If searching for the perfect wedding and engagement rings seems like a daunting task, it's even more challenging when you need sizes outside the limited range carried by most jewelers.
We've heard this complaint from many of our couples over the years – and it's one of the major reasons we designed our
Full Brilliance Collection. It's the first of its kind, and it features diamond engagement, bridal and trio rings crafted just for sizes 10 and up. You can find rings in your size that reflect your style, without paying inflated prices or sacrificing excellent customer service.
But we know there are many ways to shop for engagement and wedding rings, and couples want to explore all of their options before making a decision. So the My Trio Rings team conducted online and in-store research in Summer of 2017 at several leading jewelers to help you get started – and ultimately find your perfect fit!
Short on time? Skip to
What We Learned below!
Plus Size Ring Shopping Research
Blue Nile (Normal Selection - Ladies: 9 & Men's: 13)
Blue Nile carries women's and men's rings up to size 13, but we found that
most engagement rings are only offered up to size 9. When we called to ask for an engagement ring in a size 12, the representative said they have nothing in stock in that size.
We asked about a specific style, to get a better idea of the process and pricing for ordering a custom ring in a larger size. We chose a diamond engagement ring that costs $1,485 and comes in any size between 3.5 to 8.5. When we inquired about ordering a size 12 in this style, the representative said that would entail a nonrefundable special order. It would cost 20%-40% more than the original price, and take 4 to 10 weeks to custom-make.
Since Blue Nile had nothing in a size 12 in stock, the rep said this turnaround time would be the same for any ring they offer in this size. She said she'd email a more detailed quote within the next 5 business days. Two days later, we received the quote via email. It offered:
- An alternative but similar setting for $790 ($140 more than the original setting in the standard size)
|
Size 3.5-8.5 Online |
Size 12 Custom |
| Setting |
$650 |
$790 |
| Center Diamond |
$835 |
$698* |
| Total |
$1485 |
$1488 |
* Reversed out from Total & Setting quotes provided.
- A 4-week turnaround to craft the ring (much better than our expectations were set)
- Warranty condition: Over the ring's lifetime it may only be sized up or down half a size, or the warranty will be voided
The pricing being only $3 more for the final ring was a pleasant surprise to us, however the same center diamond strangely became more expensive in the custom ring.
Zales (Normal Selection - Ladies: 9 & Men's: 12)
Zales offers women's rings up to size 9, and men's rings up to size 12. When we called customer service to inquire about a size 12 women's ring, the representative recommended buying a size 9 and having it resized to a 12 in-store. We called a branch in New York City and told the sales associate we were looking for a size 12 ring. She responded, "
Whoa," (a reaction we did not appreciate) said she'd call us back; she never did.
After that, we visited a store, and had a much better shopping experience. We asked about resizing a 1/2 carat engagement ring (available in sizes 6 to 9, priced at $1299.99) to a size 12. The sales associate was helpful, and suggested another ring that was larger but more affordable: $999.99, and 3/4 carat total weight for the bridal set. She said it was possible to order the bridal set in a size 12, but it would be nonrefundable (exchanges possible), and cost an additional $600. They indicated that they would have to custom-make a size 10 ring, then resize it to a 12 at their jeweler. The process would take about 3 to 4 weeks.
Tiffany & Co. (Normal Selection - Ladies: 6 & Men's: 12)
The representative for the Tiffany store on 5th Ave. said you must buy engagement rings in-store, and they all come in a standard size 6. If you need a different size, they can resize a ring in-store within around 3 to 4 hours.
We asked about resizing a ring to a size 12, and the rep said that shouldn't be a problem, though that process would go through their service center and take up to 3 days. Some of the simpler wedding bands – plain gold or featuring a few diamonds – are available in sizes 4 to 13 upon request. For more complex styles, rings are offered in sizes ranging from 6-8
Kays (Normal Selection - Ladies: 9 & Men's: 12)
We emailed customer service to ask about ordering diamond engagement rings in larger sizes; the representative responded that generally these rings will go up to a size 9 or 9.5, depending on the vendor. Kays has women's and men's rings up to size 14. We also called customer service about buying a size 12 engagement ring, and the rep said we'd have to go in-store to do a special order.
Walmart (Normal Selection - Ladies: 14 & Men's: 15)
While not known for their diamond jewelry online Walmart carries women's rings up to size 14, and men's rings up to size 15 (we even spotted one diamond engagement ring in a size 14.75). We attempted to call in to a local Walmart in Secaucus, New Jersey to see what sizes they carried, however were placed on hold for 30 minutes before our own patience ran out. For being the largest jeweler in the country, we'd say it's a pretty awful and inconclusive experience.
Super Jeweler (Normal Selection - Ladies: 9.5 & Men's: 13.5)
SuperJeweler features women's rings up to size 9.5, and men's rings up to size 13.5. The website stocks rings in a standard women's size 7, and will adjust the ring to sizes 4 to 9 free of charge. If you need a size that isn't in this range, you can call customer service to see if it's possible for the ring you want.
We called SuperJeweler about a size 12 ring in a style priced at $1299.99 and available in sizes 4 to 9.5. The representative needed to check to see if this was possible. He called back and said they could make a size 12 ring for a $100 fee. The process would take 3 to 5 days.
Ice.com (Normal Selection - Ladies: 10 & Men's: 15)
Ice carries women's and men's rings up to size 15 from their various vendors who sell on their platform. For the women's diamond and gold selection however most rings from size 11-15 are simple wedding bands; not traditional engagement rings. Actual engagement rings and more complex styles are available only up to sizes 10 or 11. We did find their ring filter to be very helpful in quantifying their selection at each size.
What We Learned
If you're a bit exhausted after reading all this, you're in good company! After exploring our options at many different jewelers, our main takeaway is that it is possible to find rings in larger sizes… but that it requires time and persistence and a commitment to the unknown
- Nowhere in our research did we find a collection of rings which were designed to fit larger ring sizes.
- The overwhelming majority of retailers seemed to offer only up to a size 9 in ladies, and larger sizes only as custom non-refundable orders.
- For stores which did not carry larger ring sizes, the option to "size up" was offered – however the final shape and integrity of the ring after it was sized was never brought up. If Tiffany voids their warranty with only a half size change, it's a pretty good sign that drastic sizing can impact the integrity of a ring!
We believe there's a better way to shop for wedding and engagement rings – whether you're looking for a size 12 or a size 6. You shouldn't have to choose from a limited selection and take a risk ordering a ring that fits your size.
Learn more about how we designed our Full Brilliance collection to be authentic, affordable and matching. We strive to provide a better alternative, one which is judgement free or hassle free. Just beautiful rings that fit like a dream.
Read Next:
Summer 2017 marks the collections official launch and more styles will be added in shortly. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed of new releases and to learn more about our Full Brilliance collection and how it continues to innovate!
