Ring Sizing Cost Explained – What do You Pay More For and Why?
It's Your Dream Ring, But it Doesn't Fit!
Do you wear rings? Silly question, what woman reading this doesn’t. Chances are you’ve had a little ring sizing experience. Unlike shoes and tires, rings in jewelry stores typically don’t come in assorted sizes—at least not rings in Santa Barbara.
If the one-of-a-kind ring in the display case you’ve always wanted is a size 5 and you’re a size 7, you’re going to have to size that ring. No two ways about it.
The Two Methods for Sizing Your Ring Larger
1. Stretching
2. Adding a bridge of gold
How we Size Your Ring Larger
Let’s start with the size 5, dream ring you just bought. You’re a size 7 and the ring will have to be sized up two sizes.
Let's talk about #1, Stretching. This is going to be a short talk. I don’t recommend this technique! It makes the shank thinner and weakens the overall integrity of your ring. You know how a rubber band looks when you pull it apart? Now imagine that being done to your ring.
This Sizing Requires Building a Section of Channel and Gem Setting
Let's talk about #2, adding a bridge of gold. This is done by cutting the bottom of the shank. We do this when your ring is slowly brought up to the proper temperature. Then we gently pull the two sides apart. We then custom build a bridge of new gold. We use as our guide, the width and depth of your ring, making the new piece in the size needed to enlarge it. We solder or laser weld the newly made piece into the opening we've created in your ring to make it larger. The key is to preserve the thickness at the base of the ring where it is so needed.
The gradient way we bring your ring up to the proper heat level to work the gold, platinum or silver is key in keeping the molecular bonds strong in your ring.
How we Size Your Ring Smaller
Sizing a ring down is similar. The proper length of gold is cut from the bottom of the shank and the two sides are joined together and soldered closed.
I'm often asked what we do with the little piece of gold that is left over when we make a ring smaller. To preserve the beauty and integrity of your ring, we are careful of the ring. The little piece that we remove, we're not so careful of. It ends up when sizing a ring smaller a little misshapen bit of gold or whatever metal we're working on. We do a quick weighing and credit you for the gold. We recycle the gold. If we remove a piece three sizes or more from a wide ring we return the piece to you.
Ten Reasons Ring Sizing May Cost More
1. Channel set gems may become unaligned when the ring is bent into a new shape
2. Prongs may get compressed or too spread out during sizing
Sizing Inlaid Rings Can Knock Out the Inlaid Stones
3. Your ring has inlaid stones, which will likely break due to heat or pressure.
4. Your pearls have to be removed before any heat can be applied to your ring
5. You have opals, emeralds or other temperature sensitive gems
6. Your engraving needs to be replicated and put back on after sizing
7. You have a very thick ring, which takes more metal and more work
8. Your ring needs to be sized more than two sizes either way
9. Your ring is so thin that it bends easily
Shared Prongs can Release the Diamonds When the Ring is Sized Smaller
10. You have a ring with shared prongs
Pick a Jeweler Who Really Cares About Your Ring
Some Might Say, "That Ring is Done." Not me.
If you have an older or worn ring and the jeweler says, "Just get a new one, this one's just finished," you may want to look for another jeweler.
If your ring has special meaning that you want to honor, you should have a jeweler who respects that and has the skill to add to the long life of your cherished ring.
Pick a Jeweler Who Has the Skills to Deal with Challenges
Sometimes the Sizing is the Least of What Your Ring Needs
Each of the above challenges comes with ways to work around them, like low heat laser ring sizing, gemstone setting skills and hand engraving skills.
There's no shame in a jeweler not having all those skills, just don't give your ring over to a jeweler who doesn't have the know how to re-size your ring and return it in great condition.
How You Can Make Sure That Your Gems Are Safe After Re-Sizing
Opal Breaks Easily. We Expected This Crack and Replaced the Opal
Whether the ring is being sized up and the shank is pulled apart or the ring is being sized down and the two sides of the shank are joined together, the gemstone settings at the top and on the sides of the ring can become compromised.
This is especially true for channel set and inlay set gems. The internal angles of the channel can change and shift slightly when the shank is modified, thus upsetting its ability to hold its gems securely in place. This means that you should always examine all the gems and settings of a ring that’s been sized.
Try moving the stones with your fingernail or a toothpick. Obviously, they shouldn’t move. If any of them do, send the ring back for adjustments right away.
