Do you worry whenever you look at your left hand and think to yourself, “Hmm, my ring finger is definitely due for a makeover”? Relax, wanting to upgrade or “reset” your engagement or wedding ring does not mean you have outgrown your relationship or your marriage. It only means that sometimes, a few tweaks are necessary to make things beautiful again.
What is Resetting a Ring?
The term resetting a ring originally pertained to re-arranging the stones on a ring to give it a new look. Over time, it has evolved to refer to the different ways you can revamp your jewelry such as adding another stone, changing the band or modifying the diamond setting.
Related: How Much Does it Cost to Reset your Diamond Ring?
5 Ways You Can Reset Your Ring
Long’s Jewelers, a family of jewelers who have been in the jewelry business for 140 years, recommends several ways to reset your ring. Either of these ways is great if you wish to celebrate an important milestone, renew your vows or simply to upgrade your jewelry stash.
1. Add Diamond Accents
If it’s true what they say that “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend,” then what do you say about bringing the whole squad in? Adding diamond accents lets you hold on to your original stone while adding more sparkle to your life.
2. Upgrade Your Stone Count
If that stone on your ring looks a little lonely, you might want to upgrade your stone count by adding more diamonds or for an even more beautiful variety, colored jewels like emeralds and amethyst crystals.
3. Upgrade Your Stone Size
Going for a larger stone can be symbolical of the big victories in your life — absolutely huge reasons to celebrate.
4. Add a Halo to the Center Stone
Adding a halo to the center stone lets you achieve both #1 and #3. With an added halo of beautiful sparkly stones, you revamp your stone with more glitter and make it a lot bigger.
5. Upgrade the Diamond Setting
To upgrade the diamond setting is an excellent way to give your jewelry a subtle makeover. It’s amazing how diamond height and layout can make your ring look new. This method works to give your ring an updated look and, at the same time, protect your stone from the years’ wear and tear.
Resetting Antique or Heirloom Rings
Resetting a ring can be quite tricky especially if you didn’t purchase the jewelry yourself. It is most tricky if the ring is an heirloom piece given to you as an engagement or wedding ring. Lori Seto of The Knot, an online resource for wedding news and inspiration, says that heirloom jewelry can be either a boon or a bane, depending mostly on how it works with your taste.
Rings are among the most inherently meaningful pieces of jewelry, all the more so when they’re heirloom pieces as these translate to generations upon generations of family heritage. When you’re looking to reset a ring, especially a piece of heirloom jewelry, Lori Seto advises that you tread carefully. Make your intentions clear with the giver; state your reason for wanting the ring reset without forgetting to express appreciation for the jewelry.
Before your Reset!
Before you reset a ring, make sure it’s not an antique ring. Resetting an antique ring can be a lose-lose situation for both the owner and the jeweler. Un-setting an antique ring drastically brings down the value of the jewelry to as little as zero. On the part of the jeweler, resetting antique rings takes a lot of work in exchange for a really small profit.
Resetting Your Engagement Ring
A purchased engagement ring may sound less tricky than an heirloom ring as there is no family tradition involved in it but such a premise also requires proper etiquette. Much goes into purchasing an engagement ring: time, effort, a good amount of sentimentality, and of course, money.
Never reset your engagement ring without getting the express approval of your Significant Other! Discuss with your fiancé the changes you’ve planned for your ring and why these changes are important to you.
If you’re thinking of resetting an engagement ring, here are some useful tips:
- Bring pictures. You may think it’s easy for jewelers to reset a ring just by giving a vivid step-by-step of the changes that you want, but it absolutely is not. Pictures will give the jeweler a better understanding of the kind of ring you think is perfect for you.
- Shop around. Jewelers not only offer a variety of price packages but also have their own ways of doing things. Shopping around allows you to find a jeweler that fits both your budget and your preference.
Get recommendations for reputable jewelers. Resetting a ring is a meticulous and tedious process that requires you to part with your jewelry for a few days. It is important to find a jeweler that you can trust both to safe-keep your ring and to do an excellent resetting job.
Other types of Diamond Rings Fixes, Repairs, and Modifications:
