Has your ring begun to crack? If you’ve been wearing your ring for a long time it is very possible that it will begin to crack. Over time, the band on your ring begins to wear down, weakening it. The seam – where the two ends of the band were soldered together, usually after a resizing – is the weakest part of the band and is the most likely area to crack or break first.
Another common area for the band to break is where accent diamonds have been placed. This is because the metal was hallowed out to place the diamond which causes that area to be thinner than the rest of the band.
Luckily, cracked rings can be fixed. While you may find some “do it yourself” tutorials online for fixing a cracked ring, it’s usually a good idea to have an experienced jeweler help with the repairs.
Fixing a Cracked Ring
Unless you’re dealing with a wooden or plastic ring, tape or glue just isn’t going to cut it when dealing with a cracked ring. That being said, for an experienced jeweler, repairing a cracked ring is a fairly simple process. Depending on the type of crack, the jeweler will likely cut the cracked area out of the band, reattach the ends and then resize the ring back to its original size.
If your ring has several cracks it’s usually a good idea to replace the band altogether. This is because the metal will have become porous and is more likely to develop additional cracks in the future. Keep in mind, though, any time you have a cracked repaired it’s going to involve soldering which leaves a weak spot that is more likely to crack in the future. That’s why, for long-term reliability, it’s better to replace the band if it cracks rather than repairing it, but it will cost more.