Almost everyone has had a situation in their life when their favorite ring became too big for them. And if the size slowly became smaller than necessary, you might not even notice it. But when the jewelry becomes large, wearing it becomes very problematic. The most unpleasant thing, of course, is the possibility that a piece of jewelry dear to your heart will fly off your finger and be lost. And a constantly scrolling or sliding ring also causes a lot of inconvenience. In the modern world, we have long learned to reduce the size of jewelry. Even the most complex ring can be made smaller. And if you are afraid to take your jewelry to a jewelry workshop, then there are ways to independently adjust the inner diameter of the ring to the size of your finger. We will tell you what to do with the jewelry so that you can wear it without fear of losing it.
How is reduction carried out?
Most often, having discovered a problem, jewelry owners go to the jeweler. And they do it right! A professional will be able to make this metal item suitable for you. What will the jeweler do?
Technologies
There are three main technologies for reducing size:
- tenderloin;
- compression;
- stavka.
But unfortunately, not every ring is suitable for one or another method .
REFERENCE . Design or inlaid gemstones will place significant restrictions on how the jewelry can be treated.
Let's take a closer look at the operating technologies for various rings.
Tenderloin
Using a notch involves removing part of the rim to reduce the overall diameter. The master removes 2–4 mm from the central part of the rim or at the seam site, if the ring has one. Then he squeezes the ends and solders them. The product is slightly deformed, turning from a circle into an ellipse.
But a specialist using a special crossbar will also correct this deformation. Then all he has to do is clean up the seam and polish the product to return it to its original shine.
IMPORTANT! You can calculate how much will need to be deleted using the following algorithm. You need to multiply the amount of size reduction by Pi (3.14). For example, reducing the product by 0.5 sizes, we get: 0.5*3.14=1.57 mm.
Compression
The simplest and fastest technology for size reduction. The process involves driving a ring into a cone-shaped hole. In this case, a special round knob is used.
REFERENCE! The work does not require a long time. The finished product can be picked up in 20–40 minutes.
But with all the advantages of technology, it has a serious limitation. It can only be used for simple wedding rings; any ornament or stones do not allow this method to be used.
Insert
The most complex and expensive method, but it is used only in very difficult cases. This technology consists of soldering another ring of smaller diameter onto the inside of the ring . This allows you not to touch or deform the outer contour. But at the same time achieve a reduction in size.
REFERENCE! This work can take up to 4 days. The artist may need additional time to find enough material for your decoration.
Jewelry with complex shapes is often made from a rare precious material that may not be available in sufficient quantities in the workshop.
In what cases it is impossible to reduce the ring
Before you go to a jeweler with a request to reduce your wedding ring, it is worth finding out why he may refuse such work and in what cases the ring size cannot be changed.
- First of all, not every jeweler will undertake such work if there are notches or inserts on the jewelry. The thing is that working with such a ring requires extreme care and special tools from the master. The reduction process consists of disassembling the ring, processing its parts separately and soldering all the parts together. If a real craftsman worked on the jewelry, then the soldering points will not be noticeable: only a small seam next to the sample will remind you that the ring has been altered.
- Engravings on rings also create a lot of difficulties. Most often, the integrity of the engraving suffers when the ring is reduced, so you need to be prepared for the fact that after this the engraving will have to be restored or completely sanded.
- Making a platinum engagement ring smaller is also a big challenge. Since platinum is denser than gold, special tools will be needed to work with this material. Not every jeweler blacksmith has these tools, so the reduction of such rings is often refused.
It is also worth considering that the price of work to reduce a wedding ring depends not only on the material of the jewelry, but on the complexity of the design and the skill of the jeweler.
How to reduce rings without a stone
Gold jewelry without stones is often much simpler to process and more easily susceptible to various deformations.
- If there is no external ornament, then compression is best suited. This will be the fastest and most effective option.
- If there is an ornament, the craftsman will most likely prefer to cut a piece from the rim. And then restore the pattern or make a cut so that it fits together when soldered. But in any case, the master will have to do delicate work with the drawing. Even with laser soldering, defects will appear that will need to be removed.
IMPORTANT! If your product, although not decorated with stone, has a very complex shape, then often the only option is an internal insert.
It is impossible to cut a complex decoration without distorting the outer part. And sometimes even insertion is impossible if the shape of the product is too unusual.
How to reduce rings with diamonds and other stones
For products with precious stones, there are two options. It depends on the location and size of the stones: large stones in the central part or many small ones throughout the area.
- If these are only large ones, then the product can be reduced using cutting technology.
- If there are many small stones, then you can only solder the insert.
It is also necessary to take into account the possibility that the stones will be damaged. With sudden changes in temperature, the stone may darken or crack .
Therefore, such rings should be given only to craftsmen with a good reputation and extensive experience.
Why a jeweler might not undertake a reduction
Jewelers have long and firmly established the reputation of craftsmen who can perform the most delicate and complex work. But even they do not accept all rings for processing and reduction. We asked the professionals which jewelry they most likely wouldn't work with.
