The simplest solution when the jewelry suddenly becomes too big is to simply put it on another finger. But this option is not suitable for everyone, because it could be an engagement item or an engagement gift.
How can you reduce your ring size at home? Is it possible to make a wedding ring smaller? Where should I go with a problem like this?
We will try to answer each of the questions in detail.
There are three methods in total for changing the diameter of the ring. Such work can be undertaken in any jewelry workshop, and the price and completion time will be based on the design of the product and its construction. Based on these parameters, a professional jeweler chooses a method of work.
The procedure requires accuracy from the master and knowledge of the properties of stones and metals.
A size adjustment may be necessary in cases where a person has suddenly gained or lost the usual weight, the jewelry was inherited or was purchased without trying it on, or was purchased through an online store where the size chart does not correspond to the actual sizes.
Jeweler in the workshop
Cutting 3-4 mm rim
This technique is suitable for almost any ring.
Average cost of ring reduction service, what determines
Prices are directly based on the method that the jeweler chooses to adjust the diameter of the ring, the complexity of the product, and its shape.
The average cost of reducing the size of a ring without stones, spraying and designer delights is about 500-1000 rubles. Processing a product that requires a lot of painstaking work can cost twice as much.
The procedure time also directly depends on the complexity of the jewelry. Simple items are processed in an hour, ornate designer rings – up to 3 days.
Changing ring size by heating
Big wedding
What to do if the engagement ring is too big? Yes, sometimes that happens. That is, it happens that the ring purchased for a wedding does not fit in size. There is a sign that if the engagement party turns out to be big, then love and happiness go away with it. But still, don't be upset. Since everything can be fixed, it is worth taking action quickly. You can move the decoration to the middle finger, it is thicker than the ring finger. This option is suitable for women and men. Perhaps just hang the ring on a chain and wear it around your neck. But this option is not suitable for everyone. Since many people prefer to wear it on the ring finger. If you put a ring on your other finger, other people will not perceive it. They will assume that you are not married and may constantly ask questions on this topic. The best thing to do would be to contact a jeweler. He will measure everything and adjust the ring to the desired size, and you will be satisfied with the result. The price is not too expensive, and anyone who has encountered this problem can afford it.
Defects in the work of the master. How to avoid
If the alloy of the jewelry is unknown, then it is better to refrain from adjusting it in a jewelry workshop. For example, if the ring was plated with rhodium, then when heated it will lose its original shade.
If the jewelry workshop does not have special equipment, then it will not be possible to reduce a platinum ring, since this metal is infusible and inflexible. Sometimes, even with good equipment, a visible mark remains in place of the removed platinum area.
Due to the craftsman's mistakes, cracks may appear, defects in the outline of the jewelry, lightening of silver rings, and the visibility of a seam at the soldering site. The least such defects are observed when the workshop is equipped with laser equipment, and the jeweler himself is a professional with many years of experience.
Why a jeweler might not undertake a reduction
Jewelers have long and firmly established the reputation of craftsmen who can perform the most delicate and complex work. But even they do not accept all rings for processing and reduction. We asked the professionals which jewelry they most likely wouldn't work with.
Bijouterie
A good jewelry maker will not undertake work with costume jewelry. And it’s not a matter of laziness or unwillingness to work with simple metals. To work with any material, you need to know its properties well and how it behaves under certain conditions. And products not made of precious metals may contain unknown impurities .
And, unfortunately, it is impossible to predict how such material will behave. The main problems encountered when working with such products.
- Loss of color when heated.
- Inability to hide the seam . Due to the fact that the metal is unknown, it is impossible to find solder for it.
- Unpredictable behavior after polishing , the metal may begin to oxidize and release harmful substances.
Reducing ring size yourself at home
Is it possible to reduce a ring at home? Yes, it is possible, but only by a few millimeters.
Apply 2-3 layers of clear varnish inside
Several layers of colorless varnish inside the ring's rim can help “adjust” the jewelry to its size.
The number of layers will be individual. Each layer must be given time to dry. The process can take several hours, but this is a truly effective method.
Applying varnish to the ring
If you need to wash off layers of varnish, it is not recommended to use acetone.
