QuestionQUESTION: Thomas:
Is $280 reasonable to resize my wedding and engagement rings? I took my wedding ring and engagement ring to a jewelry store to resize from 6.5 to 5.5 and they said it'll cost $280. The wedding ring is a band with about 10 tiny diamonds across the top half of the ring. The engagement ring has a princess cut diamond in the center and about 30 some tiny diamonds on the sides. It also has a design on the flat sides of the ring. All the diamonds and designs are on the top half of the rings.
According to my friends and the little research I've done online, resizing a ring is about $30-$50. Can you share with me your opinion?
Thank you,
Amy
ANSWER: Amy, this is not your complete answer. That will be done tomorrow evening. In the meantime, if you get a chance, use the follow-up option and get back to me with this: What metal are the rings? Are the rings 14k, platinum, what?
I suspect the high price given is because someone maxed on the "extras" added to ring sizing based on number of side stones. You see, with some designs there is great risk of stones coming out or loosening during the sizing work. The price would include resetting the stones. Now, this is just a possible reason for the price you got.
I will check our price guides at work tomorrow and see how the price you got fits what we would charge. Right off, I believe going down one size for two rings for $280 is much too high. Please get back with me if possible before 7pm ESDT tomorrow evening and I will get the full answer out. I will answer even if you cannot tell me the metal of the rings since I can provide info for different metals in the answer if need be.
God Bless and Peace. See you tomorrow. Thomas.
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Rings
QUESTION: It's 14K white gold. Attached is a picture of it. Thanks.
ANSWER: Amy, I am back as promised. Thanks so very much for the added information and the lovely photo. This tells me most all I can expect to know without having the rings in my hands.
I will give you some prices and explanations in a moment. However, my first suggestion is to try another jeweler for the ring sizing. Still, you do want a jeweler who will do a fine job. Essentially, being sized down one size the finished work should show no evidence of the rings being sized at all. All should look brand new after the sizing work is completed. If you have the time or the desire, you might go back to the jeweler with the high estimate and ask specifically why the sizing is so costly. They should be able to give you a reasonable explanation.
STANDARD PRICING GUIDE
Amy, there are in the industry guides for repair prices. Some jewelers go by these guides and some figure the prices they need to charge. Factors affecting the cost of a sizing job include what metal is the ring, how many and what sort of stones are set, how the stones are set with an eye toward security during the work, width of the ring and how many sizes the ring must be changed. Going down in size, price is not affected much at all by adding another size unless the ring design and structure is not conducive to being made much smaller in the first place. Going up in size, adding another size and the width and thickness of the ring metal can greatly affect the price because of the price of the added metal.
Another factor in pricing is rhodium. Most white gold is given a flash plate of rhodium to make the metal look even whiter. Some white gold benefits more than others because some white gold is whiter than others and white gold which is not at the top of the whiteness scale will be whiter with the rhodium. If rhodium is added to the price of sizing the ring, you can figure about $25 on top of the normal sizing price. This should be your choice since the rhodium work can always be done later if desired, however likely at a higher price since the rings will need to be briefly polished and again thoroughly cleaned for the plating procedure.
The prices I give here are based closely on one of the general guides available to jewelers for repair pricing. Remember to add $25 or so for the rhodium. I would assume from the price you were given by the local jeweler that rhodium was included.
The reasons number of stones is a factor is that so many rings today have multiples of smaller accent stones. Often bending the ring band to make the ring round at a new size will dislodge or loosen stones. These must be reset. Sometimes, stones are lost(to be found later) when the rings are cleaned in an ultrasonic cleaner. The stones remain in the cleaner and may be recovered but more time is required. Some brands of rings have stones set very securely and some do not. Some vary even in the top brands when multiple tiny accent stones are used in the design. Therefore: Added charges in anticipation of extra care and resetting of accent stones.
14karat white gold
Down, no stones. $28 w/rhodium $55
Down 5-20 stones 48 75
Down 21-35 stones 63 90
With these prices as guidelines, your band would be in the $48 or $75 price. Your engagement ring would be in the $63 or $90 price bracket.
Without rhodium the sizing would cost about $111 for both rings or with rhodium a price of close to $165. Any way you look at it, even $165 is a far cry from $280. Unless there is something very peculiar about the particular job, the quote you received appears quite high and beyond the normal range expected.
Amy, this is the answer. The numbers speak with little help from me! : ) Best wishes with getting the rings sized to properly fit and at a reasonable price. BTW, the photo is lovely.
God Bless and Peace. Thomas.
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QUESTION: Thank you so much for all the info. I asked the $280 jewelry place why their price is $100 more than other stores, and the response is that they check, clean, and tighten each diamond. They also reflash(???) and refurbish the rings so it will look like brand new.
I called a couple of other places today and got quotes from $88 to $125. They all say that they will check the settings and that my rings will look brand new after they are done with them. They also said that the number of small diamonds on the side should not affect the price. Now seeing your standard price breakdown, the number of diamonds does affect price, so I'm not so sure about the quotes over the phone.
The $280 place is a recommendation from a friend who vouch for their amazing work, but I have to decide if $100 is justifiable for amazing work.
I'll keep you posted. Thanks for your compliment on the photo.
AnswerDear Amy, I wanted to mention one thing in regard to your follow-up. Also, I must reply to any follow-up since the allexperts machine between us will think this is an unanswered question if there is not a reply. : )
Sure, it would be good to hear a recommendation one way or the other about the other jewelers. Generally, a quote on the phone is subject to change since it is provided sight unseen. And, some jewelers do not build in a charge on stones; we did not for a long time but found it necessary with the many designs with multiple accent stones. If there is not a problem at all, I can always lower the price some when the work is done. Of course, checking the stones should be a part of the work, no matter who does it.
What the more costly jeweler meant by "flash" was the rhodium I had mentioned. This is a term sometimes used to describe a quick electroplate job, which is what rhodium plating happens to be.
Again, best wishes. God Bless to all. Thomas.
