It’s the middle of summer and you’re feeling like a horse that was ran hard and got put away wet.
It also seems like your rings are getting tighter and tighter by the second.
You’re not crazy, and it’s not just you.
Rings do actually fit tighter during the summer months, sometimes even so tight that you cannot get them off.
What’s that all about?
There are three primary reasons that your rings fit tighter in summer: inflammation, dehydration, and temperature changes.
Are we to assume that we will have to keep getting our rings sized twice a year to ensure that they won’t fly off in the winter or cause our finger to lose circulation in the summer?
Let’s see what’s going on and what we should do about this:
Table of Contents
How Tight Should A Ring Fit
Ok, we are not talking about gaining or losing weight, such as during pregnancy or after a week long eating binge on cruise ships, just so you know.
We are talking about having purchased a ring that fit perfect at that time, not too big and not too small, and there is no weight gain or loss, and yet, it becomes so tight that you are suddenly afraid of it.
You should be able to take your ring off with some resistance, but not enough resistance to feel as if you have to twist it around and around as your finger quickly swells, feels like it will pop and turns blue.
Nor should you have to get out the butter to grease it up first to get it off, nor should you have to swirl your finger around in your margarita in an attempt to shrink your flesh.
What Determines How Tight A Ring Fit Should Be
Part of how you will want to determine this is going to be whether or not it will be worn daily or just occasionally.
If you are wearing a wedding ring day in and day out, and really have no intentions of taking it off each day, and if you are not prone to having yoyo weight issues, then it can go for a tighter fit.
But if you already know that this ring is going to need to be removed often or even daily, then the fit must be a little looser due to fluctuations in weather or temperature just to get it off.
We have had customers who kept coming back to have their ring adjusted in size, thinking that our bench jeweler got it wrong each time.
But the fact of the matter is that each time when we used our sizers to determine the perfect size, something happened to their FINGER because fingers are bone skin, and TADA…WATER!
So how do we find that sweet spot in order to size a ring for the optimal fit given that we keep swelling up and down?
How To Measure Your Ring Size
You may be tempted to use those paper ring sizer gauges to get an accurate of your ring size.
Don’t bother.
Those paper ring sizers do not take into account what it takes to comfortably go over your knuckle, and they also do not take into consideration the width of the ring you have to size.
If you size a wide band, it will have to be larger than a narrow band.
The next time you have shopping or errands to do, simply stop by any jewelry store and ask them to whip out their ring sizer gauges and they will be happy to do every finger you have if you like.
Write these sizes down for future use.
Adjusting The Fit Of A Ring
So presuming that you now have the correct size that you need for your ring from a jewelry store, you will need to leave the ring with them if you want to have it sized, or if the bench jeweler works inside the store they may size it while you wait.
That would be sweet but don’t expect it to happen unless you made an appointment for that very thing.
Your ring size should be fine tuned into your lifestyle, meaning that the jeweler will want to know if you intend to remove it on a daily basis for whatever reason.
They should notice if you have a larger than common knuckle that the ring will need to go over and should let you know that the ring will be terribly loose after it clears the knuckle and will spin on your finger with no resistance.
While this may not matter if you are just wearing a band with no gemstones that stick up, it will irritate you to no end if you do have prongs holding any stones or if the ring is simply a rough texture of metal.
A jeweler can order special shanks that open to go over the knuckle, but which then close once the ring is in place.
While these will cost the most, there are two other options.
Should A Ring Move On Your Finger?
You should be able to slide it entirely off and on as well as turn it around in circles either way when wearing it.
It should have a gap so that it can go over your knuckle to remove it when you want to. However, it should not fly off your hand when you are talking with your hands.
How Much Does Your Ring Size Change In Summer?
Fingers can swell up pretty dramatically during the summer because of water retention, coupled with heat and humidity.
We have noted from ½ a size larger to nearly ¾ size!
That is quite a difference.
So then, what about the winter?
We bring this up merely because when fingers are cold, the ring can easily fly off.
