A Guide to Military Ring Sizing

Military rings are awesome pieces of jewelry that really display your pride and sense of accomplishment! However, you might need a resizing if they sent you the wrong size, or if you’ve gained or lost weight over the years. If you’re stuck with a ring you can’t wear, and you can’t send it back to the company, here’s how you can get your military ring resized. 

Military Ring Resizing

Military rings are much more difficult than ordinary rings to size, due to their design and material. Like class rings, military rings are fairly thick, and many are made from metals such as stainless steel and proprietary alloys created by the ring manufacturing companies. This means that average jewelers will not be able to work on them.

In addition, military rings are typically set with bezel-set stones. This means that the stone is enclosed in a smooth, often oval-shaped rim. When the ring is sized up or sized down substantially, there’s a chance that the stone may break or fall out as the jeweler’s stretching the shoulders of the ring to accommodate for the new size.

Finally, if you're trying to get a ring sized after 15 or 20 years after you first received it, the company might be out of business!  So how do you get started with the military ring sizing process? Here’s what you need to know.

The Military Ring Sizing Process

A class ring before and after sizing.

The first step is to figure out the size of your ring and your finger size. You can do this by following a quick guide that involves wrapping a strip of paper around your finger, and measuring the length of the paper.

Next, find a jeweler that has the capability to size class rings. For instance, facilities like Quick Jewelry Repairs can size stainless steel, and we can work with the metal used for class rings. Provide the information about the sizing for the jeweler’s evaluation. If the ring can be sized, the jeweler will proceed. If there is any risk involved in the process, the jeweler will inform you accordingly.

Once you’ve confirmed the sizing, the jeweler moves into work. Since the band of these rings is so thick, the jeweler has to use special machinery to cut into the ring and heat it up to a malleable state. The ring is then placed on a mandrel and measured at the desired size in order for the jeweler to determine how much metal to add or cut off. After this is done, the jeweler seals up the cut in the back of the ring. 

As military rings are often complex designs with a lot of enameling detail or plating, the jeweler then polishes and cleans the ring. Enamel or plating is applied to restore the original look of the item after the initial cleaning.

Cost and Turnaround Time

Since military ring resizing is an involved process, turnaround time can be long for these items. Expect at least 1-2 weeks for class ring sizing. Depending on whether you’re sizing up or down, the price starts at $39 for stainless steel and increases based on the job required.

Now you’re all set on military ring resizing! If you have one that needs to be sized, get started today by commenting below and our team is more than happy to help you out.