring resizing job can cost anywhere from $10 to $150 or more. Yellow gold, silver, white gold, rose gold, platinum, titanium, and tungsten are listed as the metals with the lowest to highest price tags.
Costs range from $10 to $60 for a basic, simpler resize, but they can reach $50 to $150 for a complex one. A wedding band or a ring with a black diamond may be more expensive than other expensive rings, while white or yellow gold rings may be toward the lower end of the price spectrum.
What the ring is made of and how difficult and time-consuming the process will be will both have a significant impact on the cost. For a straightforward resizing, the price can be as low as $20, but for a challenging job, it can reach hundreds of dollars.
If you purchased the ring within the past year, it might still be covered by warranty, in which case many jewelers will gladly resize the ring for no charge. If you’re not sure, check the guarantee information or get more information by calling the jeweler where you purchased the ring.
Finding the original jewelry store where it was purchased and having them do it gratis is hardly remarkable. Assess your options by contacting the first shop. Additionally, it’s preferable to have this done at the same store.
What’s Involved In Resizing Rings?
If you’ve ever had clothing altered, you’ve probably noticed that a tailor adds a panel to let a garment out or takes away some fabric to make a piece of clothing smaller. It is similar to resizing a ring. A jeweler will frequently remove a very small portion of the band and then use heat to join the pieces back together to form a ring. The ring is then polished and any oxidation is removed, leaving you with a ring that is the right size.
The jeweler can stretch the metal if the band is thick enough if a ring is too small. The ring will grow in size by one-half thanks to this modification. The jeweler will cut the band if your ring needs to be sized up by more than half a size, add some metal, and then make sure the band is uniform and appealing by smoothing, polishing, and cleaning it.
For rings made of materials a jeweler can modify, such as gold, silver, and platinum, resizing is effective. The procedure usually takes up to two weeks, but if the request or the ring is complicated, it might take longer. Additionally, most rings can only be sized up or down two sizes.
Factors That Determine Resizing Cost
Four things determine how much it costs to resize a ring:
- Larger vs. smaller. The more new metal that must be incorporated into a ring to increase its size, the more expensive the task. Although stretching metal is something some jewelers try, it is not advised.
- Ring Thickness. To resize a thick ring, a jeweler must use more metal, which raises the price.
- Stones. the more stones there are, the higher the cost to resize. Given the change in curvature, diamonds or other gemstones set along the side of a ring that is being shrunk may need to be reset.
- Type of metal(s). The ring’s metal type affects how simple or challenging it is to resize.
From the least expensive to the most, here’s where metals fall on the spectrum:
- Yellow gold. Yellow gold is still among the less expensive metals to resize, despite the fact that gold prices can fluctuate.
- Sterling silver. Sterling silver is one of the less expensive metals to resize and is relatively easy to work with, much like yellow gold.
- White gold. White gold receives its finish from the rhodium plating that is used to coat it. Reapplying rhodium plating is necessary after resizing a white gold ring.
- Rose gold. Due to its propensity to crack when being resized, this can be difficult to work with.
- Platinum. A platinum ring cannot be resized without a specific set of tools. Additionally, platinum requires more work because it has a higher melting point than gold.
- Titanium. Since titanium rings are so difficult to work with, some jewelers won’t resize them.
- Tungsten. Due to how hard the metal is, it cannot be resized.
Selecting A Jeweler
When a ring is resized, a number of issues can arise, such as loose stones and the development of a weak spot in the metal. It’s crucial to work with a jeweler you can rely on. Here are a few tips for finding a jeweler:
- Consult your family and friends. Find out who the jeweler was and whether they were happy with the work if they had a ring resized.
- Analyze jewelry shops that are locally owned. The majority of locally owned jewelry stores are managed by seasoned jewelers who have been in the industry their entire lives. You can trust them to give you an unbiased opinion.
- Don’t go cheap. Don’t just choose the jeweler who will resize your ring for the cheapest price if it’s important enough to warrant it.
- Take a personal jeweler who travels. Occasionally, a reputable jeweler will travel from job to job and provide you with individualized service, including custom repairs, in the comfort of your home.
- Listen to your gut. Take your business elsewhere if a jeweler or a salesperson in a jeweler seems uninterested or preoccupied. You should look for a jeweler who will value the ring as highly as you do.
- To obtain the metal cutout, ask. Ask the jeweler to return the extra piece of metal that was cut out if you are having the size of a ring reduced. If you ever need to have the ring resized, keep this somewhere safe. Using the original metal will result in cost savings on subsequent jobs. A ring shouldn’t be resized too frequently, experts caution. The size of your finger can vary from day to day by as much as a half size.
How Much Time Does Resizing A Ring Take?
The time required can range from a few hours to a short while, depending on the diamond setter and work. The jeweler will consider the ring’s thickness, whether it needs to be sized up or down, the placement of the stones, and whether any inscriptions are present.