Check the Thickness of Your Ring at the Bottom After Sizing
Make sure the bottom part of your ring is nice and thick, too, so it conforms to the rest of the shank. Too often, I’ve seen thin and narrow sections of shanks due to improper sizing technique.
Where's the Master Price List for Ring Sizing?
I get called regularly with the question, "How much to size my wedding ring?" Personally I want to see it first.
Your ring's condition is a part of the cost of sizing. Just like when you take your car in because it's pulling left. In the general check your mechanic may find out your brake pads are just about worn out. They didn't break because you brought it in, but you might be peeved that his bid just got bigger because of your brake pads. A jeweler can see things that may need to be dealt with, once a close up inspection is done. So a quick, "That might cost around $75.00," could prove to be more when other repairs besides the sizing show up on close inspection.
You may be hoping for a simple $70.00 sizing and discover one of your prongs has broken off and now your repair bill is going to be $110.00. Happily you didn't lose your diamond.
There is no master price list for ring sizing. I actually tried to make one for internal use. It ended up being pretty useless so I just bid each ring as it comes.
Excellent Ring Sizing is the Best Value Regardless of the Cost
Get a good jeweler who loves and cares for your rings, because sizing is a fact of life. Did you know that your knuckles never stop growing? I know, weird huh?
June 16 2014 - Update
This is an Ideal Looking Finger Fit
Don't Pay Twice Because You Don't Get the Right Size the First Time
I've edited this in later, because I know many people who have paid twice to have their rings re-sized. Read my post on measuring for your finger size properly. It talks about what your comfortable fit feel is and if that is safe or just too loose.
I also talk about the tools of sizing, because having the wrong ring sizing tool for the job can lead to a incorrect size. Read my blog about figuring out your finger size.
May your rings always be the right size!
Ring Sizing Jeweler
Calla Gold
PS: For more on ring sizing, check out my post on, weight gain and sizing your rings, and how laser welding sizes unfixable rings.
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 had not considered all these ramifications of getting a ring sized. Of course the solutions that come to mind are 1) get the right sized ring in the first place and 2) get a custom made ring as it will then be both the right size and exactly what you want. Cuz, yikes, I’d hate to have a stone fall out or my ring be compromised. Thanks for the tips, Calla!
Hi Kymberly,
Thanks for your response. There are some silver rings that are offered in your size, even sizes only, for popular styles. I’d say 80% of the rings I sell need to be sized at a guess. Most of them are simple sizings. But there are always the challenges.
Why do I like challenging ring sizing so much? I guess it’s fun to be the hero jeweler who sizes that impossible or difficult ring.
You’re right that having a ring custom made in your size is the best all the way around!
Calla Gold Jeweler
I’m sure many of us come in with the idea that sizing is an easy task and you just move some things around and viola! Thanks for breaking down the steps of measuring for a correct finger size. I would probably be hesitant to size any inlaid piece–unless it was Calla Gold Jewelry doing it!
Lynn
Lynn,
Thanks for popping by and giving me feedback on my ring sizing post.
Calla Gold
I just paid 300.00 dollars to get my wedding ring resized. It sounded expensive but I haven’t been able to wear it and it’s getting sized up. Was that over priced?
Janet
Hello Janet,
That does sound high to me.
Calla Gold
I already paid it and feel extremely stupid. what is the average pricing of sizing a ring up?
Hi Janet, The good news is that you can wear your wedding ring. There are reasons it could have cost a lot. But $300.00 is out of my charge range for a sizing. To size a 14kt white gold engagement ring with all diamonds on top in prongs, in other words no extra work because of heat sensitive gemstones or weird settings to work around, with no engraving to re-do after sizing, sizing up one size I’d expect to charge $40 – $60. There are factors that can add to the cost. I had a client who bought the engagement… Read more »
My wedding ring was made by a designer–18k gold but no stones, with a beautiful knot of gold on the top. The finish was a combination of matte gold and semi-polished gold. I had it sized down at a local jeweler, since the designer lives in Canada and I live in NYC. When I picked it up I hardly recognized the ring. It looked like it had been polished, which ruined the character and artistry of the original design. The jeweler said it had not been polished, that when gold is heated the finish “wears off.” He is now “repairing”… Read more »
Dear Katherine, Your situation is one that has occurred before. When sizing a ring is done, the area around the sizing has to be polished as the gold finish is messed up by the heat of solder. To get technical, the soldering heat shouldn’t effect more than a one inch-ish area. Whatever matte, satin finish, engraving or hammering finish is near the sizing has to get polished. Usually it then doesn’t match the rest of the finish. That’s when a jeweler proves their mettle. When we size engraved rings we have our hand engraver re-engrave the area. When there is… Read more »
I have a Michael Beaudry platinum set that needs to be re-sized what should I expect to pay?..scared it may be insane.
