Ring Sizing 101

Ring sizing is one of the most common jewelry repairs. Almost everyone who owns a ring will at some point in their life need to have a ring resized. Whether you need to go up or down in size, Mark Michael Diamond Designs has you covered.  We work on 14K, 18K, platinum, palladium, and sterling silver rings only.

Q. What is a ring size?

A.  Ring size is a measurement notating the circumference of a jewelry ring. Rings can be sized in full, half, quarter and even eighth sizes.

Q. How are rings sized?

A.  It depends on whether you’re going up in size (making the ring larger) or going down in size (making the ring smaller). Let’s talk about going up in size first. The bottom of the ring, also known as the shank, is cut open. The two sides of the ring are pulled apart and more metal is added creating a bridge to fill the opening. Solder is added to preserve the ring’s thickness and voila! Your ring is now bigger and you won’t even be able to see where the sizing was done!

To make a ring smaller in size, the process is similar. The ring is cut at the bottom and the jeweler takes out the proper length of gold. The two sides are joined together and soldered close.

A final polishing and cleaning is applied to make the ring look new again. For white gold rings a rhodium platting is required. All of these services are included in the price of your repair.

Q. How much does it cost to have a ring sized?

A. The price depends on many variables such as: ring width, metal type, number of stones, and how many sizes the ring needs to be adjusted. While we cannot give you a price without seeing the ring in person, general sizing for gold rings range from $40 - $250, platinum rings from $70 - $300 and sterling silver rings from $39 - $75. Please bring your ring into our store for a complimentary quote.

Q. How long does it take to have a ring sized?

A. At Mark Michael Diamond Designs we are fully outfitted with an expert on-site jeweler. This means your jewelry never leaves our premises and most ring sizing’s are completed within 24 hours.

If you have any other questions about ring sizing or other types of jewelry repairs please give us a call at 763-494-5700 or email us at customerservice@markmichaeldiamonds.com. We look forward to hearing from you!