What If My Engagement Ring Is Too Big (How To Fix)
You’re engaged! He (or she) liked it and put a ring on it (gotta make Beyoncé happy).
But what if your engagement ring or wedding band is too big? Is there anything you can do to fix it?
If your engagement ring is too big, you can have it resized (depending on the type of ring), or you can have a jeweler apply “sizing assistants” such as sizing beads, sizing bars, or spring inserts. Alternatively, you can try some DIY options with rubber bands, dental floss, and nail polish.
Here is what we cover in this article:
- What to do if your engagement ring is too big (tips and ideas from real brides and couples)
- Can you make an engagement ring smaller?
- Signs your engagement ring is too loose or too big
- How can I shrink a ring that’s too big at home?
What To Do If Your Engagement Ring Or Wedding Band Is Too Big (Tips and Advice From Real Brides and Couples)
We talked to a bunch of engaged/married couples to find out what they did when they got an engagement ring (or wedding band) that was too big. We also asked how much it cost to get their ring resized.
Here are the tips and ideas that they shared with us:
“My engagement ring was a little loose, so I put a metal sizer on mine (free from Zales!). It fits perfectly, and you can’t even tell it’s on there!”
“Those sizers work great but make sure you take it off and clean it regularly. I used a sizer adjuster on my engagement ring, and because I’m really bad at remembering to clean my jewelry, the ring tarnished where the sizer is. You can get them on Amazon for less than $10.”
“I finally got my ring resized. I went from a 6 to a 5 1/2. Mine was very loose for about 8 months, so I wore a ring sizer adjuster until after my wedding so I could see how it felt with my wedding band. It only took a few days and cost $30.”
“If your ring doesn’t go past your knuckle (on the coldest days in your area), then you should be fine. Hands can swell because of so many reasons, so getting it sized smaller may be an issue later on. I would size it down if it easily slides past your knuckle and off your finger.”
“I had a ring guard put on my wedding ring and love it! It fits in the back of the ring. This allows the ring to slip over your knuckle, but then it fits better on your finger and does not spin around. It cost $40 at a local jewelry shop.”
“I bought ring snuggies for mine. You can buy a pack of 10 from the Walmart jewelry department for around $5. They come in different sizes to fit any finger.”
“My engagement ring is a 1/2 to 1 size too big. I spoke to a jeweler, and she said to hold off resizing until I choose my wedding band and eternity band as the rings get tighter the more you stack! Until then, I am wearing one of those size adjusters.”
How Can I Make My Ring Fit Tighter? Can You Make an Engagement Ring Smaller?
You can make your ring fit tighter by getting it resized by a jeweler. However, the ring must be from a specific material, including silver, gold, or platinum. If professional resizing isn’t possible, you can have a jeweler install sizing assistants.
Let’s go into more detail about the ways you can make your ring fit tighter.
Have Your Engagement Ring Or Wedding Band Resized By A Jeweler
One of the most simple ways of fixing a ring that is too loose is to take it to the jeweler who made the ring. They should be able to easily resize the ring as long as it’s made of the right material/metal.
What kind of ring material or metal can be resized? Are there rings that can’t be made smaller?
If your engagement ring or wedding ring is made of silver, gold, or platinum, you should have no problem getting it resized. Jewelers can typically increase or decrease them by two sizes.
However, you will not be able to resize tungsten rings, titanium rings, or stainless steel rings. These materials are too hard for jewelers to work with.
Rose gold rings are also difficult to work with, but if you ask around, you should be able to find a jeweler who can help you.
The reason rose gold rings are harder to resize is that they need the exact matching color when soldering the ring back together. Because of this, many jewelers will not want to work on them.
Try to work with the store or shop where the ring was purchased for the best results.
One more note about rose gold. If you try to make a rose gold ring bigger, there is a good chance that the ring will crack since this metal is more brittle.
Something to keep in mind if you are considering resizing your engagement ring…
If you have larger knuckles, you may want to consider a ring sizing assistant (more info in the section below) or purchase a low-cost ring sizer adjuster.
The reason for this is if you have big knuckles and resize your ring to make it tighter where it normally sits on your finger, you may have some trouble getting it over your knuckle.
The best advice is to talk with a professional jeweler before resizing your ring. Don’t just take the advice from the salesperson behind the counter at a mall jewelry store.
Sizing Assistants
Ring sizing assistants are little bits of metal that jewelers can solder onto the inner side of your ring to give it a tighter fit. The most common of these are:
- Sizing beads – two beads attached to the bottom, inner ring to hold it in place and give it a better fit.