Hi Nancy, Since I can’t see your ring, I’ll just say for a simple size up, say one size larger, depending on the thickness of your ring, the cost of sizing each ring could be $80.00 to $150.00. If there are heat sensitive gemstones or complicated setting details that would be added. If you are sizing more than one size larger that can add to the cost. If you are sizing for example one size smaller it might be in the $60.00 to $90.00 range. If your ring is particularly wide or thick, that will add significantly to your sizing… Read more »
Hello there, Calla! I find your information very useful as I’ve been engaged for about 2 months now and I still have doubts about getting my ring resized. I’ve been wearing a snuggie and a another ring on the exterior part of my finger where I have my engagement ring on (just to keep it safe). My ring is a size 7 and I wear a size 5. I’ve been asking different jewelrers about resizing my ring. My biggest concern are the diamonds. I would hate for one to fall off. Many of the jewelers I’ve talked to said that… Read more »
Hello Alejandra, Your concern is real. Without seeing how your side diamonds are set I can’t give exact advice. I will mention that if your side diamonds have shared prongs that they are more likely to pop out sometime after sizing. See my blog post with pictures of a shared prong setting: https://www.callagold.com/jewelry-repair/wedding-ring-buyer-beware-seven-things-to-do-to-protect-yourself/ Rings are supposed to be designed to allow for the predictable future need to size. Some designers plan ahead better than others. Some designs are easier to re-size than others. If you could email me a few close up and different direction images of your ring, I’d… Read more »
I just had a ring sized down from an size 8 to a 7. It was a bushed, white gold, flat on the inside and out. Also, was 10K gold. What I received back was polished, concave on the inside and out. Doesn’t even look the same! Clearly I am disappointed, but they said it was due to the compression method used to achieve this. What is your opinion of this, I don’t feel this is even the same ring!
Dear Andy, First in case you are curious what is meant by compression method ring down-sizing, here is a link from Ganoskin. Scroll down to “sizing down plain bands.” Link: http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/nenam/ring_sizes.htm That will explain the method. I do not use this method. Evidently they polished the ring after wards. Or they lost or ruined your ring and gave you another one. The part I don’t get is how a flat ring becomes concave on top and bottom. I’d guess it’s not pleasant to wear in that each time you wash your hands the water stays underneath and traps moisture on… Read more »
Hi Calla,
Thanks for the response. It wasn’t a hollow construction. And I should clarify – I meant to say “convex” as opposed to “concave”. So the inside now has a comfort fit – but it didn’t before. The ourside now isn’t flat anymore. That’s the biggest issue I have it that sizing shouldn’t change the shape.
I suspect they either lost my ring or I have someone else’s!
Thanks again!
Andy
Hi Andy,
I concur that sizing does not change the shape of your ring. I’m thinking you have someone else’s ring. Out there is someone saying, “but my ring was dome top and comfort fit! How did it become flat all of a sudden.”
I don’t suppose you had pictures of it you can show your jeweler?
On the bright side comfort fit is awesome and you now have extra gold in your ring. But yeah, not your ring. Weird!
Calla Gold
Hi Calla, I have a $15,000 yellow gold ring with three diamonds, one huge one in the center and a smaller one on each side. My wife needs to get it sized up(we’ve been together for 23 yrs) as she never wears it. We are renewing our vows at the end of the month. My question is is that it is an engagement ring and the wedding ring soldered together and i was told that each ring had be sized individually. I was quoted a price to separate the rings, resize each one and then resolder them together again. Is… Read more »
Hi Mike, Thank you for writing. Technically that is the correct method for sizing. I have had people on a budget say to me “Will it cost less if you don’t separate the two rings?” “Yes, it will be less expensive. But it will be a less elegant sizing. Your two rings will be joined in a big way at the bottom and will not easily be separated in the future. And if they are separated later one of the two rings may not be usable without one of them being re-shanked.” See my blog post on re-shanking a ring… Read more »