Almost everyone has had a situation in their life when their favorite ring became too big for them. And if the size slowly became smaller than necessary, you might not even notice it. But when the jewelry becomes large, wearing it becomes very problematic. The most unpleasant thing, of course, is the possibility that a piece of jewelry dear to your heart will fly off your finger and be lost. And a constantly scrolling or sliding ring also causes a lot of inconvenience. In the modern world, we have long learned to reduce the size of jewelry. Even the most complex ring can be made smaller. And if you are afraid to take your jewelry to a jewelry workshop, then there are ways to independently adjust the inner diameter of the ring to the size of your finger. We will tell you what to do with the jewelry so that you can wear it without fear of losing it.
How do jewelers reduce a ring?
There are three ways to size a ring. Its diameter is changed by cutting, compressing or inserting an inner rim into it.
- Tenderloin. To reduce the ring by one size, the master cuts a piece of metal about 3 mm long from the rim. This is the way to treat a “engagement ring” or a product with small stones.
- Compression. The jeweler heats the ring in a flame, partially cools it, and then places it in a cone and covers it with a pressing ball - a punch. Hitting the press with a hammer, he lowers the product along a tapering cone, and the pliable metal is compacted. After processing, carbon deposits are removed from the product and polished.
- Insert. To reduce the diameter, an additional rim of the same or another metal is soldered into the ring. This is the easiest and safest way to get your jewelry adjusted to size, but it can also be the most expensive if you order the headband from the same precious metal.
The ring is big
Which method the master will choose for your jewelry depends on the characteristics of the ring. Smooth rings withstand any treatment; a product wider than 8 mm cannot be compressed (it will be deformed during forging); openwork - it is better to reduce it with an inner rim.
If you have your eye on an original ring that doesn’t fit, ask the seller if they do the fitting in the store (this service may be free for customers). When reduced by carving in a jewelry workshop, the removed piece is weighed and evaluated. Part of the metal will be used to seal the seam, and the rest will be returned to you or taken into account when paying for the work.
Reducing rings with stone inserts
Remaking rings with stones is a more painstaking job than fitting engagement rings and other plain rings. They are usually reduced by cutting. But not in every model you can simply remove the excess and solder the seam:
- even with a slight decrease in the diameter of the tire (by 1–1.5 sizes), the frame sometimes becomes deformed, no longer tightly covers the stone, and it is easy to lose it;
- In the place where the frame is attached, the metal may burst during processing or after some time.
Therefore, large stones are removed from the frame, and after finishing the work, the shape of the fastening is corrected. In some cases, it is necessary to cut off the frame itself, then it is soldered in place of the already reduced ring. Small stones are not removed from massive rings, but on thin ones, the inserts on the top of the rim can be left alone (for example, small diamonds arranged in a row on a gold ring).
Ring size measurements
Are you afraid that the workshop will replace your inserts? Before going there, submit the product for gemological examination, after which they will put a tag on it with a description of the stones: their number, characteristics and cost. When leaving the ring in the workshop, ask the master to cut out the fragment so as not to damage the hallmark - re-branding the item can be difficult, especially if it is antique.
Pricing factors
The price of the service may vary. The cost is influenced by the following factors:
- Decoration form.
- Material of manufacture.
- Width and thickness of the product.
- The presence of stones and other inserts.
- Availability of engraving.
- Type of technology used.
- Difficulty of work.
- Equipment used.
- How many sizes should I reduce?
- Urgency of order execution.
- Master's qualification.
Will downsizing affect the appearance of the ring?
When done correctly, the appearance of the ring does not change. But if a non-professional takes on the matter, you may end up with a flaw in your ring:
- Some minerals do not tolerate high temperatures, and if the craftsman does not remove the stone before work, it may crack or change color when heated.
- With a slight decrease in the diameter of the ring (by half a size or less), it becomes not perfectly round, but elliptical; If reduced by more than two and a half sizes, the center pattern and/or insert may be affected.
- Sometimes heat treatment makes silver items lighter as the heat burns away the patina on their surface. The patina effect is returned by special treatment in a jewelry workshop or at home using improvised means, for example, iodine or sulfur ointment.
- They can change the appearance of a ring made of several metals, for example, multi-colored gold (it is more difficult to disguise the seam on them).
When choosing a workshop where you will take the ring for alteration, ask the master what equipment he uses. The most gentle method of soldering metals is laser welding. It heats them less than gas, and the seam is thinner and neater.
Jeweler's work
Which rings cannot be reduced?
Most jewelry shops will not undertake to fit rings made of base metals, and not at all because such work would cost less than processing a gold, silver or platinum ring. Do not argue with the master, but ask him to explain why he does not agree to help you, and most likely you will hear the following:
- he does not know what alloy the ring is made of and cannot predict how the metal will behave when cut, heated or forged;
- In most cases, rings made of cheap metal lose their shape and color during processing. When compressed, they crumble, turn black or green when heated, and the seam cannot be hidden by polishing;
- After processing, some alloys oxidize and begin to release substances harmful to the skin, but there is no way to determine in advance whether this will happen to your ring.
You cannot reduce some products made of precious metals (more precisely, you should not do this). For example, when a rhodium-plated silver ring is heated, the matte coating on the surface deteriorates and will have to be restored, but it will not be possible to return it to its original appearance and color. It is difficult or impossible to reduce rings made of openwork filigree and with complex patterns.
