Should rings be worn tight or loose?

[woobug02]

Question: Do you wear your rings loose or tight. My fingers swell some so I often get rings a little big but then the seem to lay to the side. What do others do to help in this situation?

 

[AndyRosse]

You can have beads put in the inside shanks of your rings. But, some people find them uncomfortable.

Also, there are spring mechanisms that can be added. So when your hands are swollen, the spring will be compressed down to allow it fit, but when your hands are not as swollen, the spring will be not as compressed down, thereby still making the ring sit snugly on your hand. If that makes any sense at all!

 

[woobug02]

Thank you. I have never heard of either of your suggestions. This really helps me.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

woo- I have the same problem. When I am hot or just wake up my e-ring fits perfectly. If I am cold it is very lose and always falls to the side (maybe it is top heavy) I am waiting until winter (it is still summer weather here!) to see how small my fingers get before I put any sizing beads in. I thought about getting a smaller plain band to wear on top of my ring to "secure" it, like a ring gaurd, My fi does not like that idea, so I''ll see what it is like in the winter.

 

[woobug02]

Woo Tacori, Thank you. Do you wear two rings currently or one? I would love to see your set.

 

[Kaleigh]

Someone a while ago suggested those plastic strips that you can buy at Target that you put on the inside of your ring when it''s loose. Then you just peel them off when you don''t need them. Not sure of their name though. maybe someone else will know.

 

[recran]

I had beads on the inside of my engagement ring to prevent the falling over thing, but I had to have them taken out. Ouch!

 

[jcrow]

would having the shank squared off a bit help this?

 

[ame]

I vote for having it a little loose to make sure it''s not cutting off circulation when you are swelled. Get sizing beads if you can.

 

[FireGoddess]

Another option is to get a butterfly spring bar (I don't know the correct term) in lieu of sizing beads. There used to be a thread with a picture, but for the life of me I can't find it. I tried to draw it, so sorry for the crappy pic but you get the idea. I know this has been done before, should be easy to remove later, and won't "hurt" as some people claim the sizing beads can be uncomfortable.

ETA: crap, the picture didn't come out - I'll try it again.

 

[oldminer]

For those fortunate enough not to suffer from swelling and shrinking fingers, a ring is properly sized when it goes on without stretching the skin at the knuckle,revolves slowly against the finger and will not fall past the knuckle on its own. It should fit like a comfortable bedroom slipper, barely noticeable, but tight enough that you can walk safely down the stairs if you need to.

If you fingers change size periodically, then you will never have a well fittted situation. Never allow a ring to be so tight that you cannot remove it in an emergency. Try to make it small enough that it does not just fall off your finger. On in between days it will fit okay, but at the extremes it will either be too tight or too loose. Once a ring cannot be removed or won't stay on, then you need to adjust the size further. If a compromise situation becomes impossible due to enalrged knuckles or lots of finger swelling, then some kind of expanding shank appliance can be fitted to nearly any ring. These are never perfect, but they can be very comfortable. They are costly if you buy one of the three or four well made ones. Cheaper versions, and gold filled ring guards sometimes will work a little, but not nearly as well as shanks that open and close. Sizing balls are at best a stop gap measure. Some people cannot get used to them and they don't do a whole lot for bony fingers. They work best on fingers that are rather "fleshy".

 

[FireGoddess]

okay second attempt

 

[FireGoddess]

 

[woobug02]

Both of these options sound good. will most jewlers have the spring mechinism or no what the sizing balls are?

 

[woobug02]

Woo the butterfly spring now makes perfect sense.....

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Date: 10/19/2005 2:07:52 PM
Author: woobug02
Woo Tacori, Thank you. Do you wear two rings currently or one? I would love to see your set.

I only wear one (we are getting married on Aug. and I have NO idea what kind of band I am going to get. yeek!) I was hoping it will be a tighter fit when I wear two rings. We''ll see. I feel your frustrations about the finger swelling. My ring is never too tight so I agree with everyone I rather have it a bit larger than painfully tight. Are both your band and e-ring the same size? I know some people have to get smaller w-bands because they sit on the thinner (less fleshy) part of your finger.

