Need some advice re: trusted Pricescope vendor

[wdigshopper]

Hi everyone,

I am hoping to get some advice regarding a recent custom eternity band I had commissioned from a trusted pricescope vendor. The ring is an eternity band that is 2.2mm wide, platinum, with single cut stones set in bright cut pave all the way around. My wife has a wedding band of similar width that is too large and its size is 4.75. When I commissioned the ring, I discussed that the ring needs to be a size 4.5 because I knew that the 4.75 would be too big. However, when we got the ring, it fit exactly like the band we already had and it, f course, was too big. I had the ring sized by a few local jewelers and each of their mendrels indicated that the ring is 4.75. Because the ring is only 2.2mm in width, this quarter size difference makes a big difference in how the ring fits - at 4.75 the ring is just too big!

When I spoke to the vendor, they offered to re-size the ring but this would mean losing a diamond and having a bit of a space because the diamonds were originally selected for its current size. The vendor said the ring measure 4.5 by their mandrel and said that mandrels vary in size and the best they could do is re-size the ring. However, the local vendors I spoke to when I had the ring measured indicated that, if the ring was expected to fit at 4.5 and measured 4.75, they would offer to remake the ring. The potential variance in mandrel size was not discussed when I originally commissioned the ring. Obviously, having the eternity band re-sized is a less than ideal option.

What should I do? Is the variance in mandrel size a common issue? Should I continue to request for the ring to be remade or should I have known about the possible variance of mandrel sizes? If I should push for a remake of the ring, how should I proceed? The vendor said that because the ring showed 4.5 on their mandrel, a remake of the ring is not an option.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you all.

 

[yssie]

Couple more questions before you do anything -

1. Is the ring 4.2mm wide as in your post, or is that a typo? I ask because you said "only".
2. What's the weather like right now where you live?
3. Does she plan to wear the ring in combination with any other rings?
4. Are her knuckes bigger than the fleshy part where the rings sit, or is the part where the rings sit bigger?
5. Any plans to have kids anytime soon (within a couple of years, say)?


Mandrels & sizers *shouldn't* vary, at all, but... this wouldn't be the first time I've heard of something like this.


Reasons:
1. Wider rings tend to fit more tightly than looser rings
2. A quarter size is a very, very small difference. One that could easily be made up with a small sizing bead or a little extra solder on the inside of the ring if you don't want to go the whole hog with resizing... but if 4.75 is really too loose, visible-clearance toppling-side-to-side sort of loose, a quarter size probably isn't going to be enough to make a difference - you may need to go down further.
3. Rings are looser in cold weather, and rings fit more tightly when worn with other rings (it's like making a single wider ring), so if she hasn't already tried it on in combo with other rings she wants to wear it with I'd advise doing that first
4. Some women do find their finger size changes w/ having kids, so if that's in the immediate future might be best to hold off on any changes at all

 

[wdigshopper]

Thanks for your reply. To Answer your questions below:

1.) The ring is 2.2mm wide - I've corrected the post
2.) When she is inside with the heat on, the ring fits a bit better but is still too big. In cold weather it is definitely too big
3.) She would like to wear it either on its own or stacked with other rings
4.) Her knuckles are somewhat bigger than the flashy part.
5.) No plans for kids soon

She likes her rings a bit on the big side, but she is also is pretty sensitive to small changes, even a 1/4 size difference.

Couple more questions before you do anything -

1. Is the ring 4.2mm wide as in your post, or is that a typo? I ask because you said "only".
2. What's the weather like right now where you live?
3. Does she plan to wear the ring in combination with any other rings?
4. Are her knuckes bigger than the fleshy part where the rings sit, or is the part where the rings sit bigger?
5. Any plans to have kids anytime soon (within a couple of years, say)?


Mandrels & sizers *shouldn't* vary, at all, but... this wouldn't be the first time I've heard of something like this.


Reasons:
1. Wider rings tend to fit more tightly than looser rings
2. A quarter size is a very, very small difference. One that could easily be made up with a small sizing bead or a little extra solder on the inside of the ring if you don't want to go the whole hog with resizing... but if 4.75 is really too loose, visible-clearance toppling-side-to-side sort of loose, a quarter size probably isn't going to be enough to make a difference - you may need to go down further.
3. Rings are looser in cold weather, and rings fit more tightly when worn with other rings (it's like making a single wider ring), so if she hasn't already tried it on in combo with other rings she wants to wear it with I'd advise doing that first
4. Some women do find their finger size changes w/ having kids, so if that's in the immediate future might be best to hold off on any changes at all

 

[diamondseeker2006]

My answer is to never size a ring in the winter! A quarter size loose in the winter usually means a ring that fits well in the summer. Over a lifespan most women will gain a few pounds and that quarter size will be needed. If anything, I might ask that ringmaker to add sizing beads temporarily. But I would always ask for a pave band to be a quarter size larger to avoid it having to be resized if at all possible.

