Visible lines where platinum ring has been resized - take back to jeweller?

[pearaffair]

I bought a platinum ring. It has a wide band, around 5mm. I had the ring resized from size 3.5 to size 5.25. There are two visible lines from where additional metal was added. It is my understanding that there are three ways to resize platinum rings: soldering, welding, and lasering. I'm not sure which method my jeweller used.

I'm not happy about the visible lines. I feel like it should have been mentioned to me before I proceeded with the resize. I am a bit of a perfectionist with great attention to detail - do you know the type?

Anyways I am nervous to contact them... do you think there is any point? I find it unlikely that they would/could do anything to make the line go away, but maybe it doesn't hurt to ask. Does platinum always show a line?

 

[Bonfire]

I’m certainly not an expert in various metal sizing techniques, but if it were me I would definitely talk to the jeweler about it. I wouldn’t be happy with it either. I’m not sure I would want him/her to attempt a correction though. It may be out of their skill level. Perhaps a better bench could correct it? But I would start the conversation. Good luck!

 

[pearaffair]

I’m certainly not an expert in various metal sizing techniques, but if it were me I would definitely talk to the jeweler about it. I wouldn’t be happy with it either. I’m not sure I would want him/her to attempt a correction though. It may be out of their skill level. Perhaps a better bench could correct it? But I would start the conversation. Good luck!

Yeah. I'll see what they say and at the least, express my disappointment. I think they should educate/inform customers so that their expectations are met. I don't expect them to do anything though

I don't really want to put more money into this - so going to another goldsmith isn't my preference.

 

[EC8]

Sounds like they soldered the additional piece of metal into the band to resize up. They may have used white gold to solder which would be a different color than the platinum, thus the 2 lines, or if they used a platinum solder that has a lower melt point; it will be a slightly different alloy than the ring metal (so it can melt at a lower temperature) so again, a slightly different color.

 

[Winks_Elf]

I have to agree with EC8. It sounds like the alloys in the platinum don't match what the original metal has, or white gold solder was used. Talk to your jeweler who sized the ring, show them the lines, and request that it be rectified. No jeweler wants an unhappy client, and they will want to make it right for you.

 

[pearaffair]

Thanks for the courage!!! I called and asked about the visible lines, and they pretty much told me: don't worry, bring it in, we'll make it right.

Sounds quite encouraging! If they manage to fix this for me, I will be very impressed with their customer service!!!

I'll keep you posted

 

[pearaffair]

Very hard to take a pic of the lines! But they're there.

 

[pearaffair]

What a bust. Let me preface this by saying it is not easy for me to get out of the house because I have a new baby!

So I go to the jewellery shop and the lady who spoke to me on the phone says, oh, let me grab the owner. He proceeds to tell me that resized rings will ALWAYS have visible lines where they were resized. I'm like, what?? And I tell him I have another platinum ring that was resized and it is not visible. He told me that it would be visible no matter what. I asked: even if it was lasered, soldered, or welded? "Yes." I realized I was wasting my time so I said: I think what you're telling me is that you have no options for me. And he said, "Yes, that's right." So I went back to my car where my mom was waiting with my baby.

I am so frustrated to have gotten my hopes up and wasted my time and possibly to have been on the receiving end of some serious BS. Am I crazy? Can't platinum be resized and not noticeable? Perhaps the owner is just ignorant. I'm pretty irked about this. I know it's not a big deal in terms of life happiness but it is so annoying to get bad service.

What would you do? Can I write an honest review online? Should I seek to educate the owner to feel like at least he will know what's what? Should I suck it up and get over it?

Now that I feel so negative I am definitely selling the ring. I can't handle the visible solder lines and the frustration associated with it. Call me crazy but jewellery is very emotional for me and tied to experiences. I'm done. Wish me some dust for a quick sale!

What would you do?
And can platinum be resized almost invisibly?

It sucks to be a perfectionist sometimes.

 

[rockysalamander]

My platinum wedding band was resized with a laser welder an its invisible. Your jeweler used the wrong solder for the job and its shows. I'm not sure if any PS vendors will do repairs on a ring they did not make. Maybe another PSer can chime in. If you are near to a big city, that might help us direct you if there is a local option.

 

[srke]

I dont know about increasing the ring size, but when I had my ring resized from 6 to 4.5 with absolutely no noticeable marks at all. I would be inclined to think, like others have said, it's the type of metal they used as solder

 

[pearaffair]

My platinum wedding band was resized with a laser welder an its invisible. Your jeweler used the wrong solder for the job and its shows. I'm not sure if any PS vendors will do repairs on a ring they did not make. Maybe another PSer can chime in. If you are near to a big city, that might help us direct you if there is a local option.

I won't be throwing good money after bad. Thanks though! It helps to know that I'm not imagining things.

