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WHY DO RINGS BEND?

WHY CAUSES RINGS TO BEND AND BREAK?

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Why Do Rings Bend?

“My Ring Bent!”

A Lady Brings her Diamond Ring up to the Counter. She says to me “My Ring Bent! Why would it do that?

I Pick it up and look at the Ring.

“It’s because your Shank is Very Thin. How long have you had it?”

35 Years!

DOH!

That’s Quite a long time for a Ring to Endure Wear and Tear. You can’t Blame it for Wearing out.

But you know what?

I’ve seen Rings Bend and Break after only a Couple of Years of use.

So why do Rings Bend?

The #1 Reason Why, is because the Shank (or Band) of your Ring is too Thin.

So then, the Real Question becomes:

Why Does the Shank get Thin?

There are Plenty of Good Reasons why they Wear Thin. Let’s take a look…

  • 1) It’s Worn or Old
  • 2) It was Thin to Begin with
  • 3) Sizing Thinned it out
  • 4) The Ring Size is too Big
  • 5) It was Crushed
  • 6) The Metal is Soft

Ready for the Good Stuff? Let’s begin…

1) It’s Worn or Old

Years and Years of Wearing a Ring will Wear Down the Metal. It will Slowly Wither Away on the Bottom Section of the Ring, where it takes the Most Abuse, until the Band gets Paper Thin Down There.

Thin Bands also get Warm from your Hands and this makes Thin Metal Easier to Bend. Picture Bending a Paper Clip over and over again until it Snaps!

Even if you don’t do anything Physical, you’ll probably take your Ring off and see that the Band is Flat or Ovaled out in Shape.

The Point is, it’s Not Durable anymore and should be Replaced.

2) It was Thin to Begin with

Some Rings are Thin at the Start. This is all Due to Price and Design. If the Ring is a Cheap Ring that falls into the $69 Price Range, there’s a Good Chance that the Band will already be Thin from the get go. If Jewelers Beefed up the Shank, it would Beef up the Price as well. It’s just how things are.

Trio Sets are known for having Thin Bands. But, that’s what you can Expect when you pay $300 for an Engagement Ring and 2 Wedding Bands. THIN!

There’s no way around this. Some things gotta give, and the Thickness of the Band is one of them.

Many Men’s Wedding Bands used to be Ultra Thin back in the days. Thankfully, Modern Times have made Men’s Rings Thicker, Comfort Fit, and now even Stainless Steel and Titanium. BONUS! Check out your Grandpa’s Ring to see how thin things used to be. Some were insanely thin!

3) Sizing Thinned it out

If the Jeweler is not Careful enough, the Band on your Ring can come back Quite Thin after a Sizing.

I know why this Happens; it’s because the Ring has to be Cut and Soldered back together again. The Filing and Polishing and Smoothing Wears away some Gold. It’s Inevitable!

Sometimes this Process takes away too much away and it becomes Noticeable. Sometimes it leaves a Narrow Band much Thinner than it was to begin with. Take a look at the Image below…

Thin Bands Bend and Break!

Sometimes it’s also the Fault of a Sloppy Jeweler. Too Quick, Heading out for Lunch, Not in a Good Mood… No matter what, it can happen.

So take a look at the Shank of your Ring when you Drop it off for Sizing. If Done Properly, it should look the Same Thickness when you get it back. And you should also see No Sizing Marks!

P.S. Also make sure that the Karat Stamp (i.e. 14k) is still inside the Ring. Sometimes Sizing will Remove this and it will need to be Marked again.

4) The Ring Size is too Big

If your ring is slightly too big on your finger, your finger can’t cushion your band as you wear it. This can quickly oval out a ring and make the band vulnerable and weak.

If the Ring Fits Properly, it actually Helps to Protect and Preserve the Mounting and Metal.

Also, if the Ring is a Very Dainty Ring, with a Thin Band (like 2mm Wide), and you Size it up to a Size 14 (Standard Size being a Size 6), then that Band will probably be Thin, Weak and Bend Easily. A Wider Band is Advisable for Larger Sized Fingers.

5) It was Crushed

Let’s Face it, if you Lift Weights with your Rings on, you’ll probably do Damage or Bend or Break your Band. Gold is Malleable and Heats up as you Wear it. Adding in Heavy Pressure or Physical Activity just Amplifies this.

I hear people all the time saying they Lift: Luggage, Baby Buggies, Sledge Hammers, Cases of Pop… anything that is Solid and Heavy can Crush or Weaken your Ring.

Plus, I’ve also heard people say they’ve Stepped on it, Sat on it, got it Caught in a Car Door (ouch), Been Run over by a Train (don’t ask me how that happened), or even the Dog Ate it! Yes! It happened!

A Bent Ring Weakens the Metal and the Entire Structure of the Mounting. It can Wear Down, Break, and even Damage the Stones.

6) The Metal is Soft

Rich Gold, or Gold in Higher Content like 18k, 20k, or 22k Gold, makes the Ring and Mounting Softer (it has less Alloys that make the Ring Durable). This tends to make the Ring and Band Bend Easier and Wear Down Faster.

It’s better to Stick with a More Durable Gold like 14k or even 10k, even though 10k is more Alloy than actual Gold, so I really Prefer and Advise people to Purchase 14k (Yellow or White Gold is all the same).

14k is the Perfect Combination of a Beautiful Luster, Shine and Durability!

You can’t ask for more than that!

So those are the Main Reasons why your Ring Bends.

Chances are, you’ll Fit into one of those Categories. If not, Drop me a line, I may have to Update my Post! :)

What can you do?

Take your Ring into a Local Jewelry Store and see if they can Thicken up, or put a New Shank on your Ring.

It may Cost a Bit (it’s Not Cheap – it could run anywhere from $100 – $500 or more Depending on the Width and Amount of Gold used). But, in the Long Run, a Heavier Shank will Save and Protect your Ring, Gemstones, Diamonds, and of course your Hands. :)




Recommended Jewelry Supplies:

Ultrasonic Jewelry Cleaner Jewelry Steam Cleaner Complete Jewelry Cleaner Kit Diamond Dazzle Stick
Gold Silver Jewelry Polishing Cloths Jewelry Making Supplies Kit Gold Acid Test Kit Watch Tool Repair Kit
Ring Adjusters EMT Emergency Ring Cutter 10x Jewelers Loupe Jewelers Microscope

Recommended Jewelry Supplies:

Ultrasonic Jewelry Cleaner Jewelry Steam Cleaner
Complete Jewelry Cleaner Kit Diamond Dazzle Stick
Gold Silver Jewelry Polishing Cloths Jewelry Making Supplies Kit
Gold Acid Test Kit Watch Tool Repair Kit
Ring Adjusters EMT Emergency Ring Cutter
10x Jewelers Loupe Jewelers Microscope

1 Comment on WHY DO RINGS BEND?

  1. My question is “What causes my rings to flatten after a couple of times I wear them”? They are relatively expensive. Is it a chemical in my body causing this?

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