You just got ‘your’ ring? Did he or she propose? Or you just got yourself a ring? Or rather you were recently invested with your family’s heirloom, which is a ring? Well, if any of these is your case, congratulations on your new piece. So sorry the ring doesn’t fit, but it’s not so bad after all. There are quite a number of things you can do about it- you don’t have to worry about losing it or about the discomfort you’d feel wearing a tight ring.
Your ring might be bigger or smaller than your finger. There are certain things that can be done with and to the ring if any of these is the case, but before that you have to be sure the ring doesn’t fit. You might be new to the whole ring thing and maybe due to first time use you feel it doesn’t fit properly while it may just be your perfect fit. Three ways to know if a ring is a perfect fit is:
- It goes into the finger easily but comes off with slight difficulty.
- It doesn’t cause discomfort.
- It sits perfectly on the fingers without spinning.
If your ring doesn’t pass this test, then it is not a perfect fit. Like stated earlier, there are quite a number of things you can do about it. In this article you’ll learn what to do.
What do I do if the ring is bigger than my finger?
If your ring is bigger than your finger, you’d feel discomfort, and even risk losing it. Here are some things you can do if your ring is bigger than your finger:
- Take it for resizing
Professional jewelers can transform that oversized ring of yours to a ring your perfect size. While they are at this you don’t have to worry about the ring being deformed or looking different as they would polish the ring and make it look unaltered after cutting and welding it back. Typically rings can be altered two sizes smaller i.e. a ring of size 7.5 can be reduced to as small as 5.5. Not all rings can be resized. While gold, silver and platinum rings can be resized, rings made from titanium, tungsten and stainless steel cannot be altered due to the nature of those materials. Also, resizing some rings that may naturally be resizable may not be the best option. For example, a family heirloom in form of a ring cannot be resized because the person next in line to receiving the ring may have a finger bigger than yours.
While resizing seems a good option, it may not be the best option because:
- After resizing your finger may grow bigger and that may result in the ring not being useful to you again.
- The area where the ring was cut despite being welded or soldered would naturally become weaker than the other parts of the ring. Too much pressure on a resized ring can cause breakage, although this is a rare occurrence.
- Most times rings can only be resized two sizes down and not more.
- The inscription on rings with roundabout inscriptions may be altered when resized.
Options other than resizing may be considered.
- Stack it with another ring
The big ring can be stacked with a ring your size. Ring stacking is a fashionable trend, so you may be pulling a beautiful fashion stunt trying to make your ring fit
- Get metal beads on it
A jeweler can solder two metal beads on the bottom of the ring so it would serve as a wedge between the ring and the finger so the ring doesn’t fall off.
- Have a fold over device soldered on it
A jeweler can solder a small metal bar on the bottom of the ring to make it fit properly; this metal bar is known as a fold over device. This small metal is often more comfortable than the use of two metal beads.
- Make use of ring snuggies:
Ring snuggies are small silicon pieces that serve as wedge between the finger and the ring to make the ring fit. You can use a ring snuggie whenever you want put the ring on. You can also use a plastic ring guard in the absence of a ring snuggie.
- Use a spring insert.
You can contact a jeweler to help you fix a spring insert inside of your ring. Spring inserts are made of white gold and are shaped as a horseshoe. They are very comfortable to use and are also affordable.
- Silicon can also be used
You can attach Food grade silicon to the ring to make it fit your finger better. They generally look better.
- Line with a hot glue gum
You have to be careful while doing this. Line the inside of your big ring with a hot glue gun. These glue guns come handy.
Apart from resizing all the other methods are temporary and they would leave your ring untouched.
What to do if the ring is smaller than your finger?
Small rings may not enter the finger and even if they do may cause discomfort and may not come off easily. Increasing the size of a ring that doesn’t fit is not at all a good option as it affects the structural integrity of the ring. Here are some other things you could do with a ring that is smaller than your finger:
- Wear it as a pendant
Rings that are smaller in size can be worn as a pendant on your necklace, although not all rings can be used for this. For instance, it is traditional to wear your engagement or wedding ring on the fourth finger in your left hand so it may not be used as a pendant. Rings simply for personal adornment, a gift ring or a family heirloom may be worn as pendants.
- Try it on another finger or on the other hand
Rings that do not fit may be tried on a smaller finger. Again, this cannot be done with an engagement or wedding ring.
There is little or nothing you can do about a small fitting wedding or engagement ring, so the best that can be done is to get the right size in other to avoid stress.
Now that you know how to fix your ring make sure to read how to clean your jewelry.