I don’t know about you, but I love to wear rings. I love the way they add to my style. We love to shop for jewelry, but when shopping for rings it is important to figure out your ring size. Ring size is the circumference of your finger. If you don’t know your ring size, it wouldn’t hurt to get it sized before shopping around. (Though once you’ve made your selection, you need to try it on).
What happens when you have found a ring but it’s just a little too big or small? Most rings can be resized. Getting a ring resized makes it smaller or larger. To make it smaller, the jeweler cuts a small piece of metal from it and then solders it back together (it’s easier and typically costs less). Oppositely, to make it larger, the jeweler can add a small piece of metal and then solder it back (this is more work, it tends to take longer and costs more).
How Your Ring Should Fit
How do I know if your ring fits? Your ring should be easy to put on but a little snug to take off. This ensures that your ring won’t fall off. When your ring is on, it should feel snug at the base of your finger with no bulging or without leaving an indention.
You also really want to make sure your ring is not too tight. You don’t want to cut off the circulation to your finger (that would cause a whole other set of issues). Do not force your ring onto your finger. If you have to force it on, that is an indication that it may be too tight for comfort. Wearing your ring too small could cause injury to your finger or you might have to destroy your ring to get it off your finger.
Just like you don’t want your ring to be too tight, you want to ensure it isn’t too loose either. If you put your ring on and then put your hands to your sides and your ring falls off or down some, that’s a big sign your ring doesn’t fit. The best way to tell if your ring is too loose is to pay attention to it. Does it easily rotate 360 degrees when you move your hand around? This is an indication that it needs to be resized. If you hold your hand out and then push the bottom of your ring up (while it’s on your finger), and there is a lot of space at the top of it, that is another indication it needs to be resized.
Pay attention to your ring and how it feels on your finger. You also need to keep in mind there are other factors that may cause your ring to feel too big or too small. So before you get it sized, keep in mind the weather, pregnancy, and sodium intake may be affecting the feel of your ring.
What Can Cause my Ring Size to Change?
Weather
Change in weather may cause your ring to feel a little too tight or too loose. During summer when it’s warm out, our bodies tend to swell. In winter when it’s cold, our fingers seem to “shrink” (there’s an internal process going on trying to keep the body warm). So keep that in mind when you take your ring to a jeweler. If it’s consistently tight or loose, that’s when you are going to want to bring it in.
Pregnancy
Carrying a child does so many wonderfully crazy things to the human body. It’s very normal and common for your hands (and yes feet) to swell while you are growing a tiny human. Your ring size may change temporarily or permanently. If you notice your ring feeling snug, take it off and store it somewhere safe. After you have your baby, try it back on and go from there. You may need to take it to a jeweler to be adjusted or it may fit again like normal. (Personally, when I had my oldest, my fingers swelled and after she was born they went back to normal).
Diet and Salt
Who doesn’t enjoy yummy food? Unfortunately, if you do not pay attention to your salt intake and consume lots of sodium, your body will reactively retain water. When your body retains water, it begins to swell. Just be mindful of the amount of sodium you are consuming (and don’t forget to drink water).
Reasons for Resizing
People have all sorts of personal reasons for getting their rings sized. But the basic reason is that your ring no longer fits the way it used to. There are many reasons it can get that way.
Sometimes we are given rings as a gift (and never fit) or over time our bodies have changed, including our ring size. The most common cause of ring size changing is weight fluctuation. Extreme weight loss (possibly yay for you) or extreme weight gain happen but adjustments need to be made. When you lose a ton of weight (or even gain), you have to buy new clothes to have stuff that fits. The same should happen with your rings.
If your ring is too tight or too loose, you risk causing damage to it. Plus, if it’s too big, it may fall off and get lost before you even notice it’s gone. It’s definitely safer to just get it fitted when it’s needed.
Another reason for getting a ring resized is if you decide to wear it on a different finger. Our fingers are all different sizes (they may be close in size but they aren’t exactly the same). Receiving a ring as a gift is another common reason for needing it resized. Most people can’t tell what size your finger is by looking at it, so it may need to be adjusted when you receive it.
Can It Be Resized?
Just like when you make any other decisions, there are positives and negatives. That includes getting your ring resized. There are things to consider before making a purchase or making the decision to get what you have resized.
If you are wanting to get your ring resized, it’s recommended to do it with a ring that only needs to be adjusted one to two sizes. Resizing too much (especially at any one time) can damage the ring. And then you would be sad. We don’t want that.
It’s important to remember most but not all rings can be resized. It all comes down to the material the ring is made of. Gold, silver, and platinum are good, you shouldn’t have an issue getting it resized. Stainless steel, titanium, and tungsten cannot be resized. Gold is the softest but silver and platinum are fairly easy to handle while stainless steel, titanium, and tungsten are much harder to work with. So if you get one made of the tougher materials make sure you know the size you need.
Gold Rings
Gold is very soft and easy to work with. Due to this, it is very simple to resize. White gold rings are also easy to adjust. However, you have to keep in mind that when it is cut, some of the rhodium plating may come off. It’s recommended to have your ring replated after getting it resized if it’s white gold.
Sterling Silver Rings
Sterling silver rings are also very easy to resize (and inexpensive). However, keep in mind if your ring band has a pattern, resizing may ruin that pattern. Or if it has an engraving that may also need to be redone. If your silver ring had rhodium plating on it (some do these days), that plating might need to be redone after the size has been adjusted.
Silver rings, unfortunately, can only be resized one time in their lifetime. If you choose to try to get it resized again, it will compromise the integrity of the ring (it can weaken the silver making it easier for it to break or cause it to lose its shape).
Platinum Rings
Platinum rings are very difficult to work with, which causes it to cost more for labor. It requires a hotter temperature and a different set of specialized tools to resize. So it’s possible to get your platinum ring resized, but it’s going to cost a pretty penny.
Not only is the material of the ring important for determining if your ring can be resized, but the design matters too. Plain bands are the easiest and least expensive to adjust. However, there are other styles that can only be adjusted slightly and some cannot be adjusted at all.
Invisible Tension Setting
One style of rings has an invisible tension setting. These types of rings do not use prongs to hold the diamond in place. Trying to get these resized is a major challenge. If you try to get it resized, the altering of the band can cause weakness in the tension. You may lose that valuable diamond if you try to get rings like this resized. This type of ring is best to purchase knowing the correct size.
Eternity Rings
Eternity rings are not often resized. If you get it resized and it has diamonds or other gemstones, some of those may have to be removed in order to accomplish a smaller size. To make it larger, a small sizing bar is placed at the bottom.
The other option for sizing it big is replacing the small stones for slightly larger ones or just adding additional ones to the ring when it’s sized larger. It can be done, but it is a lot of work for the jeweler. (Most work for the jeweler equals a higher cost).
Pave Set Rings
Pave set rings have a lot of tiny gemstones along with the band. It’s very pretty. If it has some plain metal at the bottom, it can be resized. However, the jeweler has to be very careful and skilled not to allow the stones to become misaligned. We want to keep that pretty symmetrical shape and alignment. When you try to get a pave set ring resized, you risk jeopardizing the alignment of the stones.
Non-Metal Bands
First, let me tell you, there are some very talented jewelry makers on this planet. Not all rings, or jewelry in general, is made from metal. You can get rings made of wood, glass, quartz, silicon, ceramic and so on. There are lots of creative options for those who cannot wear or do not like to wear metals. These rings usually cannot be modified. They are what they are. If it starts to not fit, whether it’s too big or too small, you’re just going to have to get a new one. (Sorry).
Is It Expensive?
The cost of getting your ring sized is all dependent on what it is made out of and whether you are getting it made bigger or smaller. Typically when you get your ring made bigger, the cost of the extra materials makes that process cost more (the jeweler is adding metal to make it bigger). Depending on what metal it’s made out of will also drive the cost up more.
Making a ring smaller is usually less expensive than getting it made bigger because they are taking away material instead of adding. However, if it’s a stronger, harder to work with metal, that may cause it to cost a little bit more. So, unfortunately, there isn’t an exact price for getting your ring resized.
There are too many factors that cause it to go up. I would expect to pay $30 at a minimum and keep in mind the design and material of your ring could drive the cost up to $100 or more. Be sure to check with your jeweler when purchasing a new ring, they may offer one free resizing (isn’t that nice?). Make sure to save your paperwork so you can cash in on that free offer!
Can Resizing Damage the Ring?
First of all, you should always seek a professional jeweler when you are ready to get your ring resized. We all want the best deal and the best price because no one wants to overpay. But go to a creditable jeweler, who you know can do it. Someone inexperienced and untrained could easily ruin your ring (despite the fact that ring resizing is extremely common).
Rings have a limit to the amount that they can be resized. Most rings can be resized 1-2 sizes, total. If you try to resize too many times past the original size, the ring can be damaged. A super amazing jeweler may be able to do it, but it’s risky. Resizing too much can alter the shape or design of the ring or even weaken the metal which could ultimately cause the band to break later on.
So try to limit your ring sizing. Even if you receive an antique ring as a gift, chances are it’s already been resized. You can take it to your jeweler and have them look at it to see if it can be redone again (most times it cannot). If your wedding bands are in need of resizing, definitely do it. Just keep in mind you cannot go back and forth every other year without potentially damaging or breaking your ring.
If you’re concerned about getting a ring resized (because of the material or the design, whatever reason you have) consider getting a chain and wearing it as a necklace. It’ll keep your ring close and you’ll still kind of get to wear it instead of putting it in your jewelry box to never be seen again.
Check and Inspect After It’s Sized
Once you’ve decided that your ring needs resizing and you’ve got it done. Be sure to inspect it. When you’re inspecting it, check out the bottom of the ring (that is where they usually solder it back together). If it looks and feels smooth and is polished and coated evenly then you’re good to go. But if the band looks visibly thinner in that area, if there is a dented line, or if it seems misshapen at all it was not done correctly.
Do not hesitate to tell your jeweler if you notice any issues. If you catch the dented line or thin spot in the band right away, they can usually fix it right then. But if you forget or neglect to check your ring, it will most likely break in the near future because the band has been weakened. It may not be able to be fixed after that. So to avoid breakage and being sad about the breakage, inspect your ring every time you pick it up from the jeweler.
After you visually inspect it, do not forget to try it on! It’s great that it looks good, but if it still doesn’t fit, then they didn’t do their job properly. It’d be upsetting to not try it and get home only to realize it’s now too small! So make sure you check the ring for quality of work and then slip it on your finger to make sure it’s the right size.
Remember, Just Take Care of It
In a nutshell, be observant and take care of your rings. Just like with anything else you own, they need to be cared for to be kept in a good usable condition. They need to be cleaned and polished (because we like our jewelry to sparkle) and occasionally resized. Always use a trusted reliable jeweler because if you don’t, you’ll find yourself upset when your ring wasn’t sized the correct way. Show your ring some love and it will last.
Be sure to check out some other nifty functional craft ideas through our other posts here on Craft-ILY as well as checking out some videos on DIY and How To’s over on YouTube. Look for “Crafting Unedited” to see!