Thoughts on resizing this ring?

I bought this old band awhile ago and need to size it up 3/4 of a size. I brought it to a couple jewelers and was quoted around $170 to have the work done. Also, they all told me it was impossible to keep the original patina of the ring as well. It would be very shiny and polished when it was done.

I did bring up another idea with a jeweler that I have seen on another one of my antique rings and that would be just to cut the ring right where the old resize is and leave it sort of as an adjustable open bottom ring. You can see in the photos the old resizing was done poorly and is pitting and doesn't look all that great. I see no harm in cutting it and being able to wear it whilst preserving the antique patina. The sharp edges would be very lightly sanded and the ring would be good to go... costing a mere $40. What do you all think?

 

wearing a ring with an opening ...can lead to problems.
i see the ring was poorly joined in the 1st place..

i'm just not sure that ring is worth the trouble or expense .......
but...it's your ring.....

 

Do it yourself..... cut open the old seam,round off the 4 corners,round the edges of the cut seam.Simple and would probably take less than 15 minutes.

https://www.dhgate.com/product/licl...e-rings/426368451.html#redirect_detail=WAP2PC

https://www.amazon.de/Verstellbare-...Freundschaftsringe-Knuckelringe/dp/B01I708OXO

 

Thank you for those links. Thats exactly what I had in mind!

 

Put it on a ring mandrel and give it a few whacks with a mallet. Done. Resized.

 

Will that stretch it Blooey or to break the weld? Sorry to be ignorant but does cold gold stretch or do you have to heat it?
Off to google.........

 

I wear vintage open rings a great deal, never had issues with them.

 

I also wear open rings without a problem. I take my rings off when doing any work anyway, whether open or closed.
I have also cut cheap rings open myself, and rounded and filed the edges.

 

I've never understood people who wear jewellery for things like gardening or housework.

 

Neither have I.
I have had customers who would only buy a ring if they could wear it while showering. Why on earth would you want to?

 

I have had shoppers tell me they wear their necklaces 24/7, in the shower, at the beach, while sleeping etc. I don't get it!

 

looks like copper. or is it something else ?

 

Gold is the most malleable material so no issues with cracking in my experience. I've upsized quite a few rings over the years and never had a problem. The mandrel is tapered and marked with graduated sizes, so if you know the size you want, just keep tapping until the ring slides down the taper to the size required.
Really very simple, no need to do any cutting - DOWNZING, however, is a different ball o'wax - section has to be removed.
If you are worried about breaking the old, presumably less noble weld, don't tap on that side too much!

 

Thanks Blooey, that’s interesting that it doesn’t have to be heated. Presumably the lower carat is less malleable (good word that!) so our British 9ct maybe more liable to crack?

 

I've upsized all sorts of rings, not just gold. I've never seen anything crack but there again I haven't tried going from a child's little finger size to a big toe ring either! I think as long as the sizing is realistic, no problem. If the OP's ring did break along the weld, (which I very much doubt) she could then do the open ring thing, so no great loss.
Investing in a ring mandrel would be a better way to spend the $40 IMO, especially if you pick up rings now and again.

 

My BH brought me a gold 4-faced buddha on a gold chain back from Thailand 20 years ago and I've never taken it off! Sorry!

 

me neither....but being stuck at home...times have changed.....

 

Hey Komo I bought a Dyson like that for $8 at the fleamarket because it needed a battery - another $30 for an aftermarket one fixed it.

 

Eh, I usually keep small comfortable earrings in my top holes for extended periods, sometimes pendants will be worn for quite a while too, bracelets just seem to get in my way most of the time, and I seldom wear rings at all. partially because my knuckles are swollen, but also because I knew someone who almost lost a finger to ring avulsion, the resulting scary scar and thought of the pain never really leaves my mind (Komo, your pic makes me shudder)...

~Cheryl