- Sizing bar – a small bar fitted across the bottom of the inner ring to decrease the space.
- Spring insert – a strip of metal inserted inside the ring. This design allows it to spring back against the inner ring and ease it over the knuckle.
While they come in different shapes, each one of these basically serves the same purpose, so the primary consideration when choosing which one to go with is comfort.
To see these 3 ring sizing assistants in action, check out this fantastic 3-minute video on YouTube:
If the video above does not automatically play in your browser, you can see it here on YouTube.
Signs Your Engagement Ring Or Wedding Band Is Too Loose/Too Big
Walking around with an oversized ring is a sure way to lose it. To determine whether your ring is too big, look for the following signs.
The Ring Falls Off (Should My Ring Fall Off?)
An obvious indication that your engagement ring is too big is if it falls off when you shake your hand. If you find yourself regularly picking the ring up off the ground or digging it out of your bag after searching for your phone, then chances are you need to go down a ring size or two.
You can test this using the following steps:
- Hold your outstretched hand downward.
- Point your fingertips towards the ground.
- Wiggle your fingers.
If the ring slides off, it’s time to visit your jeweler.
The Ring Spins (Should My Ring Spin?)
Rings that are slightly too big may spin left and right on your finger without rotating a full 360 degrees. You can usually remedy this with a ring assistant.
However, if you find that the ring spins all the way around, causing the head to dig into your palm, you surely need to get the ring to your jeweler so they can resize it.
There Is No Tension
There should be some resistance when sliding an engagement ring onto your finger. With gentle yet firm pressure, the ring should slide over the knuckle and down to the finger’s base. If you can slide the ring on or off with little to no tension or effort, the ring should go down a size or two.
Resizing An Engagement Ring or Wedding Band That’s Too Big: How Do Jewelers Do It?
To resize an engagement ring that’s too loose or too big, jewelers sever the shank, remove a small piece of metal, and secure the ends using solder. After the jeweler finishes resizing the ring, it’s cleaned and polished to hide any imperfections associated with the ring resizing process.
If the jeweler does a great job, the ring should fit snugly around the finger with little to no signs of resizing.
Rings that are only slightly too big may benefit more from the use of ring assistants. Jewelers can apply tiny metal beads to the inner shank, allowing the ring to fit firmly and comfortably on the finger.
While you wait to book an appointment with your jeweler, you can pick up temporary ring resizers for rings that are too big. These PVC ring adjusters are soft and flexible, allowing you to reduce the circumference of a ring by ½ to one full size.
How Can I Shrink a Ring That Is Too Big at Home?
There are a few really creative home remedies for temporarily making your wedding ring or engagement ring fit more snugly.
To shrink a ring that’s too big at home, you can use dental floss, fishing line, or nail polish. These items are easy to find around the house, and they’re simple ways to make a ring that’s too big fit more snuggly on your finger.
To be clear, you won’t technically be shrinking the ring itself, but these hacks will reduce the circumference of the inside so that it fits more comfortably on your finger. Let’s go over these DIY tricks in the following sections.
Fishing Line
You can fill that extra space between the inside of the ring and your finger with something as simple as fishing line.
It’s a neat trick, especially since fishing line comes in so many different sizes.
To see this DIY hack in action, check out this awesome video tutorial on YouTube.
Dental Floss
Check out this 5 minute YouTube video that walks you through this DIY hack.
While dental floss may not be as inconspicuous as a clear rubber band, you might be able to find this item at home more easily than you would the other.
This dental floss trick makes use of the same idea as that of the rubber band. It also one-ups the previous hack in terms of custom sizing.
Take some dental floss and wrap it around your finger as tightly or loosely as you need for it to be comfortable and for blood circulation to carry on freely.
Wind it about as many times as you need for it to optimally fill out the space in between your finger and the inside of your ring.
Nail Polish
Check out this quick 3-minute YouTube video tutorial using this DIY hack.
This is a pretty clever idea, and it’s my personal favorite.
Nail polish solidifies when it dries up. So, painting a decent amount around the inside of the ring will give it an added layer that will make the circumference smaller.
We recommend using clear nail polish.
One thing to keep in mind is that your natural oils and sweat will eventually cause this layer of nail polish to wear out.
But this shouldn’t pose too much of a problem. You can always paint on a new layer after a couple of weeks or as often as is needed.
More Wedding Planning Tips and Ideas
Here are a few more articles that you might find helpful during the wedding planning process:
