Rings are the most individual jewelry, very demanding on the physical parameters of the owners. If the size of the same earrings, chain or brooch affects exclusively the aesthetics of the product, then with rings the situation is fundamentally different.
A large ring is, to put it mildly, inconvenient to wear; too small is completely impossible. So, should you sell your favorite jewelry or put it in a box until better times?
Not at all necessary: there are ways to adjust the ring to size. They are not universal, they are not suitable for all products, and the range of size changes is limited to a maximum of a couple of units, but still!
So what to do if the ring is too small?
Why change your ring size?
There are many reasons for changing ring sizes. It could be:
- A significant change in a person's build. We are all human and from time to time we gain weight or lose weight. Naturally, this also affects the thickness of the fingers. Moreover: the diameter of the finger can change depending on the time of day, the amount of water drunk, ambient temperature and other factors. That is why it is recommended to try on rings in the middle of the day, not in the heat, and refrain from drinking large amounts of water.
- The appearance of swelling. Swelling is not always associated with diseases of the kidneys and cardiovascular system. Often this trouble is a companion to pregnancy, especially in the last trimester. In this case, you should definitely not rush to change the size of the jewelry. You can simply stop wearing it for a while or move it to a chain and hang it around your neck - and after a couple of months the swelling will subside and the size will return to prenatal values.
- Initial ring mismatch in size. Absolutely all jewelry stores that have physical retail space provide the opportunity to try on jewelry. It’s another matter when the ring is purchased as a gift (as is often the case with engagement models) and there is no possibility of preliminary fitting. It happens that rings are inherited. Sometimes they represent heirlooms of great value and must be treated with great care.
It is impossible to return a ring purchased in a regular retail chain to the store - jewelry cannot be exchanged or returned. If you are purchasing jewelry as a gift, it is better to use the services of online stores: a ring that does not fit in size can be returned within 14 days from the date of delivery.
So, if all other options have been exhausted, you really want to wear a ring, but it is too big or doesn’t fit, you can slightly adjust its size.
What could go wrong?
Sometimes the jeweler may not solder the rim properly. As a result, there is a possibility that it will break down in the future. How do you know if the resizing work has left your ring weaker than before?
Look at the place where the decoration was soldered. If it has been soldered correctly, there should be no indentation on the surface and the surface itself should be flat and polished.
If the rim is thinner in this area and you see a depressed line, then the solder is likely to break. (If the soldered alloy is a different color, you may see a line, but as long as the surface is smooth, there should be no problem with strength).
So if you see a line where the ring joins, ask your jeweler to reinforce the joint. This usually comes down to adding more metal to the solder joint and polishing the joint to make it indistinguishable from the rest of the ring.
However, keep in mind that if your ring is made of platinum, due to certain properties of this metal, you will most likely see a line in the joint even when the job has been done properly.
Is it possible to expand the ring at home?
It is theoretically possible to increase your ring size at home. But don’t think that this is simple and guaranteed to be safe for the product. Trying to enlarge a gold ring at home sometimes leads to damage to the jewelry. In some cases, it can be restored in a jewelry workshop, paying an impressive amount for it, in others, the damaged jewelry has to be melted down. There is nothing to say about the fate of the precious inserts!
So the decision to roll out a gold ring at home is justified only in one case: if you live in some remote corner and the nearest workshop is several hundred kilometers away. And even then you will have to come to terms with the inevitable risks.
To expand the ring at home, you need:
- Find (carve, borrow) a metal cone (like a jewelry “Buratino”).
- Measure the circumference of your finger, calculate the size and make a corresponding mark on the cone.
- Wrap the cone in foil to protect the decoration (remember: gold is a very soft metal).
- Heat the ring (very carefully) and place it on the cone.
- Take a hammer (ideally a rubber or wooden mallet) and gently tap the ring to try to lower the decoration to the specified level.
- Clean and polish the product (for example, with GOI paste).
You can increase the size of a small ring up to certain limits. Even with a professional approach, the maximum is a couple of sizes.
Quite massive rings with a smooth surface (for example, classic wedding bands) are best suited for processing. It is better not to experiment with products with a relief surface, precious stones and enamel - you are guaranteed to ruin the jewelry.
To begin with, it is better to roll out a not very valuable silver ring - as an experiment. If the result of the work suits you, you can begin manipulating gold, but with great caution!
Increase.
Jewelers will tell you that enlarging a ring by cutting it and adding metal is impossible because titanium cannot be soldered.
However, many jewelers claim that they can make changes using two alternative methods:
Stretching
Some experts can stretch a titanium ring, but warn that the increase will be negligible because the metal is very hard.
Cutting
Other professionals will say they can't stretch your ring, but suggest making it bigger by removing metal from the inside. However, if the product is too thin, the potential increase will be very limited.
