bent ring

Bent Ring? How to Protect and Fix Your Favorite Jewelry

One of the most frustrating things that can happen to your jewelry is a bent ring.

This is especially true if it is one of your favorite pieces.

At one time or another, most people have experienced it. When your ring bends, you may have the sudden urge to try to bend it back to its original form with your fingers.

Do not do that.

You can warp the ring more and make it more difficult to fix.

Continue reading to find out how it happens as well as how to prevent and fix it.

Bent Ring: How Does it Happen?

bent ring
Image CC0, by Bairyna, via Pixabay

Many people do not notice their ring is bent until they take it off to clean, re-plated or polished.

They are shocked to see that it is misshapen, as they initially assumed gold or platinum are indestructible. However, all metals can be bent under the right circumstances.

You can bend your ring in many different ways.

  • First of all, if you drop it on a hard surface, step or sit on it, your ring can bend
  • Second, any kind of manual labor or even playing sports can damage it

You’ll also want to be careful at the gym as lifting weights or using exercise equipment can cause it to become misshapen.

  • Finally, normal wear and tear, like from gripping your steering wheel a lot, can cause it to bend

Sometimes it can seem as though the ring became bent overnight or was suddenly noticeable. This is a common complaint in the jewelry industry (particularly with platinum), and it is not always the case of poor quality but rather damage done without realizing it.

Bent ring: platinum and gold

bent ring
Image CC0, by PhotoMIX-Company, via Pixabay

Wedding and engagement rings put up with a great deal of wear–and are not indestructible.

Some platinum alloy mixes are softer than others, and one of the most common blends jewelry stores sell is platinum (95/5 iridium) which is weaker than consumers realize.

Jewelers use it because it is the least difficult of blends to cast and does not cause as many problems as the stronger 95/5 ruthenium.

It may surprise consumers to know that gold is less prone to bend or conform shape to one’s finger than platinum. While platinum is a heavy and dense metal, it is softer than one thinks.

Some may confuse its strength with that of titanium, which is stronger than steel. Gold is lighter and more brittle and prone to breaking if the band is thin enough.

The most durable choice for gold is generally 14K or 18K, with 24K being too soft to use for jewelry.

How You Fix a Bent Ring?

Although it may look like a daunting task, jewelers are great at creating, fixing and reshaping rings. Most jewelry stores can fix a bent ring very quickly, and often at no charge.

That is the beauty of fixing jewelry: it isn’t usually a problem.

Some of the tools they use are mandrels, pliers and talents (pictured below). They will bend, reshape, solder and polish the ring to get it back to its original state, and it is usually a fast and simple process.

As always, be sure to go with a reputable jeweler for repairs.

The only way that a ring might not be fixable is if the shank (band) is too thin or the damage is severe. When rings are sized, they can thin out the shank and make it less sturdy.

If one can afford to have a thicker band initially, this will save the possibility of a less expensive band bending in the future. In other words, one gets what they pay for, and inexpensive rings will be thin.

Note: rings with gemstones (particularly channel set half or full eternity bands) can complicate the repair.

Sometimes it may require taking out the stones, re-shaping the band and then adding the stones back into the setting, which can cost more for the labor.

How to Prevent a Bent Ring

bent ring
Image CC0, by an_photos, via Pixabay
  • Avoid wearing the ring while doing housework, lifting objects or weights, moving
  • Buy a thicker band, to begin with
  • If finances permit, consider adding more metal to the base of the band to give it more durability.

Just as with other purchases (such as cars, bikes, homes, clothing), jewelry can require maintenance. Fortunately, a bent ring is one of the easiest and least expensive things a jeweler can fix.

By taking extra care when wearing a ring, you can usually prevent a bent ring.

This will keep it looking as beautiful as the day you received it.

 

Featured image: CC0, by sarakgraves, via Pixabay

2 thoughts on “Bent Ring? How to Protect and Fix Your Favorite Jewelry”

  1. Hi I have read your product information on platinum rings. I am very interested in this information as I was bought a platinum eternity ring in November 2014. I have worn it on a few occasions and ALWAYS when not wearing it stored in it its original box. It was only the other day I went to put it on and it would not go over my finger. I then noticed it was bent, I was shocked, surprised and puzzled to why it was like this. I took it back to the jewellery store and they told me this must of been hit/damaged with some force. I am at a lost as I have not done anything to the ring, if I had damaged it I question would my finger not of been hurt or injured. I have taken great care with the ring, never worn it when showering, washing up, any doing housework etc. Only on a rare occasion have I worn it for work as a teacher. (Colleagues will verify this) The ring was in immaculate condition and I am completed astounded at the state of it now. It was interesting to read that platinum isn’t as durable as one has been lead to believe and that platinum rings can become bent. I did not know also that it is softer than we we were. Any help or advice on my situation woLuld be great as I do not know where to take this problem. As the jewellery store say I have damaged it I am totally unaware how I have done this.

  2. Before a bent ring is fixed, the first thing to consider is how the ring is constructed. Bands and rings without stones are much easier to straighten and therefore less expensive. Fixing a ring with stones is risky because the stones could become loose in the setting . Extra care needs to be taken with pave set or  channel set  diamonds. These rings are  hard to resize  and reshank because any change in the shape will compromise the diamond s setting. 

Leave a Comment