You can tighten a ring, or enlarge it: read when and how you can do it ♦
What to do when the favorite ring has become too narrow or too wide? You can ask at the goldsmith to return the gold eliminated in this operation? Because the cost is so different between one ring and another? Here are six questions and six answers.
1 How do you enlarge a ring?
The goldsmith opens the circumference with a saw very thin. Then he picks up (if it has to tighten) or add a piece of metal similar to that of the ring. With pliers, joins the two pieces. At this point welding the ring and then proceeds with different polishing phase with brushes previously immersed in three different abrasive pastes, up to obtain the desired surface.
2 It should be every time added another gold to enlarge a ring?
Sometimes yes, sometimes no. If the ring has only need to widen up to less than a quarter of its original size and the metal is often, the jeweler may be able to modify your ring working on a mandrel and using the hammer to jeweler. But it is not likely to occur. Usually the ring is expanded with the addition of a small piece of gold or platinum. The ring is then welded again and polished.
3 How do you resize more little?
To resize a ring, a small section of the circular band is removed. Then the ring is shaped again and then welded. If there are stones on display, they must be tightened again in the griffe. There is a limit: if the stones can not be tightened there is the risk to falling out from the metal support.
4 You may retrieve the gold deleted when you resize a ring?
The amount of gold that is removed in the reduction process is usually so small that it wouldn’t make sense for a refund. Also, sometimes the ring must be polished and the gold is transformed into a fine powder which is sucked. The reduction of a ring requires a lot of skill: the milligrams of gold to the jeweler who remain, are largely discounted by the price of his labor.
5 Why is it more expensive to widen or tighten some rings than others?
The cost of labor depends very much on the amount of work and by the size of the ring, on the weight and type of metal. To work the platinum is more expensive than gold, because it takes more heat and more attention. It is usually more expensive also work on rings with stones, that need special care. For example, only diamond, sapphire, ruby can withstand the heat of a welding flame. Other gems or should be removed from the ring, or require the use of a laser, because if they are heated, they burn and are hopelessly ruined. The more work and equipment needed for these rings raise the cost of the operation.
6 The size of the finger is different from store to store. Why?
Rings and fingers are measured with spindles. Between one and the other can be a different calibration and, therefore, may be a different measure of the circumference. The variation is usually between 1/4 and 1/2 of the size. In addition, the fingers can also change size depending on weather conditions (shaking with the cold, the heat swell), or due to the condition of health, or weight, and even the time of day.