You have two options when having your ring resized: you can take it to a jeweler outside your local area or return the ring to the goldsmith from whom you originally purchased it. It is energetically advised if it is covered by warranty. You could possibly get the resizing done for free by taking it to the jeweler where you purchased it.
Which Additional Costs Exist?
Since more materials are required to properly resize the ring, making a ring bigger rather than smaller can result in a higher cost. The ring’s thickness can be described in a similar manner. Some diamond setters may leave the job if stones need to be moved around inside the ring because they see it as difficult.
Because of the complexity, it might cost more if a jeweler approves after executing the plan. Because the jeweler must remove several diamonds and re-set them in a ring with more than one diamond, this can increase the cost.
These elements could likewise build the value:
- diamonds become unaligned while resizing;
- the ring has trimmed stones;
- pearls must be eliminated;
- delicate diamonds are in the ring;
- the ring is thicker than normal;
- the ring should be measured two sizes bigger; or
- the ring is so flimsy it might break.
How Can I Put Money Aside?
Verify with the original jeweler where the ring was purchased. Depending on their approach, many gem specialists might offer to do it for free. If it was purchased online, find out who can provide the best assistance at the lowest cost by speaking with the gem specialist online or a few goldsmiths in the area.
How To Know If Your Ring Is Too Big
A too-large ring can drive you crazy by spinning around your finger, and even worse, it could fall off and get lost, which would be even more annoying.
Here are some signs that your ring is too big:
- It can be removed with hardly any effort.
- The ring could be removed from your finger by another person with ease.
- At the base of your finger, it is constantly spinning.
Your ring will be more straightforward to put on than remove when it fits properly. Even though it might occasionally spin, especially during colder months, it ought to sit upright most of the time. It will be challenging to remove without some effort, but once it’s on, it ought to feel cozy.
When Not To Resize A Ring
It’s usually best to have a ring resized if it’s too big. However, there are times when you can’t or shouldn’t resize it for a variety of reasons.
You might be trying to lose weight, as an example. If so, you should avoid having your ring resized more than once until you have achieved your goal.
Additionally, because our fingers contract in colder weather, it’s possible that your ring will feel a little loose during the chilly winter months. A temporary sizing option is ideal because you probably don’t want to size your ring with every change in the weather.
Here are some other instances when you might not want to use traditional methods to size a ring:
- Although it won’t fit over the knuckle if it is sized smaller, the ring is too large at the base of your finger.
- If sized, the ring could be damaged.
- The metal used to make the ring is not sizedable.
- In the near future, you intend to give the ring to someone else.
- Your fingers can swell up frequently.
You’ll need some options in these circumstances to reduce the size of the ring without having it resized. For you, these are a few options.
Is It Better To Have A Ring That Is Too Big Or Too Small?
Choose the larger size if you’re unsure of a loved one’s ring size or are choosing a gift for someone you know. A large ring can be resized more easily than a small ring can be made larger.
Resizing A Ring To Make It Larger
It’s possible that you’ve heard of jewelers stretching ring bands to increase their size. However, we strongly advise against using this technique because it has a tendency to change the ring’s shape and reduce the strength of its overall structural integrity.
Adding metal to the band to expand its circumference is the most typical way to increase the ring size. In order to increase the size of the ring, the jeweler will cut the band (or shank) of the ring. He or she will then insert a small piece of metal between the two cut ends. The ends are soldered to the newly added metal piece. Following that, the entire ring is polished and buffed for a flawless finish.
Resizing A Ring To Make It Smaller
The shank of your ring will also be cut, and a small portion of the band will be removed, in order to make it smaller. After removing this section of the band, the two ends are soldered back together. The ring will then be cleaned by the jeweler for a polished, smooth finish.
Rings That Cannot Be Resized
Regrettably, not all rings can be resized. Bands that are particularly thin, eternity bands, or bands that have delicate inset stones cannot be resized using either of the two resizing techniques mentioned above.
However, you can try a ring guard if your ring is too big and cannot be properly resized. A ring guard is a rubber or plastic tube that wraps around the shank of your ring to effectively reduce its size and rests on the underside of your finger where it will be relatively undetectable.
Ring guards and plastic resizers are not thought of as long-term solutions to your ring size issue. The best way to safely resize your ring for a better fit is to discuss your options with your jeweler.
Conclusion
Always leave this type of work to the professionals. It should be possible to complete a resizing task by yourself. However, it should be turned over to a professional because subpar work can be very harmful. Make sure to speak with at least three local goldsmiths.
You’ll find that many of them will have significant price fluctuations. On their websites, some of the jewelry retailers carrying your name brand frequently post coupons or amazing deals. Before establishing a maintenance agreement, visit the authority website.