How to reduce ring size at home and in the workshop?

Where is the ring size reduced?

The most reliable option is to contact a workshop that provides such services. This could be a jeweler you know through friends or whose services you have already used. If such a craftsman is unknown to you, find out if there is a workshop at the salon where you purchased the jewelry and contact there.

When you need to use the services of a completely unfamiliar master, ask a few things in advance:

What technology will he use to obtain the result;
Will there be any risks during the work, and if so, what are they;
Does the master give a guarantee that the product will be changed with high quality, without damage.

The significant question is whether the cut-out part of the gold or silver ring will be returned to you if this method of reducing the size of the product is used.

Can I do this at home myself?

Going to a specialist is a drastic measure. You can resort to it if:

there is confidence that you will not recover again. Otherwise, the accessory will have to be increased, and this will mean additional financial costs;
the decoration is smooth, made of a homogeneous soft metal, such as gold. Fitting an engraved and inlaid specimen from complex materials and alloys will cost a pretty penny.

For those who are afraid to give their wedding decoration into the wrong hands or subject it to modifications, there are simple life hacks . With their help, you can adjust the size of the ring to the optimal one.

In what cases can a ring size be reduced?

However, even an experienced jeweler will not take on the job in all cases. The easiest way to adjust the size of a gold or silver wedding ring that does not have any decorations.

Difficulties may arise if:

the product is decorated with stone or engraving;
it is necessary to reduce the openwork ring, decorated with small stones or droplets of other metal;
the size of the new product should be 3 sizes or more smaller;
the ring is made of titanium - working with it involves some technical difficulties;
The material of the product is platinum, the processing of which requires special equipment.

Important! At the same time, jewelers note that if you need to reduce the size of a men’s signet ring or there is only one stone in the product, then you can change the size without difficulty.

What to do when the ring gets bigger?

The fingers of the left and right hands differ by 1–2 sizes. It happens that a piece of jewelry that fits perfectly on your finger on your engagement or wedding day requires a little correction after some time.

There are situations when the finger swells or shrinks immediately after measurement. Its thickness may vary due to:

temperature changes,
blood pressure,
swelling caused by work, contact with chemicals,
weight loss.

When something becomes free, many people rejoice. It's different with jewelry. Clothes can be changed, but jewelry is bought for a long time and worn constantly.

Since most models of wedding rings have a classic shape (semicircular, flat), their global modification is carried out by a professional jeweler. The cost of his work depends on the shape, type of decoration, and the place where the correction will be performed. This service is provided immediately or within 1-2 business days.

Before deciding on correction, you should consult with a specialist to see if this procedure makes sense. He may refuse if a complex inscription is applied to the product, or if there are precious stones that are difficult to remove, and then insert and securely fasten without disturbing the design.

How to reduce ring size at home?

The services of a workshop may not always be needed: if you need to adjust the size of a product by only half a size or the ring belongs to costume jewelry, then you can try to do this yourself at home using one of the following methods:

Epoxy adhesive. Any other building mixture that hardens quickly and is transparent (for example, Czech epoxy resin) is also suitable. Having prepared the mixture according to the instructions (it should be quite thick), secure the ring horizontally and use a toothpick to apply several layers of the mixture to the lower inner surface. Leave to harden for a day.
Colorless nail polish. Similar to the previous method, only more labor-intensive - the varnish will have to be applied at least 10 times. However, this method is the most accessible and easily renewable if necessary. And relatively durable - up to 3 months.
Homemade tab. It is made from a piece of IV tube or an empty gel stick. Carefully cut a piece of tube (0.7-1 cm) lengthwise, lightly melt the jagged edges on the side cuts with a match. Holding the piece placed on a thin stick, open the edges and secure it to the bottom of the ring.
Tools at hand. Such methods include winding a nylon thread around a ring or gluing a strip of flesh-colored adhesive plaster onto a finger. Most often, such products are short-lived and are only suitable for one-time use when urgently needed.
Silicone tab. This is a special accessory that can be purchased at a jewelry store. This tab is made from a safe, durable and natural material, but its durability is low - only one month. To reduce the size of the ring, simply insert the tab inside the product.
Making a 3-D double. In a specialized printing house, the designer will make a 3-D model of your ring, using transparent polymer in just 15 minutes. They will make a copy of the product, but in the required size. This insert is quite durable (up to 1 year) and can be used to reduce the size of any ring.

Important! There are times when a ring is expensive enough to experiment with yourself (for example, with diamonds), but workshops will not undertake the work. In this case, one of the most effective and affordable methods, although not very convenient, is to wear a piece of suitable size over a large ring - it will not allow your jewelry to fall off unnoticed or at the wrong time.

How to reduce ring size in a workshop?

