Antique ring question

[mareray]

Hello everyone, I have a question… not really about diamonds (but it involves them

). I was recently given a promise ring (on loan until my bf gets an e-ring). It belonged to his great grandmother (her engagement ring)… it is absolutely gorgeous. It is a platinum ring with an old mine cut diamond as the center stone, and a smaller diamond on each side (I want to post pics… if I can ever get a decent one!)

Okay, now on to my question. Would sizing it affect its value as an antique? I have heard that if an antique has any work done it loses value. I can tell the value of the ring is high (both in price and in sentimental value). His mother told me I could size it, but because the ring is a family heirloom I don’t want to do anything to damage it. However, it is too big and I’m afraid it will slip off. Right now I wear it on my middle finger.

We are planning on getting engaged next summer/fall. I know it is weird to have it planned, but he will be done with school and be in a better financial situation (I’m in law school, he’s in grad school... so we are somewhat short on money now). I told him I would be fine with a plastic ring from those grocery-store machines, but he wants to save and get something really nice.

Until then, however, he wants me to have something on my finger to ‘let everyone know I’m taken’ – He is so cute.

Sorry, I’ve drawn out a simple question… I’m just excited

Thanks in advance!

Mary

"Education is the progressive discovery of our own ignorance" – Will Durrant

 

[gingerBcookie]

well, i don't know anything about antique rings (except that I love looking at them so...post pics please!) but if you are worried about the ring being loose, have you tried the old fashioned ghettofied way of sizing the ring by wrapping string/yarn around the underside to fit your finger? just a thought.

btw...my bf and i are "planning" our engagement too...same type sitch, I'm in med school and he's just starting to work as an electrical engineer so money is in the process of being saved... my friends gave me crap about the "planned" engagement but whatever...to each his/her own. good luck with everything and don't forget the pics!

 

[glitterata]

You've been watching Antiques Roadshow, haven't you?

Is it a complicated pattern? Are you going down many sizes? If not, it should be fine to size it, assuming you take it to a jeweler who has the proper tools and knows what s/he's doing. Maybe not if it belonged to Joan of Arc or Queen Elizabeth or something, but I've never heard of a well-done sizing job badly affecting the value of a ring that we mortals would wear. Chances are good your fiance's great grandmother even had it sized herself at some point, since most of us don't keep the same ring size our whole lives.

(Never replace the old clasp on a Victorian brooch with a new, locking clasp, though. You WILL damage the value if you do that.)

Congratulations on your engagement-to-be! It warms my heart to hear how much you respect the ring and the family who's given it to you to wear.

If you really are uncomfortable sizing it, perhaps you could have a jeweler put a temporary sizing bar in. They make little metal bars that sort of wrap around the shaft of the ring, so you wouldn't have to have it cut and put together again. You're right not to wear it on a finger that it's too loose for, though--you really could lose it, and that would be very very sad.

Oh, and--POST PICTURES!!!!

 

[valeria101]

You say.... you are wearing the ring on the middle finger. The ring finger is usually less than a full size smaller - so this does not sound as a huge resizing. Most of times, resizing a little on a simple band does not damage the ring or change it's appearence at all: the band is cut and rejoined at the back of the ring. I would not say that such an opperation woudl damage the status of pristine antique of the respective ring. More intervention could, and could damage a delicate setting too.

Pictures ?

You can always ask the jeweler what is he going to do to resize the ring and tell him not to go for some radical intervention regardless.

Just my 0.2, of course

 

[glitterata]

What Steve says. That was the thingie I was talking about, I just forgot its name.

 

[yowahking]

Sorry Steve, have do disagree on this one. Those ring guards were designed to work for a couple days till a jeweler could size it. Somehow it evolved into a lazy way for jewelers to solve a problem. With plat, just forcing the brass around the ring with pliers scratches the platinum. Once you wear a ring guard a few times, it is not really working anyway. We have people insist on wanting them, and charge $2 for them, but do it kicking and screaming. Sizing is best, adding a butterfly to the inside (if the ring is too large), adding sizing bars, sizing balls, thicken up the shank, all options depending on what size it is now and what it needs to become. Find a good jeweler who knows platinum, do not let them size it with white gold solder. Enjoy your family piece.

 

[mareray]

Thanks everyone for their wonderful help! The ring guard sounds like a great invention, and I’ll be sure the check that out. When I first tried on the ring, I thought of the ‘string trick’… lol. I was hoping I wouldn’t have to do that. I will be wearing the ring for about a year (give or take a couple of months). Thank you for the suggestions!

Haha… I love that show, Antique’s Road-show. I’m dreaming of the day I go with something found at a garage sale, and having the experts tell me it is worth a fortune! Lol.

The ring isn’t in perfect condition; it wasn’t bought and put in a vault… his great grandmother enjoyed wearing it for 50 plus years.

Because I was trusted with it, I just don’t want to harm it in any way. Most of the metal design is around the diamond (the setting is somewhat wide there). It then tapers toward the end of the ring. To give an idea of what it looks like, when I first saw it I thought it resembled a class ring. There isn’t much design on the bottom of the ring (unless it wore off). Sorry for my lack of knowledge on ring terminology.

I’m still trying to get a good picture. I guess I’m trying with the wrong camera. It is a digital camera, and it doesn’t focus quite right on something that small. Why do the people on this forum make pictures look SO easy!

I’m going to break out my Nikon and try to have some pictures developed this weekend.

 

[Rowan]

You can buy a package of clear plastic ring guards at Wal-Mart for a couple bucks. Much better, in that they don't scratch the ring. Also, some people have very different sizes from finger to finger. My middle finger is at least 1 1/2 sizes bigger than my ring finger.

 

[fire&ice]

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On 9/10/2004 2:22:02 PM Rowan wrote:

You can buy a package of clear plastic ring guards at Wal-Mart for a couple bucks. Much better, in that they don't scratch the ring. Also, some people have very different sizes from finger to finger. My middle finger is at least 1 1/2 sizes bigger than my ring finger.

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That was my intitial solution. It won't work if the ring size difference is great as the antique ring may slip around your finger. Correctly sizing a ring isn't the worst thing one can do to an old setting. The main problem I encounter w/ sizing is the obliteration of marks. A signature can add significant value. Deletion of such significant decrease in value.

Personally, I would do what Feydakin suggests. If it was yours forever, then I'd say size it. But, you are just borrowing it. Best to keep it intact.

I have always used two ring guards (diamond ones though

) My fingers expand & contract. The bands are narrow enough that they don't bother me if my fingers swell & are tight enough during the winter or do nothing phase.

Good luck. Love to see a pic.

 

[MelissaSue]

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On 9/10/2004 2:22:02 PM Rowan wrote:

You can buy a package of clear plastic ring guards at Wal-Mart for a couple bucks. Much better, in that they don't scratch the ring. Also, some people have very different sizes from finger to finger. My middle finger is at least 1 1/2 sizes bigger than my ring finger.

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My mother bought those clear plastic things, because her rings spin, as she needs larger sizes to go over her knuckles.. She found them very annoying to wear, as they added the same amount on the OUTside of the ring on her finger as it did to the inside, so it bothered the palm of her hand. Those little metal ones look like a good idea though..
Melissa

 

[innerkitten]

Looking forward to seeing a photo.