How Do You Fix a Bent Ring?

A jeweler fixes a bent ring by placing it on a steel mandrel – a tapered rod used to hold rings during work – and carefully tapping it back into a round shape using a rawhide or nylon mallet. These soft mallets reshape the metal without scratching the surface. For simple plain bands, the process is usually quick and straightforward.

Most rings can be reshaped without heat. If the metal has work-hardened from repeated bending, a jeweler may anneal it – gently heating the metal to relieve internal stress – before reshaping. Rings with stones require extra care, as the stone settings must not be disturbed during the process.

If a ring has cracked as a result of being bent, reshaping alone is not sufficient. A crack must be soldered and the seam refined before the ring is wearable again. Leaving a cracked ring unrepaired risks the band breaking completely, especially at the stress point.

Rings get bent from impact, being stepped on, stored under pressure, or from work that puts stress on the hands. White gold and yellow gold are both susceptible. Platinum is denser and more resistant to bending but can still be deformed by significant impact. The repair is the same regardless of metal type.