Usually, when you get a new ring, it is perfectly round, but if you take a look at it after some time, you might be surprised to see that its shape has changed a bit. While this doesn’t happen to all rings, many of them bend with time. Why does this happen, and how can it be fixed?
Why Do Rings Bend?
The main reason most rings bend is exerted physical pressure, usually when you are doing some work while wearing your ring. If the ring’s band is thin, bending it is even easier.
It is worth noting that rings made of softer metals, such as yellow gold, are more likely to get deformed.
Such rings also wear down more easily with time and become thinner faster.
What Metals Are More Prone to Bending?
As already mentioned, yellow gold is one of the easiest metals to bend, and the higher its karat, the softer and more pliable the gold is.
Another metal that is also not hard to deform is silver.
The softest metals are not the only ones that can bend. Platinum is harder than gold, but a ring made of platinum can still change its shape, although not as easily – that depends on the platinum alloy used (some of them are softer than others). Oftentimes, a white gold alloy can be harder to bend than a platinum alloy.
How Bent Rings Are Fixed?
Straightening a bent ring is not that hard if it doesn’t have gemstones mounted in it. Jewelers use a cone-like rod called “mandrel,” on which the ring is pushed down until its original shape is restored.
If the band of your bent ring has become too thin, you might need to have it replaced as reshaping it won’t keep it from breaking in the near future. Such replacements can be pretty expensive, and they are recommended only when the band is too worn down.
Repairing a bent ring with gemstones is harder as the jeweler needs to be extra careful not to deform the mounting and damage the stones.
Channel ring settings, in which the gemstones are built in along the band, present a particular challenge as any attempt to change the ring’s shape to its original form may break the stones.
Because of the added complexity of repairs, fixing bent gemstone rings is more expensive than repairing a regular band.
You should also keep in mind that the more durable metals, which are hard to bend, are also harder to fix. That’s why if you need to have your tungsten ring reshaped, for example, it will cost you more than repairing a gold ring would.
How to Avoid Bending Your Ring
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The easiest way to prevent your ring from deforming is to take it off when you do any intense work with your hands.
In general, if you want your ring to be more durable and last longer, get one with a sturdier band.
This is especially recommended if you are buying a ring made of softer metals such as yellow gold or silver – you want to make sure that such a ring will wear thin more slowly.
Eventually, however, all rings wear down, and sooner or later you will need to have them fixed
