So maybe your fiancé surprised you by picking out the perfect engagement ring for you, but he didn’t get quite the right size for your ring finger. Or perhaps you have lost or gained some weight, and your ring no longer fits you correctly as a result. Or perhaps you want to wear your ring on a different finger.

Whatever the reason may be, you find yourself with the need to have your ring resized. But is this process a huge hassle? The simple answer is that it doesn’t have to be!

The length of time it will take to get your ring resized definitely depends on the type of ring you have and where you take it to be resized.

How Long Does It Take to Get a Ring Resized? - The Short Answer

The ring resizing process can be completed in as little as a few hours, or it can take several weeks (or anything in between). It all depends on the metal, the intricacy of the ring, and the jeweler you are working with.

But how long will it take to resize your ring in particular? Well, we can’t give you an exact answer, but we can definitely present you with some tips and basic principles that will give you a general idea of how long it will take to get your ring resized.

We'd love to help you at Honey, so feel free to contact us any time!

We specialize in custom, whether its dealing with engagement rings or with wedding bands.

Where to Get Your Ring Resized

One of the most important factors in determining how long it will take for a ring to be resized is where you take it for that service. Generally, a small local jeweler will be able to resize the ring for you much more quickly than a chain jewelry store (like Kay or Zales).

The primary reason is that a local jeweler will be able to do the resizing on site, while a chain jewelry store (or a jewelry store at the mall, for instance) will have to ship your ring out to a jeweler to be resized. Thus, it may take about a week for the ring to be shipped offsite to a jewelry workshop, a few days for the offsite jeweler to do the actual resizing, and another week for your ring to be shipped back to the chain jewelry store.

Depending on the shipping speed, getting your ring resized at a chain jewelry store may take two to three weeks. 

The local jeweler will have a workshop on site and may be able to start resizing your ring right away. If the job is simple and the jeweler has no other customers ahead of you, your ring may be resized in as little as an hour. But since the jeweler may have to work on other pieces before he gets to yours, you can usually expect a turnaround time of one to three days.

Many local jewelers will give you a quote of one week, just to be safe. But it is often the case that the jeweler will be able to have your ring resized for you that same day or the next day.

Be sure to ask your jeweler about the current workload and the turnaround time for your particular ring.

One thing to note: if your ring is of a particular brand or if you purchased your ring from a certain store and it comes with a store or brand warranty, check the warranty details before taking it to be resized.

Some stores or jewelry brands will void the warranty on your ring if you take it to be resized at an unauthorized jeweler. So if your ring came with a warranty and you don’t want to risk voiding that warranty, it may be wise to get it resized at the location where the ring was originally purchased.

Other Factors to Consider

Other crucial determining factors as to the length of time it will take for your ring to be resized is the complexity of the ring itself and what kind of resizing you need.

Firstly, rings made out of tungsten or titanium cannot be resized, because the metal is too hard. Also, some rings made of rose gold are often a bit more difficult to resize, because rose gold is rather temperamental and may crack. So if you get a ring out of these materials, do your best to get the best fit on the front end.

Stainless steel rings will take longer to resize, because the metal has an extremely high melting point, and resizing requires specialized machinery that your local jeweler may not possess on site.

If your ring is made out of gold, silver, or platinum, chances are it can be resized fairly easily. It all depends on the design of the ring.

For instance, if your ring has a full eternity band with diamonds set all the way around the entire ring, it cannot be resized because there is not any bare metal that your jeweler can work with.

Aside from an eternity band, most rings made of gold, platinum, or silver can be resized. But how does the resizing take place?

If the ring is too large, the jeweler will cut the ring and remove a bit of metal then solder the ring back together. After it is polished, you won’t be able to tell the difference!

You certainly won’t be able to tell that the ring has been cut.

For a simpler ring, this process can take anywhere between half an hour and three hours.

If the ring is too small, the ring may be enlarged either by stretching (which will increase it by one quarter or one half of a ring size) or by cutting the band and adding more metal into the ring (which is usually necessary for enlargements of more than half a ring size).

Stretching the ring will usually take the shortest amount of time. It can take as little as 10 minutes. Adding more metal into the ring is more complex and will take between half an hour and three hours for simpler rings.

But what about more complicated rings?

A pave ring, like our Lola wedding band (in which small diamonds are set close together on the band and create a “paved” surface of diamonds) or a channel set ring (in which diamonds are set in a groove or channel on the band) will take longer to resize than a ring with a plain band, because the resizing process may loosen the stones. Tightening the stones again to make sure none are lost will take extra time.

Other rings which will take more time are those with intricate designs on the band. If you take one of these more complex rings to a chain jewelry store, your ring may take as long as 5 weeks (or even two months!) to be resized.

A small local jeweler will usually still be able to resize this type of ring within a week or two.

How Much Does Resizing Cost?

The cost of the resizing depends on the level of difficulty. A simple resizing can be as little as $20, and the most complicated jobs may cost up to a few hundred dollars.

What if You Don’t Have Time to Resize?

If your ring is too large but you don’t have time to get it resized (because you need to wear it to some events, for example), your jeweler can add a ring guard to reduce the size of the ring and make it fit you better. This is not a permanent solution, however; the ring guard may damage the band over time.

How Should a Ring Fit?

Your ring should fit you snugly and comfortably. It should slide onto your finger without issue, but there should be some resistance when you try to take it off. If there is no resistance, the ring is too large and may fall off. The ring should not be too tight or cut off your circulation.

The Bottom Line

In order to get the most accurate picture of how long your ring resizing will take and how much it will cost, bring your ring to a jeweler. The jeweler will be able to determine the cost and the length of time by looking at the setting and design of the ring.

It's almost always best to bring your ring to the place where you originally purchased it (especially if your ring has a warranty) or to a local jeweler who can grant you speed, careful workmanship, and undivided attention.