 

[yssie]

It sounds like she has a good idea of what she finds comfortable. That was what I was trying to figure out - if she was very new to wearing rings, or stacking rings, I'd have suggested wearing it as-is through a couple more seasons to see how she felt, but she already knows. I agree that 1/4 size can make a difference in comfort when you "know" what you find comfortable... with pave my instinct is always to size up a bit more than strictly necessary, though.

My first thought was to suggest an independent appraisal to get something of an authoritative opinion on the current size, but I don't see how that would help - it still comes down to My Mandrel Vs Your Mandrel, and if the vendor won't budge from the My Mandrel Wins philosophy... Will they add a little metal or a sizing bead to the inside to make it fit a bit tighter, instead of remaking the whole thing? Would you consider that an acceptable solution?

Honestly, remaking it to accommodate a 1/4 size difference just sounds like a completely absurd proposition. There's cautious and precise, and then there's ridiculous... I would understand if it was a half size or more, say, but 1/4? That's the difference between an inside circumference of 48 & 48.7mm - what exactly are they going to change all the stones to, X-0.0005ct each?

 

[Karl_K]

I would have sizing beads put in to solve the problem.
They would not be very big for a 1/4 size and its reversible if needed.

 

[SB621]

My answer is to never size a ring in the winter! A quarter size loose in the winter usually means a ring that fits well in the summer. Over a lifespan most women will gain a few pounds and that quarter size will be needed. If anything, I might ask that ringmaker to add sizing beads temporarily. But I would always ask for a pave band to be a quarter size larger to avoid it having to be resized if at all possible.

This!!! No matter what you should never size in the winter. My ring size is a 6 during the winter but goes up to a 6.50 for the summer. And even that is tight. I would say just leave it. There is really no point in having it remade for 1/4 a size difference. Especially since it sounds like you might in the future have children or if she puts on some weight it won't matter. I would always rather have a larger band then one I can't wear at all.

 

[Enerchi]

I'd go with sizing beads or the little tiny plastic ring inserts that help to size for the weather. It seems everyone's hands fluctuate based on weather/weight/hormones.... whatever... and to risk altering the diamonds in their settings for the difference, I'd go with something that is removable as the weather/weight/hormones change.

Good luck - hope you find an easy and inexpensive solution!

 

[Niel]

I would buy thosr silicon incerts. Unless you live in a warm weather environment all year, I would wait at least a full year before doing anything. Then you can see if it needs to be resized, have a bead put in, or just use temp things in the winter and have it fit perfect in the summer. Also I would wait because if it will be worn woth a band, it will fit snugger with other rings.

Get a temp one and wait it out- see how the finger changes in different seasons and see how it is with other bands. You dont want to have ot resized now just to realize its too tight in summer

 

[distracts]

Mandrels do vary in size. At vendors I go to, I try to have them size a ring of mine whose size I know on my own mandrel, and then adjust accordingly. And not only do mandrels vary,* mandrel USAGE varies. You can either drop the ring down and let it rest where it may, push it down a little, or JAM IT ON THERE REAL HARD. DanielM sizes roughly a quarter size up from wherever I ask for. My local jeweler jams rings down on mandrels so hard I don't know how he gets them off again - he sizes half a size down from what I ask for (measured according to my mandrel). So I adjust my asks accordingly. If I want a ring to be what I'd consider size 4.5 at my local jeweler, I ask for size 5, for instance.

If it's just a quarter size off, can't you just have sizing beads put in? You can do that for the engagement ring too.

But I am also of the camp that a quarter size is ridic. I can comfortably wear on my ring finger anything from a 4 (which will barely slide over my knuckle and has to be taken off under hot water, but will work) to a 5.25. I regularly wear 4.5, 4.75, and 5 rings with no problem on both my left (4.5) and right (5) ring fingers, because those are the sizes I have most of my rings made in. So, idk. Maybe I'm weird.

*I also have flat ring sizers, for cutting sheet metal, and those vary. Even though also they shouldn't. Even when ordered by the same company. But they do, and it's a LOT easier to see when it's in ruler form rather than long cone form, because you can lay them side by side and go "hmmmmm!"

 

[wdigshopper]

Thank you for your responses Yssie, diamondseeker, Karl, Sarahbear, Enerchi, nielseel, and distracts. I'm surprised that mandrel sizing can vary so much. I will keep everyone's advice in mind for future purchases and appreciate your taking the time to provide feedback.

 

[Karl_K]

For an expensive purchase that can not be resided I recommended getting a cheap silver ring the same width and having it re-sized to an exact fit wear it for a week then send it in with your order and say match this.
Even if dealing with a local b&m I recommend doing this.
2mm silver band size 4.5 less than $10 on amazon ... $20 up-size local b&m = $30
Buy one for $20-$25 at the b&m and they may re-size it for free.