Ring Resizing: How It Works and Which Rings Can Be Resized

Most rings can be made bigger or smaller. At NY2K Jewellers in Cotton Tree, Maroochydore, every resize is done at our own bench, nothing is sent away, and a standard resize usually takes around five days. Some rings can't be resized, and the way it's done matters for how the ring wears afterwards. Here's what happens when a ring comes into our workshop.

How long does ring resizing take?

A standard resize usually takes around five days. Rings with stones near the bottom of the band, patterned bands and larger size changes can take longer, and we'll give you the timeframe when we see the ring. If you need it for a particular date, tell us when you bring it in.

How much does ring resizing cost?

We quote each resize when we see the ring, before any work starts. The price depends on the metal, how many sizes it moves, whether metal needs to be added to make it bigger, and whether stones near the join need to be removed and reset. Resizing a ring you've just bought from us is complimentary where the design allows.

First, check the size you need

Before anything is cut, we measure your finger with ring gauges. Fingers swell in heat, after exercise and later in the day, and a knuckle can be wider than the base of the finger, so we size for the ring to come off as well as stay on. If you want to check at home first, our ring size guide has a full Australian size chart.

How a ring is made smaller

To size a ring down, the jeweller cuts a small section out of the band at the bottom, brings the ends together and solders them. The join is then filed, smoothed and polished so it can't be seen or felt. Done properly, the ring keeps its shape and strength.

How a ring is made bigger

For a small increase, some plain bands can be gently stretched. For anything more, or for any ring with stones, the band is cut and a new piece of matching metal is soldered in. Adding metal keeps the band at its full thickness, where stretching would thin it.

Rings that are hard or impossible to resize

• Full eternity bands, with stones set all the way around, usually can't be resized because there's no plain metal to cut.
• Coil, spiral and tension designs rely on their shape or spring to hold together or hold a stone, so resizing can change how they work.
• Bands with a pattern all the way around (engraving, milgrain or texture) can be resized, but the pattern has to be continued by hand across the join.
• Rings with stones close to the bottom of the band may need those stones removed and reset.
• Some materials, such as tungsten and titanium, can't be resized in the usual way.

If a ring can't be resized, there are often other options: a sizing insert or beads inside the band for a ring that's slightly too big, or remaking the band while keeping the stones.

What else we check

Resizing puts heat and stress through a ring, so it's a good time to check it over. We look at the claws holding each stone, the thickness of the band where it wears thin at the bottom, and any old repairs. White gold usually has a rhodium plating, which is renewed after resizing so the colour is even.

Before you bring it in

• Bring the ring, and if you're resizing to match another ring, bring that too.
• Tell us about anything sentimental, such as an inscription inside the band, so we can work around it.
• If it's a ring you've just bought from us, resizing is complimentary where the design allows.

Ring resizing in Cotton Tree, Maroochydore

At NY2K Jewellers, resizing and every other repair is done at our own bench in Cotton Tree. Nothing is sent away. Bring your ring to Rovera Plaza, Shop 5, 23 Cotton Tree Parade, Cotton Tree, Maroochydore QLD 4558, Monday to Friday, 9:30am to 4:00pm, and we'll assess it and tell you what's involved before any work starts. Read more about our jewellery repairs, or call 07 5443 1955.