Is It Easy to Resize a Rhodium Plated Ring

One Day This May Need to be Sized

Platinum and white gold rings cost more than yellow gold to size. Platinum rings cost more than white gold to size.

I see a lot of platinum rings and get a lot of questions like this: "Why does my gold band, (by "band" I mean a ring that is the same width all the way around), cost $85.00 to size one size larger and my husband's platinum band costs $140.00 to size one size larger? And how come my white gold band costs $105.00 to size one size larger?"

This was written in 2013 and has not been updated to reflect the rise in metal pricing, rhodium plating increases or labor cost increases.

How is Sizing Done?

Check out my explanatory post on methods of ring sizing.

Using Solder to Work on an Older Gold Ring

Why Does White Gold Cost More to Size Than Yellow Gold?

With for example yellow gold wedding bands with no gems, they merely need to be polished after sizing and they are ready to wear.

White gold on the other hand needs to be rhodium plated (See my post on rhodium plating) after the sizing is done. White gold started its life as a yellowy, orangy metal and needed white metal alloys to create the white gold color.

It's not quite truly a white metal. The final process of making new white gold jewelry is to rhodium plate the piece of jewelry.  This gives your ring a very white and shiny finish. It has also been known to shield people from the irritation some people feel from the nickel in the alloy of white gold.

The extra cost in repairing white gold rings comes from the rhodium plating done after the sizing work. It is necessary, and it's a step that any fine jeweler includes when sizing or repairing your white gold jewelry.

Why Does Platinum Cost More to Size Than White Gold?

Platinum's Purity Adds to its Cost

The platinum in many rings is 95% pure platinum vs. 58% pure gold for 14kt white gold. This means that the metal costs are higher for platinum work.

Platinum is a completely different metal than gold. Gold is actually an easier metal to work with than platinum.

Among other things required for working platinum is a tank of different, hotter burning gas, used for soldering. Then there are separate tools that can not be shared with any other metals. Just like tomatoes, which prefer to grow in soil they've already grown in, platinum will discolor if you dare to use tools on it that have been used to work gold.

Picky picky.

Purity of Gold Metal in 14kt White Gold Rings

This means your jeweler must be versed in the quirky requirements of platinum and have the separate tools and separate gas and a separate work space to care properly for your platinum ring.

You pay more for the expertise and quality work space to have your platinum ring worked on.

Some jewelers do platinum jewelry repairs using 14kt white gold. This saves them money. If you get a low bid on your platinum work, before you say, 'sure, let's save some money here,' and use ABC Quickie Jewelry Repairs, ask if the repair work is being done with platinum. There's a good chance it is not.

So How Much to Size My Platinum Ring?

It'll probably start at about $90.00 for a very simple sizing.

How Does That Stack Up Against White Gold?

Simply sizing the ring one size lower could cost you $70.00 for a 14kt white gold ring. A sizing job going one size larger would start at around $90.00. This pricing is taking into account just sizing, polishing, and rhodium plating  for a fairly thin ring with no other issues. In case you've had irritation from your white gold ring, read about nickel allergies.

Work Costs for Real Rings

Ring #1 is a Platinum and Diamond Engagement Ring and a Challenge

Ring #1 - Extreme Sizing - Platinum and Diamond Engagement Ring. Cost to size: $280.00

This ring came to me a size 7 and had to be sized down to a size 4.5. That is a huge size difference. This sizing can effect the angle of the design, where the diamonds are set and worse case scenario can cause visible crimping where the metal has to bend inward. Often diamonds in the area that will be effected are removed and then re-set after the work has been done.

Ring #2 - 18kt White Gold with Rubies and Diamonds. Cost to size: $128.00

This is a Before Picture of Her Ruby and Diamond Channel Set Ring

This ring needed to be sized from a size 6 to a 7.25. The gems were set in the more challenging channel style. This ring is gorgeous, but not a simple slam dunk sizing. It needed time and care in the work. The gems are at risk of damage when this work is done.

Specifically the square cut diamonds in their channel are at risk for cracking when the overall shape is changed even slightly. Opening the ring to the size needed is done slowly, checking the diamonds in the channel for movement or signs of stress.

After sizing and polishing, we rhodium plated the outer white part of the ring.

Ring #3 - 14kt White Gold Very Wide Band. Cost to Size: $180.00

Ring #3 is White Gold and a Quarter of an Inch Wide it Was Sized Larger

This wedding band needed to go 1.25 sizes larger to a 6.5. This wonderful ring was about a quarter of an inch wide.

One big concern was the long message of engraving inside. A couple of letters needed to be polished off and re-inscribed.

After sizing it we polished it and rhodium plated it.

Ring #4 - Platinum with Burnish Set Tiny Sprinkled Diamonds. Cost to Size: $160.00

Ring #4 Platinum and Diamond Wedding Band With a Hammered Finish

This sweet little band needed to be sized from a size 7.5 to a 9.5. During sizing one of the diamonds became a bit tilted in its little setting.

We took it out and re-set it. Then we polished it and rhodium plated it. We also re-hammer finished it.

Ring #5 - Platinum and Diamond  Tiny Wedding Band. Cost to size: $95.00

Ring #5 - The Cost to Size my Rings is Detailed. Both of Them!

This very narrow platinum band with pave set tiny diamonds was sized up a half a size larger to 6.25. It was a simple sizing. It looked a bit grey, so we rhodium plated it as a final step. Its cost, $95.00.

As a bonus in the "what does it cost?" department, we also sized her 14kt white gold engagement ring up a half a size to 6.25. We needed to re-engrave the inside inscription engraving. The sizing and engraving came to $108.00.

Sterling Silver and Gold Sizing Costs

If you'd like to read examples of costs to size sterling silver rings and  gold rings, check out my "How Much Does it Cost to Size My Ring? Sterling Silver and Gold"

Is This What the Jewelry Industry as a Whole Charges for Sizing?

Keep in mind, these prices are only reflect myself as a jeweler in Santa Barbara. My prices do not reflect big city prices. Please don't think some guy in New York with killer rent is trying to rip you off. Rents, and the costs of bench jewelers on staff vary from region to region.

The expertise of the bench jewelers who size and repair your rings is vast and takes years to gain. I both value and honor them, and I don't want my blog posts with pricing to be used to make them feel like they charge too much.

Why Did I Start This Series on Ring Sizing Costs?

I've been asked so many times how much this ring or that ring will cost to size, that I figured I'd be super transparent and photograph actual rings and post the price I charged to size them.

More of my Costs of Ring Sizing Series:

The Cost of Sizing a Ring Smaller
The Cost of Sizing a Ring Larger
Why Sizing Your Pearl Ring Costs More
How Much Does it Cost to Size My Ring Platinum and White Gold
How Much Does it Cost to Size my Ring - Gold and Silver
Ring Sizing – What Do You Pay More For and Why?
How Much Does it Cost to Size my Eternity Band Ring?
Ring Sizing, Weight Gain and Weight Loss
Ring Sizing Cost with Milgrain Edging and Carved in Designs
How Much to Have My Enamel Ring Sized?
How Much to Size My Ring – With Scratched and Dull Gems
How Much to Size My Ring – With Matte Finish and Oxidation

Santa Barbara Jeweler,
Calla Gold

williamsmucatinter.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.callagold.com/sizing/cost-to-size-ring-platinum-white-gold/