We look before we touch
Old rings have history in them. The shank may be worn thin underneath where fifty years of wear has taken the metal away. A stone may be held by prongs that are down to nothing. There may have been a repair before, sometimes in the wrong metal, and that changes how the ring takes heat.
So the first thing is a proper look under magnification, and a conversation about what we find, before anything is cut.
What often turns up
- A worn shank — if the bottom of the band is paper thin, sizing alone is a patch. Re-shanking gives you a ring that lasts another lifetime.
- Tired prongs — decades of wear. Worth doing while it is on the bench rather than after a stone goes missing.
- Older stone types — opal, emerald, turquoise and some older treated stones do not go near heat. We identify them before we plan the work.
- A previous repair — sometimes in a different alloy. It shows up under heat, and it is better to know first.
Sizing up more than a little
Inherited rings often need to go up several sizes rather than one. Past a certain point, adding a new section is better than stretching, and on a ring like this it is usually the right call.
No rush
Bring it in and let us look at it. We will tell you what it needs, what it would involve, and what we would do if it were ours. You can take it home and think about it.
Questions we get asked
Is it safe to resize an old ring?
Usually, once we have checked the shank, the stones and any previous repair. That check is the part that matters and we do it before anything is cut.
What if the band is worn through underneath?
Then re-shanking is usually the better answer than sizing alone. A new shank is a proper repair rather than a patch on thin metal.
Can you resize it several sizes up?
Often, yes. Past a size or two we would add a section rather than stretch, which is the stronger result on an older ring.
Will it damage the stones?
Not if they are identified first. Some older stones cannot take heat, and knowing that before we plan the job is the whole point of looking.
Not sure we can fix it?
Send a couple of details and we will call you back. Or just walk in — it is quicker, and we can actually look at the piece.
Drop it off, shop the mall, wear it tonight
We are inside Orland Square Mall in Orland Park. Walk in during mall hours, no appointment. Most repairs are finished the same day and a good number while you wait.
Where we are
Julio's Jewelry, 800 Orland Square Drive, Orland Park, IL 60462 — inside Orland Square Mall. Mon–Thu 10am–8pm · Fri–Sat 10am–9pm · Sun 11am–6pm. We are also at North Riverside Park Mall, 7501 W Cermak Rd, North Riverside, IL 60546.