This method is applicable only to precious metals; you should not experiment with alloys.
Apply a flesh-colored patch
You will need to cut a thin strip of plaster and glue it inside the headband. This method can reduce the size by 1-2 times, but the patch will become unusable after a couple of socks.
Professional Silicone Ring Liners
Transparent silicone linings are sold in specialized jewelry stores, and they can also be ordered from Ali Express and Wildberries.
The price of a set of 8 pieces of pads will be about 300 rubles.
The lining is glued inside the ring, thanks to which the jewelry stops sliding and fits tightly to the finger.
The pad consists entirely of silicone, a material that is resistant to contact with cosmetics and chemicals. Silicone also does not cause allergic reactions and does not scratch the skin.
Silicone pad for the ring
You can make an analogue of this pad yourself. To do this you will need a silicone gun and the material itself.
Using a gun, you need to squeeze a line of silicone onto the inside surface of the jewelry, then carefully spread it evenly and let it dry.
This method can help out in cases where the product is not accepted at the workshop.
Three ways
What to do if the ring is large in size? Jewelers can reduce size in three ways: adding, cutting and shrinking. Addition is considered the most rare procedure. More expensive in price. Another thin one is added inside the ring, and because of this the size becomes smaller. Compression is the application of high temperature. During this procedure, the ring becomes smaller. Cutting occurs as follows: simply part of the metal is removed, and the product becomes much smaller.
What are the difficulties of altering rings with stones?
Inserts with stones create additional difficulties for the jeweler. Typically, rings encrusted with jewelry are reduced by cutting.
Gold ring with a stone
Most often, large precious stones are removed from their sockets, and after the work is completed, the shape of the fastening is corrected. There are times when you can’t do it without cutting the frame itself. Then it is soldered back immediately after reducing the diameter of the product.
The following defects occur when changing the size of jewelry with a stone:
- Sometimes the metal breaks at the place where the frame is attached during operation or after some period of time.
- There may be deformation of the setting, which will lead to a weakening of the grip of the stone and its further loss.
How is reduction carried out?
Most often, having discovered a problem, jewelry owners go to the jeweler. And they do it right! A professional will be able to make this metal item suitable for you. What will the jeweler do?
Technologies
There are three main technologies for reducing size:
- tenderloin;
- compression;
- stavka.
But unfortunately, not every ring is suitable for one or another method .
REFERENCE . Design or inlaid gemstones will place significant restrictions on how the jewelry can be treated.
Let's take a closer look at the operating technologies for various rings.
Tenderloin
Using a notch involves removing part of the rim to reduce the overall diameter. The master removes 2–4 mm from the central part of the rim or at the seam site, if the ring has one. Then he squeezes the ends and solders them. The product is slightly deformed, turning from a circle into an ellipse.
But a specialist using a special crossbar will also correct this deformation. Then all he has to do is clean up the seam and polish the product to return it to its original shine.
IMPORTANT! You can calculate how much will need to be deleted using the following algorithm. You need to multiply the amount of size reduction by Pi (3.14). For example, reducing the product by 0.5 sizes, we get: 0.5*3.14=1.57 mm.
Compression
The simplest and fastest technology for size reduction. The process involves driving a ring into a cone-shaped hole. In this case, a special round knob is used.
REFERENCE! The work does not require a long time. The finished product can be picked up in 20–40 minutes.
But with all the advantages of technology, it has a serious limitation. It can only be used for simple wedding rings; any ornament or stones do not allow this method to be used.
Insert
The most complex and expensive method, but it is used only in very difficult cases. This technology consists of soldering another ring of smaller diameter onto the inside of the ring . This allows you not to touch or deform the outer contour. But at the same time achieve a reduction in size.
REFERENCE! This work can take up to 4 days. The artist may need additional time to find enough material for your decoration.
Jewelry with complex shapes is often made from a rare precious material that may not be available in sufficient quantities in the workshop.
Will a smaller ring look worse?
It is worth saying that professionals are able to reduce the size of jewelry absolutely without losing its external data. Moreover, there will be no traces of jewelry work left.
Reducing the size of the ring can affect its appearance only in cases where the master approached the work irresponsibly.