Bijouterie
A good jewelry maker will not undertake work with costume jewelry. And it’s not a matter of laziness or unwillingness to work with simple metals. To work with any material, you need to know its properties well and how it behaves under certain conditions. And products not made of precious metals may contain unknown impurities .
And, unfortunately, it is impossible to predict how such material will behave. The main problems encountered when working with such products.
- Loss of color when heated.
- Inability to hide the seam . Due to the fact that the metal is unknown, it is impossible to find solder for it.
- Unpredictable behavior after polishing , the metal may begin to oxidize and release harmful substances.
Methods for reducing gold diamond ring
- Rolling - used both when reducing and enlarging the ring by several millimeters;
- Cutting followed by soldering and grinding. Diamonds are removed during the work.
At home, there are no necessary tools with which you can compress the ring or cut it and resolder it. Only a jeweler can carry out this delicate, responsible and painstaking work. Much depends on the metal alloy. Thus, 585 gold can be easily melted and reduced in size. If the standard is lower, then the master may not get down to business, since the product is fragile.
Finding a jewelry workshop in the capital that will perform quality reduction of a diamond ring is not so difficult. Positive reviews about jewelers from Sapphire speak for themselves. You should trust the craftsmen with your favorite diamond ring, which they will remake to fit your fingers quickly and professionally. After the repairs have been completed, you will be able to enjoy your jewelry, rejoicing that you not only have it in a case, but also shimmer with a bright shine on your hand. There is nothing better than a perfectly matching gold and diamond ring given by your loved one to remind you of an important event in your life.
Rhodium plated silver
The craftsman may also not use rhodium-plated silver jewelry. At high temperatures required for tempering and hardening of metal, the matte coating oxidizes and loses its appearance. But it is extremely difficult to restore it, and it will not be possible to return the original appearance.
Openwork products
It is also extremely difficult to work with rings made of openwork filigree. The complex pattern will not allow them to be mechanically deformed . And it is not only very difficult to build up such patterns, but often it is impossible in principle due to the specific shapes.
Platinum
Platinum jewelry is very difficult to process . To work with platinum, specialized equipment is required. It is not available in every workshop.
A laser cutter is used to cut platinum, and a specialized crucible is required for heat treatment. It's also difficult to find solder.
Platinum is a very finicky metal and darkens very easily, which makes it impossible to completely hide the seam from soldering.
Which rings cannot be reduced?
Jewelers refuse to adjust items made from base metals. There are three reasons for this:
- Unknown alloy. The master does not know what will happen to the material after exposure.
- Loss of shape and shade during work. Costume jewelry can crumble when compressed, turn black from overheating, and lose its aesthetics after cutting.
- Toxicity. After processing, oxidation is possible. Then the alloy releases substances harmful to humans.
Making a silver ring one size smaller is also not always possible. If the jewelry is plated with rhodium, it will deteriorate when heated. The jeweler will be able to partially restore the aesthetics of the accessory, but it will not be possible to return it to its original shade.
The design of the decoration also matters. If the product has complex patterns or openwork filigree, changing it will be problematic or impossible.
Jewelry equipment
Processing platinum requires special equipment - a laser cutting tool and a high-temperature crucible for heating and forging. This is not available in every jewelry workshop, so adjusting platinum jewelry is not always possible.
How to reduce ring size at home
There are several simple techniques for reducing the inner diameter of your favorite jewelry.
ADVICE! The first thing to do is try changing your finger. The human body is not symmetrical, and perhaps the ring will fit well on the finger of the other hand.
If you want to continue wearing jewelry on this particular finger, then you should try one of the methods given below.
Silicone gasket
The most reliable and durable method is a silicone gasket. There are special silicone gaskets for rings that need to be glued to the inside of the jewelry. After which it will securely clasp the finger, fixing the product well on it.
The main advantage is the simplicity and convenience, as well as the durability of this method. But getting such a gasket will not be easy. It is only available in some jewelry stores. At the same time, it can be ordered online.
IMPORTANT! Do not try to replace the silicone gasket with improvised means, such as electrical tape. The material will have very close contact with the skin, which, if the material is of poor quality, will cause irritation on the skin.
Nail polish
The simplest and most affordable way would be transparent nail polish.
It must be applied in layers to the inside of the rim . The varnish is applied several times. Moreover, before applying the next layer, you need to wait until the previous one has completely dried.
The number of layers will greatly depend on the difference in finger and ring sizes. Sometimes only 5 layers are enough, and sometimes all 15 are needed for the decoration to stick well.
The advantage of this method is the fine adjustment of the size. And if you need to increase the diameter again, the varnish can be easily removed with a special solution.
Patch
If the ring differs very slightly from the desired diameter, then you can use a flesh-colored patch. Having cut a strip of the required width from it, carefully glue it to the place where the ring should be located. This will secure it. And you will be sure that you are not in contact with harmful materials.
True, this method is very short-lived. But the ease of its use easily overcomes this drawback.
You can come up with many more ways. The main thing is to be careful and not accidentally damage the decoration. And also do not use materials that can harm your skin with prolonged contact.
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