How much do you know about your ring size?

Ring sizes have confounded men and women for generations. Once you have your size, it can change due to weight loss or gain, swelling, pregnancy, arthritis, even time of year. That’s right, hands dry out in the winter and “shrink” a bit, so don’t be in a hurry to have rings sized down this time of year, as rings are likely to tighten again in the heat of summer.

Can any ring be re-sized?

“Generally, yes,” states Marc Aronstam. “Although certain metals such as tungsten and titanium cannot be re-sized, as a general rule, almost any fine metal can. It depends on how intricate the ring is, and how it is designed.”

Re-sizing a ring depends on what is needed to maintain the integrity of the ring and any stones set into the metal. At Aronstam, we generally ‘laser weld’ fine metals so there are no seams or weak spots from sizing.

So how is ring size determined in the first place?

Most fine jewelers agree, when you size a ring, it should be large enough to slide over the knuckle, but small enough so it won’t turn or slide off. Take the measurement at the end of the day when your fingers are warm, and have a jeweler check it to be sure it is accurate.

You may have a different ring size with different rings. The width of the ring needs to be taken into consideration. The wider a ring is, the larger size you will need. Wearing two rings together, such as a diamond engagement ring next to a wedding ring? That changes the size of the rings as well.

Sizing should be done with correct ring sizers, available in both narrow or wide band styles. Get your ring sized correctly and professionally to make sure you won’t have trouble with lost rings or  swollen fingers when rings are too tight.

If you have extremely large knuckles or arthritis problems, we have another answer for you, rings that actually open and close so they don’t need to slide over your knuckle. Ask to try one on.

If you are curious about your ring size, or need to have your favorites re-sized, stop in! We’ll clean your jewelry while you take a look around, and give you an estimate on the re-sizing while you wait.