Most jewelers who use this method claim that they can only achieve half an increase to the next size.
How to increase your ring size
You can increase the size of a gold wedding ring by a size or more in a jewelry workshop. The master will carefully examine the jewelry, make a verdict (as mentioned above, not all rings can be stretched), and report possible risks.
If there are no difficulties, the price of the work will be no more than 600–800 rubles (and sometimes less). The duration of the process is about 30–60 minutes. As a result, you will receive a piece of jewelry with uncompromised aesthetics and a perfect fit. So is it worth experimenting with jewelry at home?
There are several ways to increase the size of rings in a workshop environment. Let's look at each of them in detail.
Gold wedding ring with diamonds (go to the SUNLIGHT catalogue)
Rolling out
Here is one of the most popular ways to increase the size of jewelry rings. To implement it, you need a special rolling machine with a set of attachments for the ring sizes.
The process looks something like this:
- Select the required nozzle of the appropriate size.
- The ring is secured to the nozzle.
- Rotate the handle of the machine evenly.
- The ring rotates in the mechanism.
- The roller acts on the metal evenly from all sides, stretching it.
- Check the size and change the nozzle if necessary.
- Level the product with a crossbar and a jewelry mallet.
- Sand and polish the decoration.
A mechanical sheeting machine of the simplest design costs about five thousand rubles. You can also purchase it for home use. Handling such equipment is not difficult, but is it worth the expense and risk if such a service costs 600 rubles in a workshop?
Advanced jewelry workshops install modern equipment, including computer-controlled ring rolling machines. The entire process is carried out automatically, within a matter of minutes, and ideal accuracy of the parameters is achieved.
This option is applicable only for rings with a thick, smooth rim, because during operation its thickness decreases. It is not used for jewelry with complex surfaces, engravings, enamel, or items that are too lightweight (weighing up to one gram).
Stretching
If you have the appropriate experience and equipment, you can stretch a gold ring within fairly significant limits - up to three sizes. This method is used primarily for rings with a thin shank.
The main tool is the already mentioned “Pinocchio”, or in official language – a jewelry crossbar made of hardened steel with dimensional marks applied.
The ring is heated over the burner flame, cooled slightly and put on the crossbar (sometimes rotating). Then the ring is carefully moved to the desired size mark (usually with a jewelry hammer), ground and polished.
Insert
This option involves inserting metal into a specially sawn groove, then sealing it and final processing. It is used when rolling or stretching is impossible. This is how they work with jewelry with precious stones and some relief surfaces.
Inserting another metal is a very painstaking and delicate work, which not every master will undertake. It is necessary to accurately select a jewelry alloy of the appropriate standard and color, integrate its cutting, and even process it in such a way that no traces of intervention remain.
Gold ring with sapphires and diamonds (go to the SUNLIGHT catalogue)
In advanced salons, program-controlled laser equipment is used for such purposes; in small workshops, hand tools are used. In the second case, no worse result can be achieved, but much depends on the individual skill of the jeweler.
This option is not suitable for rings with a complex patterned surface - the relief may be disrupted. It can, of course, be restored, but at a different cost.
Boring
Boring is the last chance for many rings, and, what’s most offensive, not the cheapest ones. Unfortunately, this method has limited application: usually jewelers undertake to enlarge items by only half a size, or in the case of massive thick jewelry - by one size.
Boring involves removing part of the metal from the inside of the jewelry (if there is engraving there, you will have to say goodbye to it). This method is not suitable for rings with internal decor or a non-standard configuration. For example, chain rings, “crowns”, the famous “Love” and “nails” from Cartier are not bored.
But this option is ideal for rings with a diamond cut, enamel, a rotating bezel and other complex decorations on the outside. More precisely, sometimes this is the only way to “put” a ring that has become small on your finger.
Processing involves grinding the inner surface of the jewelry. The diameter increases due to the removal of metal, which, unfortunately, is an expected and irreplaceable loss.
Ring boring is done in almost all workshops; no special effort or skill is required on the part of the jeweler. The cost of work starts from 300 rubles.
Color.
White gold has a metallic color that is the result of rhodium plating. However, over time, the coating wears off, revealing the yellowish tint of the gold alloy underneath.
When this happens, to restore the shine and color of the white gold piece, you will need to re-plate it with rhodium.
With a titanium ring, you won't have to pay to have it replated—the greyish, platinum-like color of your ring will stay the same for a long time.
Titanium is available in more colors than white gold: you can buy titanium jewelry in blue, red, black and other shades.
Unlike many other metals, titanium is colored not by adding additional substances, but by simply changing the optical structure of the surface using electricity.
Which rings cannot be enlarged?
The workshops only work on items made from jewelry alloys. Almost everywhere they work with products made of gold and silver, but with platinum the situation is worse. The fact is that platinum is a very refractory and hard metal; it requires a very high temperature to heat it up, and special equipment is required for processing. So you will have to look for a workshop that works with platinum group metals.
