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How to Set a Bigger Stone in Your Ring

Written by Annabelle
January 13, 2020

Diamonds and gemstones are everyone’s best friend, and the bigger the better! A lot of our clients reach out to us to see if they can upgrade their existing stone, but it’s not as straightforward of a process as you might think. Here’s what you need to know about how to set a bigger stone in a ring.

3 Things to Consider Before You Set a Bigger Stone in a Ring

Before you dash off to get the gem in your ring replaced with a better one, there are a few things you need to think about. Can the design of your ring accommodate a larger stone? What quality, color, and shape do you want for the new stone? What’s your budget for the project? These are all questions you should take into consideration.

The Casting

Not all rings are made the same, and whether or not you can set a bigger stone in a ring depends on your item. If your current diamond is 4.2 mm in diameter, the original setting of your ring can probably accommodate a diamond up to 4.9 mm in size. Most settings have a bit of “wiggle room” for diamonds that are .1-.7mm larger than your original stone, so you don’t need to modify your item.

However, if you’re looking at upgrading to a gem that’s much bigger, or a different shape, you’ll have to change the setting of your ring. Most rings can be modified with a head replacement, which cuts the setting of your ring off and replaces it with a larger setting designed for a bigger stone.

head-replacement

This ring had a head replacement; the customer wanted a basket setting for the stone.

Certain ring castings cannot be changed due to the design of the item. In this case, ring replication is the only option available for setting a larger stone. The jeweler takes the existing design, creates a 3D computer design with adjusted dimensions for a bigger stone, and casts it by making a mold with 3D printing. The new ring is then set with the new gem.

ring-replication

This ring was recreated to fit a .8 ct moissanite. The original ring was only designed for a .23 ct stone.

The Stone

When it comes to finding a new diamond, a lot of our customers have just one word in mind: bigger! While that’s definitely the keyword here, there are a lot of things that affect a diamond’s price.

The first thing you need to consider is the size measurement. You can either say that you want a diamond that is .5 mm bigger in diameter, or give the jeweler a desired carat weight. Once you’ve established exactly what size you want to upgrade to, then you need to think about the diamond’s clarity and color.
The diamond’s clarity refers to how clear it is. The less imperfections, the more expensive the stone. As for the color, this can range from a darker gray stone to a bright white stone, with fancy colored diamonds on a separate grading scale.

custom-jewelry-creation-diamonds

A chart detailing the clarity and color grading system

Of special note are fancy-cut diamonds. This term refers to any diamond shape that is not round. If your ring’s current setting is designed for a round-cut diamond and you want to set an emerald-cut diamond into your ring, this means that you’ll have to do a head replacement in order to accommodate that new shape. The price of fancy-cut diamonds may also be different than that of standard round diamonds.

green-tourmaline-ring

The ring was designed for a marquise diamond; a new head was created to set it with a larger rectangle tourmaline.

If you're not looking for a diamond and want to switch to a colored gemstone, it's a little more complicated as colored gemstones are graded by each stone type. The grading is determined based on its color and clarity; for instance, a high quality ruby is relatively clear and has the desired bright red color in comparison to a lower-grade ruby that is opaque and lighter in color.

The Cost

Depending on your budget, you can either choose to match your current diamond’s quality, upgrade to a nicer stone, or downgrade the quality to get a bigger stone that is less clear or less white. Diamonds are flexible, and a jeweler can get you different pricing options to fit your budget.

Keep in mind that for colored gemstones, the price will fluctuate depending on the size, quality, and availability of the stone. Rare gemstones such as sphene or particular colors like padaparadscha sapphire are subject to market changes, and may not be readily available for sourcing.

 

tourmaline-ring

This ring is set with a rare pink tourmaline at 3.14 cts.

 

If the ring’s casting needs any modification, there will be additional charges. A head replacement starts at $125 and goes up depending on the size of the stone and the metal required. As for custom creation, remaking an entire ring starts at $250 depending on the metal and work required, and scales accordingly based on the materials needed. 

Now you're all set on what you need to know to reset a bigger stone in a ring! Hit us up in the comments below if you'd like to get started on replacing your stone.

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