 

[AndyRosse]

I would think that most jewelers and benchpeople will know about sizing beads and the spring mechanism. I would go in and talk to them. I was considering doing something because my ring too likes to swing around too much (because I have bigger knuckles). I talked to a benchman who showed me those two examples, along with the expanding shanks. In the end, I just got a lower head on my setting which stopped a lot of the swinging around, but not all.

Thankfully, you can always try the sizing beads or spring, and if you decide that you do not like them, they can be taken out quite easily by a benchperson.

 

[mrssalvo]

Here's a pic of an actual ring with the butterfly spring but I love your drawing FG

...

 

[FireGoddess]

Now THAT''s the picture I was looking for.

But my crappy version ain''t half bad!

 

[AndyRosse]

FG, yours did just fine!! I knew exactly what you were talking about. Though I couldn''t help but want a martini after seeing your pic

 

[FireGoddess]

Hee hee hee...cheers!

 

[Odilia]

Yes, for woobug and tacori-e-ring, I think that spring thing might be the best bet. I too have looked into this because I have the same problem. (Mine is mainly due to my knuckle being so much bigger than the ring part of my finger.) A jeweler I know does the spring thing, although his is like a horseshoe shape thing inside the ring. He said you can''t do it on too skinny a ring, (like 2mm?), but both woobug and tacori-e-ring, yours look wide enough. That way you can''t see it, and it should be more comfortable than those sizing balls!

BTW, woobug, I never had a chance to say so on your "show me the ring" thread, but I love your new set! I am so happy for you that it turned out so well!!

Depending on what I go with when I get my diamond re-set into a white setting, I am seriously considering one of those hinged-shank type things. (I am also hoping this will help to make it so it can fit on both hands.)

 

[tawn]

I got the Euroshank...squared at the bottom! It''s the only ring I''ve had with something on top that doesn''t spin, and it''s really comfy even though it''s fairly wide at the bottom! Love it!

 

[woobug02]

Thank you all for the great input. I am going to visit the jewler this weekend. WOOO I will keep you updated!

 

[researcher]

I''m so glad I found this thread! My rings fit PERFECTLY in the summer, but when winter hits they spin a lot

My mom says it''s just natural with the weight of my stone, but I may look into these options as well. Everyone has such good ideas!!!

BTW, has anyone else used the ring guard solution? I love how the stuff works (it really keeps my rings from spinning) but it''s such a pain to clean off the rings! Also, when I go to apply it I have to wait 24 hours to wear my rings which sucks!

 

[flutterby]

my ring wont stop spinning. i guess i''m going to go get sizing balls put in, though for now I have a sill plastic ring guard in the back. I''m not quite ready to be without it for a few days. My ring is a 4.5 and i''m not sure if it will go over my knuckles any smaller, but the spinning drives me nuts! This was ever so helpful!

 

[rms]

Date: 10/19/2005 9:00:52 PM
Author: tawn
I got the Euroshank...squared at the bottom! It''s the only ring I''ve had with something on top that doesn''t spin, and it''s really comfy even though it''s fairly wide at the bottom! Love it!

after I have now passed a full winter and full summer with my 3 euroshank rings, I can without a doubt tell you that they are too big all the time.

And my square shanks don''t do much to stop the spinning...my jeweler warned me that I was getting them too big, but I can''t stand if they feel tight on my fingers and I thought the 3 rings together would make it tighter...but alas, not so.

So now I have to get them better fitted somehow. I love the spring idea!! I almost lost my e-ring last year and completely freaked out! It just fell off my finger and I had no idea it did.

Bad, bad.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Keep me updated with what you ladies with larger rings decide to do. When I had it appraised he said it was too large and he wouldn''t suggest sizing it b/c of my thick shank and all the detail so I am going to have to resort to sizing balls or the spring device. I would love to hear how well/comfortable they are.

 

[AndyRosse]

My mother has sizing beads in her wedding band and e-ring. She says that they feel fine when the rings are on her finger, but taking them off or putting them on really hurt and scratch her knuckle due to the beads. Hence, she rarely takes them off

.