The Cost of Sizing a Ring Larger

Sizing This Ring Larger Involves High Jeweler Expertise and Multiple Risks

The Cost of Sizing a Ring Larger vs Smaller, What is Involved? 

People ask me all the time about the cost of sizing a ring larger vs sizing it smaller. In fact, over the last thirty years, I may have been asked that question more than any other.

Sizing Ring Costs and Dining Out Costs

Unfortunately, there’s no easy answer. It’s like asking how much it costs to dine at a decent restaurant. Will you be ordering appetizers? Wine? Dessert? You and your spouse could spend $50. You could spend $200. There are many factors to take into account.  So, for this blog I will cover the cost of sizing a ring larger, as well as some of the other variables that affect cost .  Next week I’ll cover the costs of sizing a ring smaller.

What is Involved in Sizing a Ring Larger?

This Ring Costs More to Size A) Because it is Wide and B) Because it Has a Heat Sensitive Emerald on it

The first thing to consider when sizing a ring up is its size. By this, I mean how wide and how thick is the shank (the shank is the bottom part of a ring that sits under the finger).

More metal will have to be inserted into a thicker, wider, and heavier shank than a thinner one. Since gold is selling for well over $1200.00 an ounce, the difference can be significant.

The second factor to consider when sizing a ring larger is how many sizes up the ring is being sized. Going from a size 5 to a size 10 will cost considerably more than going from a size 5 to a size 5 ½. Much more metal will have to be used.

Sizing This Band Larger is Less Costly Because There are no Gemstones to Deal With

Generally any sizing over 2 sizes becomes more complicated by the need to change the original shape of the ring. This can effect mountings and design elements for the worse.

The third issue in considering the cost is the amount of labor that will be involved.

Typically, this constitutes the greatest part of the cost and since there are so many factors involved, I will divide these factors up and cover them separately in this post.

The range of cost for a simple minor sizing up of a thin gold ring with no gemstones: $45.00 to $85.00.

What Effects the Labor Costs in Sizing a Ring?

With its Three Rows of Inlaid Onyx, This Man’s Ring Will Cost More to Size Larger or Smaller

The cost of the labor is what largely determines the cost of the sizing. A simple, smooth, gold band will cost less to size than a big opal ring surrounded by multiple diamonds.

A sizing that involves an alteration of less than one size will be less expensive.

More Labor Intensive; Dealing with Gemstones and Heat

Diamonds, rubies, and sapphires are not as sensitive to the heat generated by the soldering process as some super sensitive gemstones. For  this reason they can often be left in the ring during the sizing. Other stones, such as opals, tanzanites and emeralds, can’t take the heat and have to be removed before any heat can be applied.

This Opal was Removed for the Sizing of This Ring

Any time gemstones have to be removed and then reset will add to the cost of the sizing.

Range of cost to unset and reset the gemstones on your ring: $20 to $100.

An alternate to this is to use laser as the soldering tool instead of open flame solder. This is more expensive, but a life-saver for otherwise unalterable rings.

Ring Setting Styles and Their Effect on Sizing Costs

Some settings are easier to deal with than others. An opal set inside a bezel will require much more work than one held in place by four prongs. Oftentimes, bezels have to be cut open to remove the gemstone and then reconstructed once the ring is sized.

But if the choice is doing this work and wearing your opal ring or just letting it sit in the jewelry box, it is worth doing.

If This Ring Needs to be Sized More than Two Sizes. We may Need to Remove One or More of the Gems Because the Channel May Move Out of Alignment as the Ring Changes Shape

Channel settings are notorious for going out of alignment in the sizing process. This is especially true when sizing rings up or down by more than a couple of sizes. A good jeweler can deal with this.

This could involve un-setting some or all of your gemstones. Once  the un-setting of gemstones is done, then the sizing is done and then the needed work done to restore the integrity of your channel setting. At this point the re-setting of your gemstones is done. You may need to pay for broken gemstones from this process.

Range of cost to handle channel setting ring work beyond sizing: $25 to $200.

Final Words

This Platinum ring Which was Sized From a 7 to a 4.5 is an Extreme Sizing. You Can Read About it in My Blog Post About Ring Sizing and Prices With Examples (link to the right of picture)

As you can see, there are as many factors to consider when sizing a ring larger as there are when determining what you’ll pay when going out to dinner at a nice restaurant.  Check out my post on sizing a ring smaller and what is involved in that!

Your Personal Jeweler,
Calla

More in the cost of sizing rings series:
Why Sizing Your Pearl Ring Costs More
How Much Does it Cost to Size My Ring Platinum and White Gold
How Much Does it Cost to Size my Ring – Gold and Silver
Ring Sizing – What Do You Pay More For and Why?
How Much Does it Cost to Size my Eternity Band Ring?
Ring Sizing, Weight Gain and Weight Loss
Ring Sizing Cost with Milgrain Edging and Carved in Designs
How Much to Have My Enamel Ring Sized?
How Much to Size My Ring – With Scratched and Dull Gems
How Much to Size My Ring – With Matte Finish and Oxidations

Here’s the link to the companion blog post to this one: The Cost of Sizing a Ring Smaller.