I dont know about increasing the ring size, but when I had my ring resized from 6 to 4.5 with absolutely no noticeable marks at all. I would be inclined to think, like others have said, it's the type of metal they used as solder

That helps to know! Thank you

The owner fed me some story about having to melt the whole thing down in order to have no marks >.<

 

[Lisa Loves Shiny]

I had a custom platinum ring made and it was made too small. It was re-sized and when I received it- it was perfect. Sorry you had to go through this and that your jeweler does not have the skill or integrity to make it right. The worst thing is that he wasted your time. It is not easy to get time away for jewelry when you have a new baby.

Anyways- congrats on your new baby! Also- just for giggles I would try and take a polishing cloth to the dark lines to see if it improves the ring. It probably won't but it's worth a try.

 

[bmfang]

Congrats on the new baby first up. Secondly, sounds like that jeweller’s bench just didn’t cut it. If you are willing to take a hit on the sale price if you were to sell it, you could at least then use the proceeds to find a new ring. Otherwise, there should be a bench close by to you who is more competent than your previous jeweller who can fix this up for you (at your cost unfortunately).

 

[pearaffair]

I had a custom platinum ring made and it was made too small. It was re-sized and when I received it- it was perfect. Sorry you had to go through this and that your jeweler does not have the skill or integrity to make it right. The worst thing is that he wasted your time. It is not easy to get time away for jewelry when you have a new baby.

Anyways- congrats on your new baby! Also- just for giggles I would try and take a polishing cloth to the dark lines to see if it improves the ring. It probably won't but it's worth a try.

You know it! Doing jewellery errands counts as "me time" so it's important, but I don't have a ton of opportunities for "me time" and it's a shame to squander it on pointless errands that only piss me off! :roll

Thanks for the congrats

Congrats on the new baby first up. Secondly, sounds like that jeweller’s bench just didn’t cut it. If you are willing to take a hit on the sale price if you were to sell it, you could at least then use the proceeds to find a new ring. Otherwise, there should be a bench close by to you who is more competent than your previous jeweller who can fix this up for you (at your cost unfortunately).

Thanks for the congrats! Yeah, it's not the end of the world and I have other rings so I'll live

I just hate being lied to or misled. Bah!

I've decided I will send the owner a letter or email expressing my disappointment and educating him on methods of platinum resizing that don't leave lines. I don't expect a refund and I don't trust him to get the work done right, but I think it would give me peace of mind to educate him and at least feel like I've had my say.

Anyone have a good article about platinum resizing that they can link me to?

 

[MollyMalone]

Voila! I love Ganoskin articles & forum posts : - )
https://www.ganoksin.com/article/resize-platinum-rings/
https://orchid.ganoksin.com/t/resize-platinum-ring-alloy-mixing/48422
https://www.ganoksin.com/article/platinum-ring-sizing-torch-welding/
https://orchid.ganoksin.com/t/platinum-problem/6745
https://www.ganoksin.com/article/ring-sizing-tips-tricks/

Laser welding is the only MO for platinum resizing imo. But... the equipment is too expensive an investment for the typical local jeweler's bench, so you may have to go out of your way to find a bench that offers it.

 

[rockhoundofficiando]

Very hard to take a pic of the lines! But they're there.

I understand about the emotional ties related to jewelry. I suspect he didn't even use Platinum. In which case you may end up with even worse marks on it. You didn't mention the cost but if he added that much Platinum in that wide band, I imagine the cost would be $500+ for the job? I have a platinum ring and Tiffany re-sized it up 2 1/4 sizes and it is absolutely perfect; not a mark on it.
Hopefully one of the jewelry professionals here will weigh in.

 

[pearaffair]

Thank you for the links, @MollyMalone! Excellent to have them. I'm thinking (now that I've calmed down) that it might be more worth my while to just let go of the whole situation and never have dealings with them again. This situation feels like that scenario where you yourself drink poison and expect the other person to feel bad. I gotta stop drinking the poison. I know what's what. Good thing I didn't bring a treasured ring!

I'll sell it and move on.

Rockhound - that is good to know!! I'm embarrassed about the money I wasted on the re-size but hey, in life, you win some, you lose some. I gained knowledge and this life lesson didn't cost as much as some do! So that's good

And I'm very pleased to learn that Tiffany's doesn't leave lines on their rings when re-sizing, lol. What utter BS that guy was spouting! Like a used car salesman. Blech.

In other news, tell me: why does LT tell me my posting is too big to load? I tried it several times with shorter descriptions and fewer photos and I've finally given up for today. Tomorrow is a new day and I'll try again

 

[pearaffair]

PS - and really... it's not like they messed up the top of the ring! Perhaps this is also a lesson in being able to live with imperfection. Hmm.