Size Matters…With an Engagement Ring
Buying an engagement ring is something that most people only want to do once in a lifetime. However, buying an diamond engagement ring is a bit more complicated than buying a new pair of shoes or even a new car. Potential buyers have to get a firm grasp on not only the measured qualities of a diamond, but also the taste of the intended recipient. The buyer must then figure out how to make those two things meet at a cost which is within the buyer’s budget. To put it bluntly, there are a lot of variables to consider when buying an engagement ring.
Fortunately, many people are able to trust the knowledge of their jeweler, helping to mitigate potential unforeseen circumstances when shopping for an engagement ring. However, there is one very important variable that should never be left for guesswork: the ring size.
This is a detail which seems too important to overlook, and yet many people do. One of the most common justifications given for simply estimating a future-fiancés ring size is the need for surprise and the willingness to “just have the ring resized later.” This logic has one rather significant problem with it – not all rings can be resized.
To understand why, it helps to know how rings are actually resized. First, it’s important to know whether the band is being made larger or smaller. For a minor enlargement, a jeweler can sometimes just stretch a ring. However, for major adjustments in size, a jeweler must actually cut the ring. To make a wedding ring or any ring smaller, the ring is cut and a piece is removed. To make a ring larger, the ring is cut and additional metal is inserted into the band. The ring is then welded back into one piece, massaged back into a circle, polished to hide the cuts, and finally buffed to a shine.
In a perfect world, the process is easy and quick and the results are not noticeable. However, this process obviously cannot be applied to all rings. Why not? Well, there are two critical flaws which can prevent a ring from being resized.
The first such flaw relates to ring’s metal. In order for a jeweler to insert new material to enlarge a ring, the jeweler must know exactly what metal, or blends of metals, that the ring is made of. For this reason, most antique rings, family heirlooms particularly, cannot and should not be resized. However, this can extend to white gold rings if the composition of the alloy isn’t known. Mismatching metals can result in spotted or stained rings. Even if metal isn’t being added to a ring, not knowing the composition can certainly cause staining or spotting when the professional jeweler tries to melt and buff the ring back to the right shape.
The 2nd reason some rings aren’t meant to be resized all comes down to the simple process of buffing and reshaping. Rings which have detail lines or contain stones around the band would cause design inconsistencies if metal was to be taken away or added. Stones may be lost, destroyed, or damaged, details and decorative lines may blurred, smudged beyond recognition, and the ring is then ruined.
Yes, there are other options to resizing. A jeweler might be convinced to swap out a ring, if the ring had purchased new. Ring guards, a metal piece inserted into a ring to make it smaller by taking up space, can be used for rings that are too large. However, these are overlooking one very important fact – when you’re on bended knee looking up at the one who just became your fiancé, you want her to be able to wear the ring right away. And believe me, you want it to fit.
The ultimate lesson is that ring size isn’t something you should guess at, nor is it something that you should consider fixable at a later date. Finding a ring size discretely might not be easiest task, but seconds after you propose marriage, it will certainly be worth it.