- The gemstone may change tone or crack due to overheating. This is why jewelry is removed from its nests before work.
- The ring can take the shape of an ellipse. With a significant reduction, for example, by 2.5 sizes, the design may become deformed.
- Diminished silver rings may become lighter in color due to high temperatures. This effect is corrected by special surface treatment of the decoration.
- If the ring is made of several metals, it is almost impossible to disguise the resulting seam.
To avoid such troubles, it is recommended to choose workshops with positive reviews and those equipped with laser equipment.
How to reduce rings with diamonds and other stones
For products with precious stones, there are two options. It depends on the location and size of the stones: large stones in the central part or many small ones throughout the area.
- If these are only large ones, then the product can be reduced using cutting technology.
- If there are many small stones, then you can only solder the insert.
It is also necessary to take into account the possibility that the stones will be damaged. With sudden changes in temperature, the stone may darken or crack .
Therefore, such rings should be given only to craftsmen with a good reputation and extensive experience.
Section question - answer
Is it possible to reduce the size of a ring with stones?
Expert opinion
Grishanov Mikhail Petrovich
Jeweler, director of the Grishanov and Co. workshop
Yes, but only if the stones are large. Jewelry set with expensive stones, such as diamonds, requires careful, careful work. Before starting the process, the master removes minerals from the frame, and after reducing the product, he returns them to their place. If necessary, the frame is also adjusted. Not every model with stones can change the diameter.
Is it possible to reduce a diamond ring by half a size, where should I go to donate?
Expert opinion
Pribrezhny Gennady Valentinovich
Jeweler 6th category
For such work, it is best to contact a workshop equipped with laser equipment. You can also try contacting the jewelry boutique where you purchased the item. Laser soldering does not heat the jewelry, which means the stone does not have to be removed. This is the most ideal option for small size adjustments.
Diamond ring reduction
How are gold rings rolled, what is needed from me?
Expert opinion
Grishanov Mikhail Petrovich
Jeweler, director of the Grishanov and Co. workshop
Most often, the compression method is used to reduce laconic gold jewelry. To reduce a gold ring, you should seek professional advice. You need to take the ring with you. After discussing all the details with the master, the ring will be placed in a special press, which is a disk with special recesses. There the decoration will heat up and shrink to the required size.
The cost of the service starts from 300 rubles.
Where can I reduce my husband's ring?
Expert opinion
Pribrezhny Gennady Valentinovich
Jeweler 6th category
Almost every jewelry workshop provides ring reduction services. You can choose the best one based on reviews. Before visiting, be sure to find out the size to which the product will need to be reduced.
You can find out the size by wrapping your finger in a piece of paper. The length of the segment must be converted into millimeters and divided by 3.14.
Ring reduction procedure in a jewelry shop
Is it possible to make a silver ring smaller?
Expert opinion
Grishanov Mikhail Petrovich
Jeweler, director of the Grishanov and Co. workshop
Silver, like gold, is a fairly malleable metal. Laconic silver jewelry can be easily adjusted to the desired size.
Indications for ring reduction
Rings have long been an integral part of the human image, both male and female. Signets, with a diamond, without a stone, gold, silver, wedding and other items are worn in everyday life and on special occasions. Rings come into our lives as gifts, are passed down by inheritance, or are purchased independently. In any case, jewelry should bring pleasure and not cause discomfort when worn.
Ring size is one of the main criteria that requires special attention. Very often, products received as a gift turn out to be too large and require correction. In what other cases is ring reduction required:
- After losing weight, the jewelry began to fall off my finger. A slim figure is good, but this is not a reason to put the ring in the back drawer, especially if it is an engagement ring;
- The purchase was made without trying on. Nowadays, many people purchase things from online stores and it is simply impossible to visually assess the quality of the product, much less try it on. That’s why you have to look for a jeweler and have the ring adjusted to size;
- The ring is presented in a single copy, but the size, unfortunately, does not fit. In such a situation, there is no need to refuse the purchase, but you can simply give the product away for reduction;
- The ring was inherited, but it turned out to be too small. If you are not going to wear it, then you don’t have to worry about the size, but if you plan to make it your permanent decoration, then you need to contact a jeweler and have it customized for you.
