Has anyone ever sized a bangle? Is that a thing?

[Mreader]

I am just wondering aloud - I have not bought many bangle style bracelets even though I love them because they are almost always too big, and the child sized ones are too small. I have a 5.75" wrist (when I measure w a measuring tape with no slack) so I think a 6 inch would be the sweet spot in terms of size. Most of them are 6.5 and up, or child ones tend to be 5.5 or smaller. I'm just wondering if bangles can be sized like rings can.

 

[dk168]

It is not just about the size of the wrist, the widest part of the hand needs to be taken into consideration if the bangle is not hinged.

Even for a hinged bangle, the widest part of the hand still needs to be taken into consideration to prevent the bangle from slipping off if it is too big.

Also needs to take into consideration if it is round or oval in shape - ovals would minimise twisting on the wrists which would be more suitable for designs that are localised, e.g. 3-stone diamonds bypass style.

One can buy gauges for bangles and I have bought one which is adjustable.

I have yet to resize a bangle, however, I can't see why it cannot be done.

DK

 

[Mreader]

It is not just about the size of the wrist, the widest part of the hand needs to be taken into consideration if the bangle is not hinged.

Even for a hinged bangle, the widest part of the hand still needs to be taken into consideration to prevent the bangle from slipping off if it is too big.

Also needs to take into consideration if it is round or oval in shape - ovals would minimise twisting on the wrists which would be more suitable for designs that are localised, e.g. 3-stone diamonds bypass style.

One can buy gauges for bangles and I have bought one which is adjustable.

I have yet to resize a bangle, however, I can't see why it cannot be done.

DK

I will google the gauge thing. I meant hinge or opening in some way; sorry for not saying that before!

 

[lissyflo]

How about a mix of bar and chain in a bracelet? The sleek look of a bangle but the better fit of a bracelet; you can size it differently for summer swelling; and no clanging a fixed bangle into desks etc when you’re working. Mine is like this and I love it:

 

[Paisley2628]

I've run in to this same dilemma. I have multiple hinge style bracelets - all are too large for me now, as I've lost a good amount of weight.
Cartier said the only option would be to melt the original bracelet and they would re-create it in a smaller size (for a charge of 40% of the original price)
Tiffany outright said there would be no way to reduce the size.

I never thought about the issues with a hinged bracelet!

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

I've run in to this same dilemma. I have multiple hinge style bracelets - all are too large for me now, as I've lost a good amount of weight.
Cartier said the only option would be to melt the original bracelet and they would re-create it in a smaller size (for a charge of 40% of the original price)
Tiffany outright said there would be no way to reduce the size.

I never thought about the issues with a hinged bracelet!

you know how people wear a chain or necklace over aturtle neck
would it be feasable to wear a bangle over a sleeve ?

 

[GemView]

I've run in to this same dilemma. I have multiple hinge style bracelets - all are too large for me now, as I've lost a good amount of weight.
Cartier said the only option would be to melt the original bracelet and they would re-create it in a smaller size (for a charge of 40% of the original price)
Tiffany outright said there would be no way to reduce the size.

I never thought about the issues with a hinged bracelet!

I realize this is an old post but as an FYI, I just had a white gold diamond hinged bracelet resized. The first two jewelers I went to claimed it couldn't be done (diamonds might fall out, concerns it might be hollow, etc). The third was able to pull it off by adding gold (similar to sizing a ring). I doubt it would have been possible if the bottom half of the hinged bracelet was hollow. However, these are prong-set diamonds and the bracelet is solid. I can't even tell it was ever worked on.

If you have a hinged bracelet that doesn't fit, don't give up on it!

 

[Mreader]

I realize this is an old post but as an FYI, I just had a white gold diamond hinged bracelet resized. The first two jewelers I went to claimed it couldn't be done (diamonds might fall out, concerns it might be hollow, etc). The third was able to pull it off by adding gold (similar to sizing a ring). I doubt it would have been possible if the bottom half of the hinged bracelet was hollow. However, these are prong-set diamonds and the bracelet is solid. I can't even tell it was ever worked on.

If you have a hinged bracelet that doesn't fit, don't give up on it!

So they sized up? For me it would have to go down. I’m glad it worked out!

 

[GemView]

Yes. My wrist is a 6.75 (used to be much smaller but I gained weight . The bracelet measured 6.5" and the jeweler added 10mm (also made it slightly more oval). He did say it was similar to ring sizing. If ~10mm were removed from a 6.5", it might land in the ballpark for what you described.

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

I think it depends on your bracelet and its design. It’s more labour intensive to resize a hinged oval bracelet than a ring, but it can be done. But in some cases my jeweler recommends just having the bracelet remade. For example, my mom has a round (non-hinged) bangle that is too small, and to size it up the jeweler recommended just having the bangle remade.

 

[GemView]

I forgot to mention that one of the options a jeweler gave me was to convert the hinged bracelet to a bolo bracelet.

There is no doubt some bracelets (i.e. hollow, tension set stones, etc.) won't lend themselves to the process. However, a big part of it is also jewelers' experience and comfort level. The first place I inquired at was in business 40 years, closed their store and retired, traveled the world and then decided to open a smaller shop and keep working — plenty of experience yet they refused to touch it. The place that ultimately resized my bracelet is an independent shop owned by a European jeweler. I don't doubt that retail chain stores would refuse such a job. Just the same, melting a piece of jewelry down and making something different out of it strikes me as an option of last resort. Beyond the fact that it may not be necessary, some people inherit jewelry that doesn't fit and may want alternatives to melting down or letting a piece that has sentimental value gather dust — so I thought I would add my experience on having a hinged bracelet successfully resized.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

i am keenly following this thread
Mum's 25th anniversary silver bracelet is a bit too snug

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

My jeweler told me it’s like resizing a ring. Ultimately I just decided to trade it in because it was one of those things where they could do it by no one was sure if it would look seamless.

And my bangle had a hinge and was all smooth on the bottom half so no stones to deal with.

 

[Mreader]

I realize this is an old post but as an FYI, I just had a white gold diamond hinged bracelet resized. The first two jewelers I went to claimed it couldn't be done (diamonds might fall out, concerns it might be hollow, etc). The third was able to pull it off by adding gold (similar to sizing a ring). I doubt it would have been possible if the bottom half of the hinged bracelet was hollow. However, these are prong-set diamonds and the bracelet is solid. I can't even tell it was ever worked on.

If you have a hinged bracelet that doesn't fit, don't give up on it!

Hi @GemView I am reviving this thread because now I am in the position of needing to size up and the bracelet is a similar design to yours. Are you able to show a photo of where the jeweler added the gold? I am intrigued.