The Ultimate Jewellery Resizing Guide
Whether you’re resizing a wedding ring after many years, looking to get the perfect fit from a family heirloom or need a chain to be made shorter, the most common solution is to get your jewellery resized by a professional.
In this guide, Hatton Jewellers’ expert team share their jewellery knowledge. We’ll cover why you might need to get your jewellery resized alongside other commonly asked questions about resizing your jewellery.
Why Does Jewellery Sometimes Need To Be Resized?
The main reason jewellery would need to be resized is that it does not fit comfortably. If your ring, bangle or chain is too big it increases the chance of it getting lost or damaged. On the other hand, if it is too small it may feel uncomfortable or even break. Therefore, it is best to seek advice from a jeweller if you feel your jewellery isn’t fitting you correctly.
Which Jewellery Metals Can Be Resized?
Metals such as silver, gold and platinum can be resized fairly easily depending on the design and style of your piece of jewellery. Gold is a softer metal which is easier to resize, therefore if you’re looking to have a gold chain, gold ring or gold bangle resized, this should be fairly simple for your jeweller to do so. While titanium and stainless steel can be resized it is much more challenging meaning you won’t be able to change the size as drastically.
How Long Does It Take To Resize Jewellery?
The amount of time it takes to resize jewellery can depend on numerous factors, for example, the difficulty of the job and how busy the period is for the jeweller. It therefore can take anywhere from a couple of days to a few weeks to get your jewellery resized so it is best to check time frames with your chosen jeweller.
How Long Does It Take To Resize A Ring?
The process of resizing a ring to make it smaller can take as little as 30 minutes to complete, while upsizing a ring may take a little longer. However, the turnaround time for receiving your resized ring typically depends on the workload of your jeweller.
How Much Does It Cost To Resize Jewellery?
The cost of resizing your jewellery largely depends on what work you’re having done. There is no average cost for getting a piece of jewellery resized, however it can be affected by the following factors:
What Is The Style Of The Jewellery?
If there is a lot of complicated detailing on the jewellery - such as an array of side stones on an engagement ring - this could make it more challenging and consequently more expensive to resize. However, a simple band-style ring or bracelet may be easier to adjust.
How Thick Is The Band?
A ring or bangle with a thicker band is more challenging to resize than a more delicate thinner band. This means that it is often more expensive to resize a thicker band.
What Is The Jewellery Made From?
Some materials, such as titanium, are typically more difficult to resize. It may take your jeweller longer to complete the resizing process and therefore it’s likely to cost more in total.
How Far Does The Jewellery Need To Be Resized?
It becomes more complicated to change the size of your jewellery if it needs to be drastically changed in size. Larger scale adjustments may cost more than if you were to only move up or down by one size.
How To Tell If Jewellery Has Been Resized
You should not be able to tell if jewellery has been resized. It is therefore essential that you take your jewellery to a reputable jeweller to ensure that your precious metal has been correctly resized to a high standard.
How To Tell If Your Ring Needs To Be Resized
A ring should fit so that it is easily able to slide onto your finger but you still feel some resistance when taking it back off. If the ring slips off with little effort, it is most likely too big meaning you could risk losing it during day-to-day activities.
Although your ring may spin slightly, especially if your hands are cold, it shouldn’t turn constantly as this increases the risk of it getting damaged. On the other hand, if your ring feels uncomfortable and tight at the base of your finger it is most likely too small.
If your ring feels too small or too large, don’t worry! Depending on the design, rings are typically simple pieces of jewellery to resize.
What Is Involved In Making A Ring Bigger?
Typically a ring is enlarged by adding metal to increase the circumference of the band. The jeweller will cut the band of the ring, inserting a small piece of metal between the two sides to expand the size. The ends are soldered to the new metal before being smoothed and polished for a perfect finish.
What Is Involved In Making A Ring Smaller?
To make a ring smaller, a part of the band is typically cut away and the two ends soldered back together. The jeweller will then smooth, polish and clean the ring for a flawless finish.
Which Rings Cannot Be Resized?
Unfortunately, there are rings that cannot be resized due to a variety of factors. If the band is particularly thin, or is set with diamonds or gemstones, it is unlikely that the ring will be able to be resized. If this is the case, the best thing to do is discuss your options with your jeweller to figure out the best solution to the problem.
Alternatives To Resizing Jewellery
While resizing your jewellery may be the most permanent solution, it might not always be possible. Whether the size your jewellery needs to be resized to is too drastic of a change or the design makes it impossible to resize your jewellery, there are other options available to ensure your precious jewellery stays safe.
Sizing Beads
Small beads made from sterling silver can be soldered to the inside of your ring to fill the gap between your finger and the ring, making for a better fit.
Speed Bumps
Speed bumps are typically used more often today as they are designed to be more comfortable than sizing beads but work in a similar fashion. Rather than small beads, speed bumps are smoother pieces of metal that are adhered to the inner ring.
Sizing Lining
Sizing lining is one of the most expensive and permanent ways of altering the size of a ring. The inner circumference of the ring is lined with a strip of metal, often sterling silver, to decrease the ring size. As it covers most of the inside of the ring, it is considered to be one of the most comfortable ways of resizing a ring.
Ring Guard
Only usually used as a temporary fix, a ring guard is a thin, removable strip of metal that wraps around the back of the ring. Although this is a fairly inexpensive way of reducing the size of a ring it can be uncomfortable alongside potentially causing more damage than other alternatives.
Wear On A Different Finger
If you’re struggling to get your ring resized you could consider wearing your ring on a different finger. Try your ring on each finger to find the most comfortable fit - it should slide onto your finger with ease but have some resistance when you’re taking it back off.
Wear Your Ring On A Chain
If your ring no longer feels comfortable on your hand, you could buy a chain and wear your ring around your neck instead. This means you won’t need to worry about resizing or losing your precious ring.
Where To Get A Ring Resized
When you’re looking to get your ring resized, it is important to take it to a reputable jeweller to ensure that the work completed is of the highest standard. With over 40 years’ experience dealing with fine jewellery, you can rely on Hatton Jewellers to provide high-quality, reliable service.
How To Measure Your Correct Bangle Size
Because of the way bangles are designed, getting them onto your wrist can be quite a challenge. To measure for the best size bangle, make a fist with your hand and measure with a piece of string around the widest part which is typically around your knuckles. Measure the piece of string, adding half an inch to one inch to the measurement for comfort.
Can You Resize A Bangle?
It is possible to resize a bangle if it is currently too small or too large as long as the bangle is made from a material that can be worked with and the design allows. For example, you will not be able to resize a hinge bangle as it will affect the way the hinge mechanism works.
How Is A Chain Resized?
To shorten a chain bracelet or necklace, the jeweller will measure the amount that needs to be removed from the chain before reattaching the clasp to the end of the chain that has been shortened.
Can Complex Chains Be Resized?
If the design of the chain is more complex - such as a rope chain - it can be more complicated to resize. Although the process for resizing is the same as the likes of a ball chain, it is irreversible. This is because the jeweller will have to cut into the section of the chain that needs to be removed, disrupting the pattern in that area so it cannot be reattached to lengthen the chain in the future.
Resizing Children’s Jewellery
Children’s jewellery can be resized in the same way as an adult ring or bangle so long as it is designed in a way that can feasibly be resized. However, as children’s jewellery pieces are generally a lot more delicate, choosing the right size at the time of purchase is the best action to take. To understand more about children’s jewellery and to receive some guidance on finding the right size piece of jewellery for your child, check out our guide.
For more advice on finding the right type of gold jewellery to suit your style, check out the Hatton Jewellers blog or follow us on Instagram or Facebook.