Looking for rings for my giant fingers

July 9, 2007 7:45 PM

I'm looking for advice on men's jewelry. Specifically I am interested in ethnic style rings such as: Turkoman, Andaman, Bedouin and similar styles. The problem is that I have huge hands. I wear a size 14 ring. So of course I have found it next to impossible to find anything in my size.

Does anyone know if these types of rings can be sized up successfully? I know that to make them bigger it would require them to be cut, enlarged and soldered. These rings generally have lots of design work on the band of the ring. Will the resizing mar the etching on the band or harm the stones (generally turquoise, carnelian and other semi-precious stones)? The largest I have found have been a size 10-12. Would this be prohibitively expensive (i.e. more expensive than the actual ring, $100)? These rings are generally made from silver. Any advice? Please help me hivemind.

The rings that I am interested in look like these Turkoman ring 1, Turkoman ring 2, Turkoman ring 3

posted by anansi to clothing, beauty, & fashion (3 comments total)

Jewelry dilettante speaking here: The first ring you link to would be challenging to size up because the stones around the band would have to be removed one by one, and once the ring was expanded, they would be hard to fit back in the same spaces, because the angles would be different.
A good jeweler will always take the stones out before resizing (so they don't crack from the heat of the torch), so the fewer stones, the easier (and cheaper) it will be.
Some sizings can be done just by hammering, but in this case I think the jeweler would have to insert an extra piece of silver.
Rings 2 and 3 should be doable, but the design work will probably be marred by a plain silver insert. This will be done at the back of the band (palm-side) so it probably won't be too noticeable. At a much greater expense, you could have the insert engraved to match the original design, but I am not sure it would be worth it. Up to you I guess.
posted by rmless at 9:45 PM on July 9, 2007

It wouldn't cost you much more, except for the metal, to have a ring made in your size. If these are cast rings, made by lost wax process or investment casting, as they appear to be, that is far preferable to having them cut and patched, in terms of strength and durability. Many jewelers can make or source rings of this type, and fit them with stones of your choice. I would certainly send a custom size request to Tribal Artifacts, and see if they can order from their suppliers in your size. You might have to wait a couple of months, but I bet your request could be filled.

I feel your pain. I, too, have bratwurst where human beings have fingers.
posted by paulsc at 9:51 PM on July 9, 2007 [1 favorite]

Jeweler here. Ring #1 cannot be sized because of the inlaid stones. Rings 2&3 can theoretically be sized, but the stones cannot withstand heat of a torch. They can be resized with a laser welder, but silver often does not stand up well in the welder. I would not risk it.

I would follow the route suggested by paulsc above, but be aware that the cost of a custom job will be far more than an off-the-shelf price. That being the case, I would suggest having the ring made in another white metal, such as white gold or platinum. Silver does not wear well, and if you're going to the expense of custom fabrication, I'd get something that lasts.

Another note: Please go to a jeweler and have your finger sized in that width band. Rings with that profile often must be sized one ring size up in order to go over the knuckle. If you are quoting a size 14 based upon a slimmer band (such as a wedding band), your size will probably not be accurate in the rings pictured above.
posted by Flakypastry at 2:31 PM on July 10, 2007