How Much to Have my Enamel Ring Sized?

Enamel Ladybug of Cuteness

Margaret went to her mother’s jeweler George. He was a big loud man who reminded her of her High School principle. He told her, “that enamel ring from your sweet mother can’t be sized as it was made for her more petite fingers.”

Margaret’s inner monologue was, “Are you saying I need to lose weight?” Just what she needed. To be told she needed to worry about her weight when she’d just lost her mother to cancer.

She  said. “Thank you,” And left never to return. And her ring? Shoved into the bottom of her jewelry box with regret and a bit of self recrimination that she wasn’t ever going to be cute and tiny like her sweet mom who had passed.

Was George Right?

Many people will say enamel rings cannot be sized. Translation, your ring can be sized, but the enamel will not survive. The heat from the sizing over an open flame causes the enamel to peel away from the gold.

Even if laser welding is used, to keep the heat from burning off the enamel, the subtle shift in shape will also cause the enamel to release from some or all of its trough setting.

But George didn’t tell Margaret that. He just said it can’t be done. That is just wrong. What he should have done was to explain to her what would happen, and that it was a challenging process, but not impossible. And perhaps he should have said, “I don’t size enamel rings, but Susan Fair Jewelers up in Barkton does.” Or something that would have been helpful and kind, rather than dismissive of this repair.

But if the Enamel Comes off, Isn’t That the End?

Enamel Alligator Ring Before Repair

So what if the enamel peels off? Hasn’t George ever re-applied enamel? Evidently not. This post was written to share the fact that not all jewelers can size an enamel ring and give it back to you re-enameled.

After Sizing and Enamel Work on Alligator Ring

There are jewelers who can size your ring and re-apply the enamel in color that is at least a similar color tone to what you have. For more about enameling check out the Ganoskin blog enameling.

Sizing an Enamel Ring for You and the Prices to Expect

If you are interested in the process and the cost, I’m happy to share both with you in this post. The average cost to go up one size on a 14kt  yellow gold enameled ring ranges between $180.00 to $265.00.

If you have an enamel ring that you’re not wearing, perhaps it’s time to pull it out of limbo and get it fixed up and back into circulation.

Ring #1 – 18kt Enamel and Diamond Band Ring Sized from size 6 to size 7. Cost to Size: $280.00

Red Enamel Ring. Shown Being Worn With Two Separate Diamond Eternity Bands

Once the sizing was done on this ring, it needed to be re-enameled. We sized it purposely so one of  the gold spacing areas was a bit larger. It looked nice.

My client had gone over ten years not wearing her enamel rings because she was under the impression that once they were made they couldn’t be re-sized.

Ring #2 – 18kt White Gold Green Enamel and Diamond Ring Sized from  5.25 to 6.5. Cost to Size: $250.00

Green Enamel and Diamond Ring has a Texture in the Gold Under the Enamel that Shows Through

We actually sized two rings here. My client had been given two stacking rings. These were made in emerald green to honor her son’s month of birth, which was in May, (Emerald),  fifteen years ago.

By the time he was a teenager they no longer fit. The jeweler she asked to size them sold her an emerald ring instead. She loved the emerald ring, but missed her green enamel stackers. Interestingly enough, when she tried stacking the green enamel eternity bands with her emerald ring, the three looked great together.

I didn’t take a picture of the set. But when I next see her I’ll try to get a snap of them together for you.

Ring #3 – 14kt White Gold Rust Enamel with Diamond Butterflies Ring Sized Down From 7 to 5.75. Cost to Size: $195.00

Rust Colored Enamel with Diamond Butterflies Band Ring Gets Smaller

This ring makes a fantastic stacking ring worn with others. It started its life with black enamel. Frances’s mom, who’d always worn her ring with two all onyx thin bands gave it to her. Evidently they broke regularly and her mom had about thirty of them.

Frances loved the look of soft Autumn-y colors, whereas her mother’s taste was starkly dramatic and very black and white. I told her that I could size her gifted ring, but the enamel would be damaged in the process and would need to be redone. She asked if she could have a different color and that’s how she ended up with the pretty fall leaves color.

Ring #4 – 18kt Yellow Gold Deep Blue Enamel with Removable Center Element Ring Sized Up from 5.5 to 9. Cost to Size: $510.00

This Blue Enamel Ring Also Needed Work on the Center, Moving Element

Gina fell in love with this ring and wanted it so bad. One teensy problem, it didn’t fit. It didn’t even come close. She contacted me and sent pictures to ask if she sent it to me if I could size it.

Ooh a challenge, an extreme sizing AND enamel! When I received Gina’s ring I found that the center part was detachable and kinda rattled when you moved it. I’d need to stabilize it, after removing it, completing the sizing and adding the new enamel.

Her ring was wide and thick and needed a good amount of gold in the bridge of metal I created between the edges of the opened ring. Once I completed the process of the up-sizing and added the fresh enameling, it looked fantastic.  Gina is now wearing it and looking great in her new ring.

Costs to Size Designer Enamel Rings

This Wellendorf Enamel Ring, Has the Forget Me Not Pattern, Only They can Replicate

There are designers who do super intricate enameling that is their special technique. The examples in this post and costs do not apply to this type of specialized enamel ring repair.

However, the company that makes it can change it, size it or repair it. An example of this type of intricate pattern enameling is the Wellendorf Company.

What About  the Enamel Ring Sized for Margaret?

This is an Example of Two Colors of Blue Enamel

Margaret met me through a friend of  hers in Newcomer’s Club about six months after she moved to town. I’d done some restoration work on her friend’s inherited jewelry and she told Margaret I could do anything. Margaret said, “does she fix enamel rings?” Her friend who I had not done enamel ring said, “sure.” I loved that.

Margaret called me and pulled out her enamel ring and said, “I inherited this ring from my mom. She was about a foot shorter than me and tiny. I love it and I’d love to wear it. Will you fix it?”

Purple Enamel on Purple Heart Ring I Made For a WW II Veteran

“Do you have to have  this exact color?”

“Not really. Actually my favorite color is purple. Mom had it in black and black is not really my thing. I’ve always been more into color than my mom.” I measured her and sized her ring up two sizes and then had my enamel specialist re-enamel her ring purple.

I loved how happy she was when I brought back her purple enamel ring. With her wildish red hair the purple enamel looked fabulous on her hand. (Sorry, I didn’t take a picture. But her story inspired this blog post. Thanks Margaret!)

Your Enamel Ring Sized up or Down is a Happy Thing!

If you have decided to have an enamel ring resized and re-enameled, I’d love for you to share it with me here.  Make my day and comment to let me know!

Sizin’ Those Enamel Rings,
Calla Gold

If you’d like to see some examples of rings I’ve sized, and what the cost was, check out my other ring sizing posts:
The Cost of Sizing a Ring Smaller
The Cost of Sizing a Ring Larger
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 Oxidation