So when choosing the correct size, again, you must decide how often that you are likely going to want to remove the ring, otherwise, just leave it on and make some accommodations by factoring for summer tightness.
Why Your Ring Fits Tighter In The Summer
You wake up in the morning in your air conditioned bedroom, and your finger feels just fine as you slide your beautiful engagement ring or wedding band on.
You head out into the humid summer day to do some errands.
Suddenly, you notice a rather tight feeling on your finger when you bend them, and then try to take off your ring.
You cant!
Hmm…what happened?
Our body appendages will swell in heat or humidity, and that includes our fingers. We swell for no good reasons too, like we are exercising, eating pretzels, or drinking booze.
Here’s what’s going on:
Temperature Changes
There is an old trick to getting pressed wheel bearings in and out of their races.
You heat up the races with a torch, while at the same time cooling off the bearing with ice.
Why? Because metal expands when heated, and contracts when cooled.
The same goes for your fingers in the summertime!
During the summer months, the increased temperatures will cause your body to expand, including your fingers. If your fingers swell more than the ring expands, you will have a tight fit.
Inflammation
Inflammation can be caused by a number of reasons – bug bites, exercise, injuries, you name it. And when your fingers swell from inflammation, your ring is going to feel tighter.
During the summer months, many people aren’t drinking enough water which leads to dehydration. Dehydration can also cause inflammation, which in turn will make your rings feel tighter.
Water Retention
Fingers can swell from fluid retention for any number of reasons: hormonal changes, pregnancy, eating salty foods, PMS, and even standing for long periods of time.
Water retention can cause your fingers to swell anywhere from a little bit to a lot, and when this happens, your rings are going to feel tighter.
How To Determine Ring Size
As we have noted, there will need to be a happy medium so that you do not have to have it sized unless you gain or lose a lot of weight.
So taking into consideration if you will want to remove the ring often and also for summer swelling and winter shrinking, this is the best solution that we have found works:
Size For The Median
If you have been professionally sized with ring size gauges and have discovered yourself to be a size 7 for instance, then you will want to either be ¼ size larger, or a 7 ¼, to account for summer heat.
This is simply for shanks that are not wide, say are around 2mm to 4mm.
If, however, you will be constantly removing the ring then you may want a size 7 ⅓ but will then need to have sizing balls added inside the shank to prevent the ring from turning round and round and to ensure that you can remove it when it gets tight.
Here is what to do for a wide band, say a 4mm or much wider like a cigar type band:
You will find that a wide band will naturally be a full ½ size larger than a thin one.
So if you want the band to be comfortable you will need to make it ¾ size larger to accommodate for summer swelling.
Sizing Balls
Again, sizing balls inside can help and should be added to ensure that when your fingers are cold, that the ring will not fly off.
Sizing balls come in different sizes and will allow the flesh to go through them even without adjusting the size, also they will stop rings from turning.
Not only do sizing balls inside the shank prevent rings from turning circles while wearing them if your ring is a bit loose, but they can help to make the ring a little more snug during the winter too, simply because there is now a bit more metal inside the shank.
Sizing Inserts
One last way to make a ring fit tighter during the winter months is by using sizing inserts.
These are attached, some are made to be permanently attached inside the shank, and others are wrapped inside the shank.
Both can be adjusted if needed with simple household tools.
These inserts will make a ring tighter and are a great alternative to wear during winter when your fingers shrink.
There is a sweet spot for sizing a ring for all seasons and activities. You may even be able to determine what that spot is if you already have a ring that fits you well regardless of if you keep it on or take it off or what the weather or other factors are.
If this is the case, simply take that ring to your jeweler, and providing that your new ring is going on the same finger as is relatively the same width, then they can use the ring size of that ring for your new one too.
What To Do If Your Ring Fits Too Tight
If you can manage to get it off, it might not be a bad idea to leave it off until you can take it to your jewelry store to have it resized.
People gain and lose weight, especially during holidays or times of stress. So if the only thing that is going on is temperature, then the size should reflect this.
