Everything You Need to Know About Engagement Ring Resizing

An engagement ring ranks in at the top of the list of the most special and important pieces of jewelry you'll ever own. And as such, it's important that everything about it is, in short, perfect—from its shine to its fit. While it's possible (and actually quite simple) to bring back your diamond ring's lusted-after sparkle at home, the fit is something that will take a little more work to refine—and by "work", we mean you'll need to enlist a jeweler rather than fix it yourself. But let's take a step back and talk about what a properly fitting band should look and feel like before we share with you the seven engagement ring resizing tips we learned from two experts.

"A perfect fit should be a slight struggle to get over the knuckle and snug on the back part of your finger," says Scott Freeman, jeweler and owner of Bryn Mawr Jewelry Co. in Chicago. "If your ring is flopping around or easily removed just from shaking your hand, then it is time to get the ring resized. "If the latter best describes your current ring's fit, then you'll certainly want to read on to learn all the best tips and tricks for resizing an engagement ring.

1. If possible, take the ring back to original jeweler

Erika Stein of Ethan Lord Jewelers recommends taking the ring back to the original jeweler who made it, noting that they are the ones who "know the ring best." Another benefit of going back to where the ring was purchased? "Most jewelers will also offer a complimentary resizing if they made the ring, which is great, as most engagement rings do need to be adjusted after the proposal."

2. Know that certain metals cannot be resized

Both experts noted that all precious metal rings can be resized, such as gold, silver, palladium, and platinum, while nonprecious metal rings such as tungsten and titanium are not resizable.

3. How much larger or smaller can I make the ring?

A ring can typically be sized up or down two sizes. Anything more and you risk the integrity of the ring.

However, if the ring is a solitaire, meaning it's one stone, it's easier to size as much or a little as you like. "If there are a number of stones, usually 1.5 sizes up or down will be the max to make sure the stones stay secure," Freeman explains.

4. Sizing a ring up or down requires the same steps

As Stein notes, "Sizing a ring up and down will be the exact same process—it is just a matter of opening the band up or closing it up."

Freeman explains that the typical engagement ring resizing process begins by measuring how much larger or smaller it needs to be made. "Then we cut with a very thin saw blade to remove or add the exact amount. After the gold is removed or replaced, we cover the ring with a calci-Gasflux solution to prevent the metal from oxidizing. We then light the piece with a torch after it has been dipped into the calci-Gasflux solution." Eventually, the area that has been resized is filed and sanded, as not to show where the work was done.

5. The engagement ring resizing process is fairly quick

Stein told us it's possible for resizing to be done in as fast as 24 hours. However, depending on the work that needs to be done, it may take longer.

6. And it won't cost an arm and a leg

As Stein explains, ring resizing, if not complimentary, will cost around $100, assuming no metal is added when going up in size. However, she notes, "Every jeweler will have a different price range for different metals (as different metals need different sizing methods)."

7. Be aware of the risks of resizing

It's important to know that there are risks to ring resizing. Freeman shared that it's possible for stones to get lose, but they can be tightened if need be. And of course, as explained earlier, if a ring needs to be sized up or down more than two sizes, the design of the ring can be affected, per both Freeman and Stein.

Now that you know all about engagement ring resizing, read up on the most popular ring trend for 2018.