One of the most important things to know before buying a ring for your future fiancé, besides the preferred diamond shape and metal type, is the ring size. Without it, you can end up with a stunning ring that is simply too large or too small.

Fortunately, most people know this and plan accordingly. However, something one cannot plan for is having your ring size change over the course of time. At some point down the line, due to pregnancy, sickness, weight gain, weight loss, or aging, you might find your ring to be too tight or too loose. Thankfully, there are seasoned jewelers out there trained in the art of resizing that will be able to adjust your ring to the right size.

Cutting the Ring

The first thing that needs to be done when resizing a ring, whether it is being enlarged or tightened, is to cut the metal. An incision is made so that the jeweler can work with the metal and extend the ring or shorten it from both ends of the cut metal.

working on a diamond ring

Cutting the Ring

Heating the Metal

Next the jeweler heats the metal, which demands a great deal of expertise and precision. The temperature cannot be too cold or too hot, as a cold temperature would result in having difficulty working with the metal while a hot temperature could change the chemical properties of the metal. Without the necessary knowledge, heating the metal can cause irreversible damage to the metal and the ring as a whole. Therefore you must never allow inexperienced individuals to resize your ring.

Heating a diamond ring for resizing

Heating the Metal of the Ring

Reshaping the Ring

When the metal is heated, the jeweler manipulates it with his hands and tools so that it is wider or narrower, thicker or thinner than the original ring, depending on your requirements.

Reshaping the Ring into a new ring size

Reshaping the Ring

If your ring is being made smaller, he will remove some gold to preserve the look that you want.

In the case of making a ring bigger, he may avoid heating and cutting the ring by just shaving some gold from the inside of the ring and making the width thinner, to avoid manipulating your ring too much. He may instead choose to add a certain amount of gold to extend the circumference of the ring without affecting its thickness.

When you use an experienced jeweler, he will know best how to change the size while doing the least to it (and keeping it in the best condition for you).

After the correct ring size has been achieved, the jeweler can apply finishing touches and weld the metal back together. A successfully resized ring will look no different than it did before. After the entire procedure has been completed, the ring is left to cool.

Polish

Once your ring has been resized, the jeweler will polish it so that it looks just as beautiful as it did when it was first made.

Though resizing may sound simple enough, it is truly a complex ordeal, which requires a great deal of talent and patience. Furthermore, though many rings can be resized, some rings, such as those with stones all around it, cannot be resized or would require a process that is very complex. In such cases one can either upgrade the ring altogether or have the stones reset into a new setting with the correct ring size. Regardless, it is imperative for your jewelry to be the correct size for you so that you can enjoy it properly and wear it with peace of mind.

Got any questions about resizing rings? Have a ring that you need resized? Let us know in the comments and we will answer any questions that you may have!

Resizing Rings

Cutting the Ring

Heating the Metal

Reshaping the Ring

Polish