It is theoretically possible to increase the size of a ring with a stone, but each specific case must be considered separately. Much depends on the method of setting the inserts, as well as on the properties of the minerals themselves. For example, diamonds are unlikely to suffer from heat, but emeralds or rubies can easily.
Organic inserts require especially delicate handling - very capricious pearls, amber, ivory, coral, and so on. In most cases, before rolling out a ring with a stone, the inserts have to be removed and then reintegrated into the jewelry, which entails additional costs.
Gold ring with cubic zirconia in the SUNLIGHT catalog
Rings with pavé diamonds and diamond chips are practically impossible to increase in size, especially if we are talking about very fashionable jewelry with a solid track (“belt” of stones).
Many jewelers refuse to work with mixed gold rings and items with complex surfaces. Once stretched or rolled out, the unique pattern may float, and it will be impossible to restore it.
It is definitely not possible to increase the size of rings made from jewelry alloys, jewelry ceramics or resin. It is almost impossible to work with enamel jewelry - it can crack or become irreversibly deformed when heated.
It is also impossible to vary the size of outwardly very presentable and massive, but inexpensive hollow jewelry - the walls will simply concave, the jewelry will lose its shape and all aesthetics.
The nuances of adjusting the size of rings with stones
Rings set with precious stones are quite difficult to enlarge. Only some of the described methods are suitable here. The enlargement procedure itself takes about 10 minutes and is often performed in the presence of the client. During the process, it is necessary to ensure that the jeweler removes the stone from the setting before enlarging. After all, even a durable diamond can suffer during the procedure.
Despite all of the above, it is important to know that increasing the size can sometimes ruin the ring, so you should not resort to it unless absolutely necessary. The increase is especially dangerous for rings with stones, patterns or engravings, as well as for thin products and inexpensive alloys.
Possible risks
When increasing the size of the ring with your own hands, you need to take into account the risk of irreversibly damaging the jewelry: the ring may become deformed, the pattern may float, the stones may fade or fall out. Considering the low cost of the corresponding operation in workshops, this risk can hardly be called justified.
Buy jewelry exactly in size, when choosing rings as a gift - contact online jewelry stores (this way, a product that doesn’t fit can be returned or replaced). And don’t rush to change the size of your jewelry during the summer heat or pregnancy.
17.09.21
Add insert
The ring is enlarged by soldering a piece of metal of the same color and composition. The decoration is carefully cut from below, on the side where the metal rim touches the finger. The craftsman then spreads the shank using the standard circumference formula: to increase the diameter of the ring by one size, you will need a gap of 3.14 mm.
A piece of metal is selected into the resulting gap. The seams are processed with a laser tool and fire. The finishing touch is to immerse the ring in a boric acid solution: this will enhance the shine and eliminate solder marks. If all steps are done carefully, the joints will become completely invisible.
The work takes at least an hour: the time depends on the shape and design of the product. The average cost is 600 rubles.
We take into account the features of different jewelry
The most accurate way is to contact a jeweler or jewelry store.
As you can see, the risk of damaging your jewelry is very high, so the most reliable way is to contact a jewelry workshop.
If you need to change your ring size, consider the following points:
- If the surface is smooth, then the master will be able to increase it even by 2-3 sizes, but if the jewelry has a pattern or stones, then it will not be so plastic, in this case enlargement is not recommended.
- Decide which finger you will wear the jewelry on to determine the exact diameter.
- Try on the product in a calm state - if your fingers are swollen, then when the swelling subsides the jewelry will be great for you.
- Make inquiries about the masters; it is better to talk to 2-3 masters yourself and discuss the details. The price should not be artificially inflated. If the master told you in detail about the upcoming procedure, warned you about possible risks, but gave a guarantee on the quality of his work, then you can opt for such a workshop. Please note that gold is a fairly soft and pliable material.
Important! Repair of platinum products can only be carried out using special expensive equipment; not every workshop can afford it, so the price will be higher accordingly.
We take into account the features of different jewelry
The most accurate way is to contact a jeweler or jewelry store.
As you can see, the risk of damaging your jewelry is very high, so the most reliable way is to contact a jewelry workshop.
If you need to change your ring size, consider the following points:
Important! Repair of platinum products can only be carried out using special expensive equipment; not every workshop can afford it, so the price will be higher accordingly.
Waste
The method is considered the safest, but gives only a minor effect. With its help, you can increase your ring by just 0.5 sizes. But the decorative part - stones, inserts, patterns - will definitely not be damaged, which is important for products of complex design.
The master installs the ring on a special machine and cuts out the inner layer of the shank. After the procedure, it will become thinner, and the product itself will become wider. Boring takes about half an hour and costs an average of 300 rubles.