You may need to reduce the size of the ring if the purchase was made without trying it on.
You can easily reduce the size of a wedding ring made of ordinary metal. To do this, it is enough to cut a piece at its lower part and solder or reduce the product by compression. However, not all jewelry behaves adequately after processing and in most cases loses its appearance.
Jeweler's opinion
Molokanov N.M.
Jeweler, 26 years of experience in jewelry production.
Requests to reduce the size of jewelry come in every day; this is one of the most common services. The procedure completely depends on the product itself; simple rings are compressed in 30 minutes; reduction of openwork jewelry can take several days. Costume jewelry, as a rule, is not reduced, there is too great a risk of breaking the product. Also, rings covered with paths of small stones do not reduce their size.
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.
Content:
The first, most obvious option is to take the ring to a jeweler, who will reduce its diameter or increase it depending on what you need. But at the same time, this is also the most expensive option - you will have to pay a considerable amount of money for the procedure.
If you choose the first option, then it is important for you to find a good performer so as not to regret the result later. The best option would be to meet with the master in person and discuss all the conditions and the result you want. Please note that depending on the complexity of the ring, the price of the work can vary significantly, since complex, composite exclusive items require more and more painstaking work. In some cases, many masters even refuse such work, and those who take it on will charge you a lot of money. Keep this in mind.
How to enlarge a ring in a jewelry workshop
There are also three ways to increase the size of a ring in modern jewelry. Be sure to check with a specialist which one he will choose so that you can control his work.
Metal insert
This method is similar to cutting (if it is necessary to reduce the size), but exactly the opposite. The jeweler will check your jewelry and look for any cracks or scratches. Then, if everything is in order, the master will cut the shank in the same way, but will not throw away part of the metal, but, on the contrary, will insert a previously prepared part
Here it is very important to choose the sample and shade of the insert so that it looks organically on the bored ring. After final processing, grinding and polishing there should be no seams or differences in color on the product
Mechanical stretch
The simplest and most common option. If you have an ordinary metal ring that does not have openwork elements or precious stones (as a rule, we are talking about wedding rings and men's signets), then the master will easily stretch it by 1-2 sizes, and in some cases - by 3. This This method is not suitable for wide rings: the thinner the rim, the easier it is to stretch it. If the width of the ring exceeds 1 cm, it is better to abandon this option. The process itself is simple.
- The master calculates how many millimeters the ring needs to be stretched;
- The jewelry is annealed and placed on a polished cone, which jewelers call a crossbar. Rotation of the device leads to an increase in the size of the product.
- The final stage is “cleaning the feathers”: the jewelry is washed, irregularities are removed, sanded and polished.
Boring
This method can be called simple, but radical. It is only suitable if you need to enlarge the ring only slightly (up to 0.5 mm), and the product itself is quite thick. The master will remove a little metal from the inside of the ring so that you will not observe external changes, but the jewelry will fit normally on your finger. True, like insertion, this not very popular method of increasing the size may be the only one possible if the decoration is ornate in shape or inlaid with stones. Unfortunately, boring a ring results in the loss of ground material, most often gold. But if there is no other choice, then boring the ring is better than putting it away.
Questions for the master
In order to be confident in the result of the jeweler’s work, before giving him the ring, it would be a good idea to ask a few questions. You will show yourself to be a competent and responsible client. And depending on the master’s answers, you will understand whether he is worth trusting.
- Find out what the technology is for carrying out the work.
- Assess the risks.
- Check to see if the work will be guaranteed.
- Find out what awaits you if the craftsman fails (cracked stone, obvious seam in the metal...), how the loss will be compensated.
- And the last thing is not the most obvious. If the ring is being reduced, ask whether the “remaining” ring will be returned to you.
Of course, it is optimal to buy a ring that fits your size. But even careful fitting will not save you from the possible need to reduce or enlarge your favorite piece of jewelry. You should not treat this as a problem: in most cases, the professionalism of jewelers will allow you to cope with the situation in an hour or two. And you will again enjoy your favorite ring on your finger, and not in an old box.
