Basics and Tips on Jewelry Resizing

It’s natural for our bodies to change over a long period of years, and our fingers are no exception. It’s common for beloved rings to lose their fit over time, and at AAA Jewelers, we’re here to help with our jewelry repair services that include ring resizing.

There are several potential reasons to resize a ring, from major weight gain or loss to a simple desire to wear the ring on a different finger. Let’s go over some of the basics here, including a few minor risks to be aware of when considering resizing.

Smaller Size

Resizing a ring to a smaller size is the much simpler process of the two. It’s done by simply cutting a portion of the band, then soldering the ring back together before cleaning and polishing it to ensure it looks as beautiful as you’d expect.

There are a couple factors that can make resizing a ring to a smaller size a bit more difficult. Chief among these is if the shank of the ring is too thin or too thick – this makes the area where the ring is cut and soldered more weaker, and may slightly raise the risk of the ring breaking in the future. However, basic care should ensure this does not happen.

Larger Size

Resizing a ring to a larger size is tougher, but it can still be done. There are two methods here:

• Stretching: A method used if you want your ring not more than a half size larger.
• Reworking: For when the resizing needs to be more than a half size increase.

For rings that have very intricate designs, resizing to a larger size can be a bit more difficult and may come with complications. The stones or diamonds may be slightly altered in some ways, though this is rarer and rarer as technology improves.

Unable to Resize

In certain cases, a ring will be ineligible to be resized or reworked. Eternity rings, for instance, have diamonds the whole way around the band that prevents resizing – any heat or cutting can damage or distort the ring, or certain other similar rings. Metals like titanium or stainless steel also cannot be resized due to material properties.

For more on jewelry repair or to find out about any of our other services, speak to the experts at AAA Jewelers today.