To find out why one would unsolder their Wedding Rings, we should take a second to learn what Soldered Rings are...
What is Soldering?
Soldering is basically fusing two rings together, usually the Engagement Ring and the Wedding Band. Heated Solder from a Jeweler's Torch melts and flows in between your rings at the bottom of the shank (see image). This welds them together as one.
Soldering them keeps the bands from spinning around separately, it keeps your rings flush together and it even makes them more durable.
Most couples have their Bridal Rings Soldered together after their Wedding Day.
So then why would you want to take them apart? For plenty of reasons...
Let's take a look.
1) The Rings have pulled apart and gap
This happens a lot with Wedding Sets because one the rings gets hit, bumped, caught or yanked back accidentally. The tops of the rings pull apart (since the joint is at the bottom). The Jeweler will then have to take the rings apart, reshape or straighten the rings, then solder them back together again.
2) You want to Upgrade the Rings
Sooner or later you'll probably want to upgrade either the Solitaire, Diamond, Mounting, Band or everything. To do so, the Rings will more than likely have to come apart to have any work done on it.
3) The Bands get Thin and Crack
Over the years normal wear and tear happens. The shanks get thin and worn out. They may even get so thin they'll crack or break in half.
Eventually the rings may have to be taken apart, reinforced with a new bottom shank (adding thicker metal), then resoldered together again (this isn't cheap).
4) You can't wear your Solitaire to work
Sometimes the type of job or career you choose won't allow you to wear anything that sits up high off your finger.
A lot of nurses have to have their rings separated so they can wear their flat wedding band only. This way they won't scratch their patients! :)
5) You get tired of wearing 2 Rings
Some women change their styles over times. Wearing one ring that represents everything has been getting more popular in the last decade. Some women may want to remove their Wedding Band and just wear their Solitaire.
What ever the reason, some women just say "I want my rings separated!"
6) You want to sell your Rings
Chances are good, if you end up selling your rings, you'll probably sell them separately. People will want to buy one ring, or the other ring, but often not both (who wants to get engaged and buy a ring with a Wedding Band already attached?).
Taking the rings apart is a wise decision and may up your chances of selling them easier and faster.
7) The Rings need to be Sized
Plenty of rings have to be unsoldered because they either need to be fixed, or the rings need to be resized up or down to fit.
The best way to do this is to separate the two bands, size them both to the correct size, and then refit them back together again.
8) You get Divorced or Break Up
Sometimes things happen to couples and they want the bands split apart as well. A lot of women keep the Engagement Ring and give back the Wedding Band (so they can remount the diamond into a new piece - "I love my ring, but I don't want it to look like I'm married"). Some couples split them up so they can be sold and the money divided.
It's easy and it opens up plenty of options of what to do with the rings.
So how are Rings Unsoldered?
The Jeweler will use a Jeweler's saw and literally cuts the rings apart.
Then each ring is filed, smoothed down, and then polished back up again to look brand new.
It's a pretty simple process that normally doesn't take long. Unsoldering Rings does not harm the rings in any way. It does no damage but it may take a little bit of metal away in the process.
Most people never even notice and if it's done properly, they'll leave no trace or evidence behind that the rings were ever soldered in the first place.
Can they be Soldered Back Together again?
Sure! Not a problem! Like I said above, it happens all the time.
That's the great thing about Jewelry. Jewelry is malleable and Jewelers can redo, fix, upgrade, update anything, anytime and make it look awesome and beautiful again.
Prongs, Worn Shanks, Uneven Channels, Dings, Dents... Jewelers can work wonders and you'll never know the difference.
Except that they'll be shiny and new again, and depending on the ring it could cost you a couple of bucks.
P.S. I do highly advise Soldering your Wedding Rings together for it keeps them from rubbing against each other and wearing each other down.
Soldering them also keeps them aligned, upright, durable and unified as one.
Just like a Wedding Set should be. :)
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