Looking for an exact price list for resizing a ring? You won't find that here. Or likely anywhere. And here's why:
Jewelers must consider numerous factors when determining ring resizing cost, as each element affects the materials needed and the time and effort of the procedure. Read on to learn what affects the cost of resizing a ring.
The cost varies
It could be $20 to resize a ring. Or it could be hundreds of dollars. To resize a ring by a jeweler, the cost depends on:
How much bigger or smaller it needs to be
What metal it's made of
How much metal needs to be manipulated
How the stones and design elements of the ring will affect the new shape
Resizing a ring down vs. up
Making a ring smaller will almost always cost less than making it larger because there are no costs for added materials. To make a ring smaller, jewelers typically:
- Cut the band in the back.
- Remove the necessary amount of metal.
- Solder the two pieces back together.
To make a ring size larger, jewelers can either:
- Stretch the metal (which many do not recommend in any situation).
- Cut the band and create a bridge of additional metal to re-join the pieces.
The amount of extra material needed directly affects the overall price.
Pro Tip: "Don’t resize your ring too often! Your finger can change as much as a half size from day-to-day." - Ben, J. Anthony Jewelers
Types of ring metals
In order of least expensive to impossible, here's how various fine metals fall on the cost spectrum of resizing a ring:
- Yellow gold - One of the easier metals to resize. Yellow gold is the most inexpensive comparably speaking, but gold prices can be volatile.
- Sterling silver - Fairly easy to resize. The ability to resize this medal is comparable to yellow gold.
- White gold - Requires refinishing and a reapplication of rhodium plating (applied to retain the white gold color).
- Rose gold - Very temperamental and can crack during resizing.
- Platinum - Requires its own tools for resizing. Platinum has a higher melting point than gold, which can create more work.
- Titanium - Extremely hard to work with. Some jewelers are not able to resize titanium rings.
- Tungsten - Tungsten rings are too hard to be resized.
Find out how much it costs to insure a ring, too.
Ring resizing cost factors
Ring thickness
This one's simple. The thicker the ring, the higher the price of the resize. More ring = more material. Pro Tip: "See a jeweler with the exact ring you want in order to size it correctly, because a wide band will fit tighter than a thinner band." - Kim, Dream Jewelers
The width of the band isn't the only thing that can contribute to its thickness, though.
Does your ring have a flat bottom? This is called a european - or euro - shank. Many people like it because it reduces the ability of your ring to spin on your finger. In the case of resizing, a euro shank does add to the cost because the corners add more metal weight.
Additional stones
The number, type and location of the stones in a ring will all affect the cost to resize.
More stones, more problems - or at least the potential for more problems. The more stones a ring features, the more likely some will need to be moved or adjusted to accommodate the increase or decrease in band.
If diamonds, or other gemstones, are set along the side of a ring that needs to be sized smaller, they will need to be retightened, or even reset, because of the change in curvature.
Some types of gems are temperature sensitive, and those will need to be removed and reset.
If one or more of these conditions applies to your ring, your ring resizing cost will increase.
Where to get a ring resized
If your ring needs resizing, it's best to get that taken care of by a jeweler, even if it costs you a pretty penny.
No matter how it costs to get a ring resized, it will be cheaper than having to replace the entire piece if it falls off from being too loose or has to get cut off from being too tight.
Unsure if your ring fits properly? (It's not as obvious as you think. Most men tend to wear their rings too loose because they aren't used to the feeling of a slightly snug, properly fitting ring.) Take it to your jeweler. They want you to feel secure wearing your rings and will be glad to evaluate your fit.
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