Platinum rings are difficult to process. In order to change the diameter of such a product, special equipment is needed, and not all jewelry workshops have it. Platinum is a hard and refractory metal; a laser tool is needed to cut it, and a high-temperature crucible is used for heating and forging. In some cases, after cutting out a fragment from a platinum ring, a mark remains if the solder at the welding site is different in color or turns black.
Silicone tab
Special cases
In most situations, you can reduce the size of a gold ring by contacting a jewelry workshop.
This method is the most appropriate, since specialists will do everything as carefully as possible, without causing any harm to the product.
However, in some cases, the master may refuse to carry out the procedure:
- The decoration is made of an alloy known only to the manufacturer himself. In such a situation, it is impossible to predict how the metal will behave when heated, cut and compressed.
- We are talking about costume jewelry. During the reduction process, the alloy may change color (turn black or green) or form a noticeable, unsightly seam that cannot be hidden even by careful polishing. In addition, the processed material may begin to oxidize, releasing hazardous substances.
- The product has complex decoration (for example, precious stones, inscriptions or drawings). In such situations, it is almost impossible to adjust the size of the decoration so that it does not lose its aesthetic appeal.
Reducing a ring at home
If you don't want to take your jewelry to a workshop, try adjusting it to size yourself. The easiest way to avoid losing a ring that is too loose is to put it on top of another, and the discreet bottom ring will hold the loose top ring.
If the second ring bothers you, use other ways to “fit” the jewelry more tightly onto your finger. However, before you reduce a non-precious ring at home, try to find out what alloy it is made of.
Silicone lining
The easiest and most affordable way to make a ring smaller on your own is to glue a transparent silicone lining into it. The ring thus reduced tightly covers the phalanx and stops sliding, but at the same time its external size does not increase and it does not put pressure on neighboring fingers. Silicone does not irritate the skin and does not react with metals, and is resistant to household chemicals and cosmetics.
The ring seal is inexpensive, but it is quite difficult to buy it in stores, and not everyone can order it on AliExpress. Therefore, some women make such linings from scrap materials. Keep in mind that durable materials (for example, cable insulation) are not intended for contact with skin and can cause allergies, and safe rubber rings will last no more than a month and a half.
A compromise between store-bought and homemade lining can be sealing the ring with hot silicone from a special gun. Squeeze a line of silicone onto the inside of the ring, spread it and let dry. This tab is less durable than the finished one, but it is safe for the skin. This method is convenient for reducing rings made of alloys that are not altered in jewelry workshops.
Nail polish
The most affordable way to size a ring is to apply several coats of clear nail polish to the inside of it. How many layers you need will have to be determined experimentally. Sometimes it is enough to coat it five to seven times, but if the ring is too large, there will be 10 to 15 layers. To avoid spoiling the work, wait until it dries after each layer. Of course, the process can take a long time, but be patient, otherwise everything will have to be redone. If over time the decoration becomes a good fit for you, the layers of varnish can be easily washed off.
However, varnish and remover will not harm only precious metals. But alloys can change color or texture, so it’s better not to experiment with them.
What to do if the engagement ring has become too large without resorting to a specialist?
This is treated differently. There are signs that say that if the wedding ring has increased in size, this means that discord will come to the family. Former happiness and love will go away, they will be replaced by quarrels and hatred of each other. Don't believe it! The point, most likely, may not be in the ring, but in the person himself - everyone is simply able to lose weight. For such situations, there is a suggestion to hang the ring around your neck , tying it to a chain or string.
Usually wives categorically refuse this option for two reasons:
- First, it no longer symbolizes marriage, and others will not take the couple seriously.
- And the second is that there is a belief that only widows of dead husbands wear them around their necks.
For those who fundamentally want to wear jewelry on their finger, there is also a way out - change the ring finger to the thumb , or any other finger that is suitable in size.
A large wedding ring is placed on the other finger
3D printing of a duplicate ring
If the question “is it possible to reduce the size of the decoration?” The workshop answered in the negative, but you are afraid of ruining it using homemade methods, order a duplicate ring. A specialized printing house designer will make a 3D computer model for you, and then it will be printed with transparent photopolymer on a special printer. Using the sample, the jewelry workshop will create a mold for casting and make an exact copy of the ring, but of the required size.
This technique allows you to repeat even very complex patterns or openwork rings, the size of which cannot be changed. If we are talking about a purchased product with complex details, in which you are not satisfied only with the size, then it will be made from the same metal and the same stones will be inserted into it.
However, copying a ring from a 3D model is not the cheapest way to make it fit. Therefore, it is more often used for antique rings, so as not to spoil the original.
As you can see, reducing the ring is quite simple; you don’t have to go to a workshop for this. True, this work is painstaking and requires patience.
Can I do this at home myself?
Going to a specialist is a drastic measure. You can resort to it if:
- there is confidence that you will not recover again. Otherwise, the accessory will have to be increased, and this will mean additional financial costs;
- the decoration is smooth, made of a homogeneous soft metal, such as gold. Fitting an engraved and inlaid specimen from complex materials and alloys will cost a pretty penny.
For those who are afraid to give their wedding decoration into the wrong hands or subject it to modifications, there are simple life hacks . With their help, you can adjust the size of the ring to the optimal one.
