What to do if a ring doesn't fit?

A well-fitting ring is a thing of beauty and joy!  Choosing the right ring size is important but there are a few tips to help if you have a ring that is too big or too small.

Jewellers are able to size up or down most sterling silver or solid gold rings by cutting, and inserting or removing, a little piece of the metal before soldering closed, but this takes time and costs money. 

Finger sizes can also fluctuate with temperature, weight, health or other circumstances and a ring that fits you one day may be too loose or too tight the next. Some of the tips below might help.

What To Do If a Ring is Too Tight?

Many smaller rings, such as signet rings, are bought when the wearer is younger and has smaller fingers.  As time goes by these rings may continue to be worn by moving down the finger range: a signet ring initially worn on the middle finger may end up as a pinkie ring when the wearer has grown.

The thumb is usually the biggest finger followed by the middle or pointer finger, then the ring finger and finally the little pinkie next to it.  Usually the hand of dominance also has larger fingers.  For example, a right handed person will have a larger ring finger on their right hand than on the left hand.

If a ring becomes too small for any of those fingers some people choose to wear them on the top joint of a finger.

Sentimental rings are often worn on a swivel, clip or chain around the neck so the wearer still has the ring with them.

Some little rings will fit inside a sterling silver or 9ct gold memento locket.

Smaller rings can sometimes be stretched a tiny amount by a jeweller, however if you really want to size up the ring properly, the best way is to have a jeweller cut the ring and solder in a new section.

 

 

What To Do If a Ring is Too Big?

When a ring is too large for a finger there is a greater chance it can still be worn, especially if the ring was bought for a child; children grow and one day the ring will fit!

You may remember having a piece of cotton or wool wound round and round the back of a ring band in the good ol' days to make it a little smaller? 

Today you can also buy specially designed metal ring clips that fit in the back of the ring band to make the ring size smaller.

 

Another option is a keeper, guard or safety ring.  A smaller ring, tighter ring such as a signet ring or a plain band, can be worn in front of the larger ring to keep it from sliding off the finger. 

This works particularly well if the bigger ring is only a size or two bigger than the finger you want to wear it on, and if the keeper ring is plain or flat. 

Heart shaped signet rings work very well if the heart can be turned to the back of the finger and sit over the band of the ring.

You may still see the band of the guard ring with the bigger ring but if they are both the same metal it shouldn't detract from the look.

 

 

If you would like your ring permanently made smaller, jewellers can cut a piece of the band out and solder the ring back together to size it down. In some cases, instead of cutting to resize, little balls of metal can be soldered inside the band to make the ring tighter.

Rings that are too large can also be worn on a chain around the neck as a sentimental keepsake.

 

Choosing the Right Ring Size for Children or Adults

Some rings with open or overlapping bands can be slightly adjusted for size.  This is helpful if you are not sure of the wearer's ring size but it is important not to open or close adjustable rings too often or squeeze or open them with too much force or rings may break.

 

Choosing the best fit in the first place is the best option of all and you can find more information about choosing a ring size here, or please feel free to contact us if you would like a little extra help!