Reduce Inflammation
Don’t bother trying to take it off until you are no longer hot and swelling has gone down.
Soak your hand in cold water for 5 minutes.
Do not try to ice your hand because your fingers will swell for different reasons.
Remove your hand from the cold water and then spray your finger with Pam or window cleaner and then try to remove it.
Have Your Ring Cut Off By A Jeweler
Once your finger is no longer swollen, go to your jewelry store and tell them that there is trouble in Houston.
They will bring out their ring cutting contraption that looks sort of like a math compass protractor, but isn’t, and they will happily cut the thing off for you.
Will it hurt?
Only if they don’t have two pairs of needle nose pliers at the ready and they try to pull it off without opening up the shank all the way.
Both ends of the newly cut shank will be quite sharp and need to be opened, then resized and repaired.
Otherwise you should not feel anything except relief and maybe some pressure while they get those needle nose pliers under between the cut shank and your skin to spread out the metal.
You may consider removing the ring sooner rather than later and leaving it off while you are pregnant.
You will need to take it back to the jeweler if you cannot get it back on with the same ease that you once could after your weight is stabilized.
FAQ’s About Ring Tightness
What happens if your ring is too tight to get off?
If your ring is too tight to get off, you may need to have it cut off by a jeweler. First try to reduce the swelling in your finger by submerging it in cold water for 5 minutes. Also try to lubricate your finger with window cleaner. If that also fails, head to your jeweler.
Why does my ring fit differently throughout the day?
Your ring may feel tighter or looser at different times of day because of changes in your body temperature or water retention. This can be caused by your activities, diet, or medications.
Do rings fit looser in winter?
Rings typically fit looser in winter due to the cold weather causing your fingers to shrink. You can make a ring fit tighter in winter by using sizing inserts or by taking it to a jeweler to have sizing balls installed.
Will my ring size change if I lose weight?
If you lose weight, your ring size may change. It is best to have your ring resized by a jeweler if this happens and you believe you will be able to keep the weight off.
Can weight gain cause rings to not fit?
Weight gain can cause rings to not fit. If you gain weight and your ring no longer fits, you may need to have it resized or replaced.
Can rings shrink if not worn?
The only way to get a ring to shrink on its own is for the temperature to be significantly colder than when it was last worn. For example, if you take a ring off and put it in the freezer, it will likely shrink. If you leave a ring in a cold car for an extended period of time, it may also shrink.
Will my wedding ring ever fit again?
If you lose weight and your wedding ring no longer fits, it can be resized by a jeweler. If you gain weight and your wedding ring no longer fits, you may need to have it replaced.
Here are some reasons on why your wedding ring may never fit again:
- A person simply gained more weight or lost more weight than the ring can withstand for resizing without destroying its wearability, and this person is unable to lose or regain enough weight to move back into the resizing zone.
- A person has aged and their knuckles have become arthritic to the point that altering the particular style and shank of their ring is not possible. Usually, this happens in the case of antique filigree rings that have concave shoulders. Those cannot be sized more than 1 ½ sizes up or down without imploding the delicate lacy design.
- A person has sustained permanent damage to their ring finger and their ring cannot be redesigned to get it on or off.
- A person chose to buy a style of ring that has channel set diamonds. These diamonds will become loose and will constantly fall out if the ring needs to be sized more than 1 to 2 sizes up or down. This is because the structure of the channels that the diamonds are in will be altered when the metal is moved either outward or inward. A good salesperson should let a customer know that before they buy this style.
- The ring is made from Titanium or Tungsten. These are very difficult to work with under any circumstances. They cannot be soldered, but if you have a really ambitious bench jeweler, he may be able to carve out some of the material inside if it was made thick enough to make a little bit of room.
Final Thoughts
If you have a ring that doesn’t fit, don’t despair! There are many options available to get your ring fitting properly again. If you’re not sure what to do, consult a professional jeweler. They will be able to help you figure out the best course of action for your particular situation.