How Much to Have my Enamel Ring Sized?
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?
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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?
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?”
“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
I bet far too many people have been turned away from guys like George. Really great, Calla!
Hi Alexandra, You are right. I’ve heard a number of stories in my day of people saying, “nope, it can’t be done,” when really they can’t do it or don’t want to bother with it. In fact in the happiness department, I got a review on YELP this month ( http://www.yelp.com/biz/calla-gold-jewelry-santa-barbara?osq=jewelry+design) from a new client who had been turned down by two jewelers for the problem she needed solved. I handled her problem and made her ring really sing for her. Having her share her experience with me online just made my day!! I just hope people don’t let the… Read more »
Calla, I’m a big fan of your sizing blogs. Unlike George, you tell it like it is and I appreciate that!
Thank you Lynn!
Dear Calla,
I think it’s so sad when something of great sentimental value like an enamel ring has to be put away for good because of misinformation. I’ve seen some beautiful enamel rings in my time.
Spread the good news that enamel can be repaired and enamel rings sized!
Lisa
Hi Lisa,
I’m with you that people should know that there is hope for change with enamel rings. Happily I’ve just gotten a call from someone who is pretty over the moon that I can size their enamel ring. Hopefully it will become common knowledge that enamel rings can be sized.
Thanks for writing.
Your Personal Jeweler,
Calla
Hello Calla,
I’ve been to a couple of George type jewelers in my life. It’s nice to hear your message about trying again to get something done.
Sometimes I assume something can’t be fixed at all because it is old or complicated.
But I’m not going to make that assumption anymore.
I have an inherited ring I’m specifically thinking of.
I may give you a call.
Sue
Hi Sue,
I’m so pleased that you’ll be getting more than one opinion and not assuming something older can’t be fixed or re-worked.
Enjoy your jewelry and I look forward to hearing from you.
Your Personal Jeweler,
Calla
The sizing of enamel rings is a good story, Calla. Why do people, and certainly it isn’t just jewelers, say “it can’t be done” rather than “I don’t know how to do it”? For me, that’s the real lesson of the blog post. I liked the enamel lesson, too. As always, thanks for an interesting post.
Hi Amy, You’ve asked a really great question. I have wondered why people say something can’t be done when clearly it can. But funnily enough sometimes it happens at my house. I say we need to deal with so and so. My husband will say, no, it can’t be fixed, they don’t make that stupid little part, we’ll just buy a new one. I’d say we could figure out how to fix it. I’d get stonewalled, basically because he didn’t want to deal with it, (I’ve done the same thing), so I’d make calls or go online and figure out… Read more »
Hello Calla,
I just sent you an email after reading this topic. My story is identical to others — “it can’t be done”. I look forward to your response and wish you all the best.
Hello Natalia,
Thank you for sending the images of your beautiful ring. Your ring has damage in one area that I can see. We need to remove all the enamel and re-enamel from scratch.
The color would be as close as possible to your original, but not exact. The colors are hand mixed and you don’t know exactly what you get till it is heated.
You can respond to my email answer to your query.
Your Personal Jeweler,
Calla