Engagement Ring Upgrade: How to Revamp Your Ring for Your Anniversary

Do you have an upcoming anniversary? Congratulations! This is a great chance to celebrate the love you and your partner share. One of the best ways to mark your years together is to revamp your engagement ring. Upgrading your engagement ring doesn’t have to be difficult — in fact, just one or two small changes can make a huge visual difference. In this article, we’ll go over everything you need to know about getting an engagement ring upgrade. 

Inspect Your Ring

Before you make any big decisions, take a careful look at the current state of your engagement ring. Closely inspect the ring shank, the gemstones, the setting, the prongs, and any other components; you’re looking for any signs of damage. If there are any visible dents, chips, or scratches, you can repair or replace that part of your ring. For example, if your diamond is scratched, you might consider replacing it with a bigger gemstone altogether instead of choosing to have the scratch buffed out. 

If your ring is completely unscathed and shows no signs of damage (well done!), then you can look for room for improvement instead. Consider the parts of your ring that are uncomfortable, impractical, or not to your taste any longer. Even if your ring is in perfect condition, this is a good opportunity to update it to suit your current taste.

Plan Your Changes

Next is the fun part — imagine the changes you’d like to make based on the current state of your ring. Here are just a few ideas for your engagement ring upgrade:

Swap out the center gemstone 

Swapping out your gemstone for a bigger or different color stone is one of the simplest ways to make a dramatic difference in the appearance of your ring. The process involves removing the original gemstone and sourcing and setting the new one. You can be as involved as you’d like in selecting the new gemstone, and the jeweler you’re working with will take care of resetting it.

Change the setting

After years of wear, your ring setting might need a little repair; if your prongs are loose or wobbly, you might consider a new setting. On the other hand, maybe your ring setting doesn’t suit your lifestyle anymore. Much like the gemstone, the setting of your ring can make a huge difference to the overall look of your engagement ring. Switching to a bezel setting, for example, will completely transform the appearance of your prong set ring — instead of a protruding gemstone on display, you’ll get a more subdued, even surface to your ring. 

Get it gold plated or rhodium plated

Did you get engaged when white gold was in style? Maybe you’re over it and want to get on board with the trendy yellow gold look that’s “in” right now. Or maybe you’ve transitioned to all rose gold and you’d love your yellow gold engagement ring to match. Getting your engagement ring gold plated or rhodium plated will give your ring a new hue. Plus, getting a metal plating can also make your ring more durable and hide any scratches in the current metal. 

Add more gemstones 

It’s an upgrade — why not go for bling? Adding more gemstones can be a fun way to make your ring sparkle even more than it already does. You can set new gemstones to make a halo around an existing stone, or stud them along the ring shank for all-around shine. 

Custom create your own new ring 

If you’re looking for an entirely new ring instead of a small upgrade, you’ve got plenty of other options. You could sell or trade in your ring for a new one, or you could take the opportunity to design your own ring from scratch. Starting with a blank canvas is a fun way to celebrate your partnership — design a completely custom ring together with your partner to commemorate the years you’ve shared and imagine your future to come. 

Give Your Ring Some Extra Love

When you’re getting an engagement ring upgrade, it’s also a good opportunity to take care of any jewelry maintenance at the same time. When you visit your jeweler, you might consider knocking a few more items off your to-do list: 

• Get it resized: Resizing an engagement ring is very common. Our fingers tend to change sizes over time, so getting your ring sized up or down while you’re planning an upgrade is a simple way to make sure your new ring fits even more comfortably.
• Get it engraved: Without drastically changing the look of your engagement ring, an engraving can be a sweet way to mark your years together. Engrave your wedding date, family catchphrase, or initials side by side to commemorate your marriage. 
• Prong retipping: Even if you're not changing your ring setting, you can use this opportunity to reinforce the prongs. These tiny metal claws keep your gemstones safely in place, so it’s important to get them checked out every now and then. 
• Stone tightening: A good way to take care of your ring while upgrading it is to make your gemstones more secure. Having your jeweler tighten your gemstones in their settings can give you peace of mind that you won’t lose a precious stone anytime soon. 
• Solder it with your wedding band: When you’re upgrading your ring, consider soldering it to your wedding band. If you’re active and find that you’re constantly removing your rings to play sports, weed the garden, or lift weights, this will make losing one of your rings less likely — they’ll always be together (just like you and your sweetie).  

Ready for an engagement ring upgrade? Work with our team at Quick Jewelry Repairs to make any changes or adjustments you want. If you’re not sure where to begin, drop us a line — we can help you find the perfect solution to make your engagement ring reflect your beautiful relationship.