A good jeweler will not undertake such work if there is a risk of damaging the appearance of the product. This should be taken into account when buying a ring in an online store or purchasing paired items for a wedding. Although there is always a risk of losing or increasing body weight, which will certainly affect the size of the finger circumference.

Still, contacting a jeweler is the most reliable way, whose services you should use if you need to reduce the size of your ring.

To do this, professionals use the following technologies:

Cutting out part of the product. The easiest way is when the master cuts out a section at the bottom of the ring that interferes with normal wearing. Typically, to reduce by 1 size, you need to remove 3.14 mm of the circumference. After this, the edges are soldered and ground, which makes the seam completely invisible. For products with stones, craftsmen use laser soldering, which allows them not to be removed from the ring;
Squeezing. The method is suitable for the simplest products, without decorations, ornaments and stones. First, the jeweler heats the ring, then cools it and places it in a special cone. After this, the product is covered with a ball with a punch and forged with a hammer. The softened metal, descending along a tapering cone, decreases in volume and becomes denser. Upon reaching the desired size, the master takes out the ring and polishes it;
Adding metal. The method is the most expensive and least popular, but sometimes for expensive or antique products it is the only possible one. In this case, a smaller ring is inserted inside the ring in order to adjust the internal volume to the desired size.

Important! If the product contains a precious stone, before work, make sure that the master removes it from the ring and then re-attaches it. Otherwise, the fastenings may become deformed and the stone will not sit as firmly as before.

Reducing rings with stone inserts

Remaking rings with stones is a more painstaking job than fitting engagement rings and other plain rings. They are usually reduced by cutting. But not in every model you can simply remove the excess and solder the seam:

even with a slight decrease in the diameter of the tire (by 1–1.5 sizes), the frame sometimes becomes deformed, no longer tightly covers the stone, and it is easy to lose it;
In the place where the frame is attached, the metal may burst during processing or after some time.

Therefore, large stones are removed from the frame, and after finishing the work, the shape of the fastening is corrected. In some cases, it is necessary to cut off the frame itself, then it is soldered in place of the already reduced ring. Small stones are not removed from massive rings, but on thin ones, the inserts on the top of the rim can be left alone (for example, small diamonds arranged in a row on a gold ring).

Ring size measurements

Are you afraid that the workshop will replace your inserts? Before going there, submit the product for gemological examination, after which they will put a tag on it with a description of the stones: their number, characteristics and cost. When leaving the ring in the workshop, ask the master to cut out the fragment so as not to damage the hallmark - re-branding the item can be difficult, especially if it is antique.

Cost of jewelry work

You finally decided to trust the professionals and go to a jewelry workshop. This is a more reliable and thorough method, although it requires some costs:

If it is possible to reduce the ring by cutting or squeezing, the price will start from 400 rubles. – for the simplest products.
If common methods are not possible, then the master may request from 1000 rubles. and higher for adding metal inside the product, and sometimes when the work is highly complex, jewelers completely refuse to adjust the sizes.

Important! The cost of downsizing a ring will increase as the complexity of the ring's shape increases, and depending on the value of the stones and their number. The simplest treatment can be completed in 30-40 minutes. , for more complex processes it will take up to 3 days.

Pricing factors

The price of the service may vary. The cost is influenced by the following factors:

Decoration form.
Material of manufacture.
Width and thickness of the product.
The presence of stones and other inserts.
Availability of engraving.
Type of technology used.
Difficulty of work.
Equipment used.
How many sizes should I reduce?
Urgency of order execution.
Master's qualification.

In what cases should it be reduced?

Reducing the ring size may be necessary in several cases:

if you have lost weight;
if the ring was inherited;
if it was given to you without first trying it on.

The size of cheap jewelry can be easily adjusted using home methods, even try cutting out a piece at the bottom of the product. However, for expensive rings it is better to use the services of professionals who will guarantee the safety of the appearance of the product.

If you are just about to purchase a ring, then try to try it on. However, remember that this should not be done if your fingers are very cold or swollen - in this case, there is a risk of choosing the wrong size of the product.

other methods

If the size discrepancy is barely noticeable, an even simpler method will help you. It involves applying several layers of clear nail polish to the inside of the ring.

If the discrepancy is more than one size, you should look for a silicone tab. Despite the demand for this option, it is very difficult to find them on sale. If you can’t find it, turn to 3D printing technology, thanks to which they will make you an inlay that fits your finger size perfectly.

Remember that the 3D printed lining is short-lived and will only last about a year. So order a few at once and don't be discouraged if they wear out.

If you are still wondering how to reduce the size of your ring without interfering with its appearance, you can go to a jeweler and ask them to make a metal insert. This is a more expensive method, but it is durable and guaranteed not to spoil the appearance of your jewelry, regardless of whether it has a diamond or an ordinary engagement ring.