There are various ways of wearing two or more rings at once, and if you are like most people, you’d choose to wear the rings individually on different fingers, on the same finger, or even on each hand and maybe most of your fingers.
But this is not the only option for everyone, especially if you have two rings that you really love and you’d love to wear them on the same finger, like the ring finger, but perhaps without the rings turning individually.
If the latter sounds like something you’d like, then this article is for you. Here, we’ll take a look at everything you need to know about combining two (different) rings into one ring.
So, keep reading to learn more about all this!
What is it called when you put two rings together?
The process of putting two rings into one is known as soldering. It involves the fusion of the two rings together, for example, a wedding band and an engagement ring soldered into one set.
It is not everyone’s preference, but some people prefer soldering their rings together as a way of bonding their rings together, representing the special union while also solidifying the forever bond of life.
For the rings to be soldered, a filler metal is used. The filler metal is melted, and it is what will bond the two rings together without altering or damaging the individual rings,
Pros and Cons of combining two rings into one
If you are thinking about soldering your rings together, you should consider the following things first.
Pros of soldering two rings together
- Soldering the rings would protect them
This is the primary reason for soldering your rings, especially if you prefer wearing your wedding and engagement ring on the same finger. Separately, the rings rub against each other, and they will corrode over time, something that would lead to high maintenance costs for the rings.
If, for example, your engagement ring is made of white gold, it means that the ring was plated with rhodium.
Now, although rhodium is durable, it wears out over time, and the ring will lose its sparkle.
The corrosion is, however, reduced when the rings are soldered, and this lowers the rings’ maintenance costs.
So, to keep ring maintenance costs down, especially if the rings are plated, it might be a good idea to solder them.
- The rings will not slide around anymore.
Soldering the rings might also be a great idea for you if you don’t want to struggle with the rings sliding around all the time.
The constant sliding can be quite annoying, and it might be that one thing that drives you crazy and maybe why you often opt for the ring that has a better fit over the one that moves around too much.
If your high-set diamond engagement ring doesn’t stay centered often and you love to keep the ring on without worrying about it sliding out of place, this might be a great idea for you.
In other words, soldering helps keep your ring perfectly fitting and intact.
- More comfort after soldering
As long as the soldering is done perfectly and by a professional, your rings will fit and feel more comfortable on the fingers once they’ve been soldered.
There is also the fact that irritations and the risk of allergies are reduced when the metals don’t rub against your skin all the time.
So, if you are tired of the constant irritation, the painful pinching, or sliding, solder the rings together.
Cons of soldering your rings
Although soldering your rings will be the end of some of the constant problems from wearing two rings that may or may not slide too much on your fingers, the process of ring soldering is not always perfect.
And before you choose to solder the rings, you should think of and weigh the pros and cons of soldering the rings.
Below are some of the drawbacks of soldering your rings together.
- You won’t have the option of ever wearing just one of the rings.
After soldering, you cannot have one ring without the other.
If you find that there are times when you just want to wear the wedding or the engagement ring and not both rings, soldering will take this freedom away from you.
If each of your rings has something unique that you are drawn to, soldering them takes away that option of wearing the individual pieces and enjoying/ appreciating their differences on their own. This might be a deal-breaker for some people.
In other words, if you can only wear the wedding or engagement ring to an event or work, soldering means not wearing either ring in such restrictive conditions.
- The separation of soldered rings is difficult.
Think of soldering of the rings as a permanent thing, which means that there is no going back.
After the rings have been fused, their separation will be virtually impossible. So, if you tend to change your mind and don’t like what you loved a year ago and thought you’d never get over it, soldering might not be an excellent option for you.
While there are cases where soldering the rings is a tenable option, there is always a big risk of damage to the rings, and the alteration may lower the value of the rings or turn them to scrap.
So, it might not be the best option for you.
- Process and time needed.
Soldering in itself takes about 2 weeks, depending on who you are buying the ring from or the jeweler who solders them, but you should account for the extra time you may need to resize the rings.
For a snug fit, you need the rings resized professionally and down to quarter size.
Again, you have to think about the materials that the rings are made of because resizing some metals like tungsten or titanium is challenging.
- Mismatched pairs
You may have been into white gold for an engagement ring, but you want a yellow gold solid ring for the wedding ring.
Individually, these two rings look excellent, but if you are not bold, soldering these two rings together might not be the best option for you.
For most people, ring soldering is ideal where the rings are made of the same metals or metals in the same color group.
How long does it take to solder rings together?
Although the time needed for soldering rings varies depending on the jeweler or jewelry store you choose to work with, the soldering of rings often takes an average of 1-2 weeks. But if you are lucky and have a reputable jewelry brand nearby, the rings could be soldered in hours though or a maximum of a day.
How much does it cost to solder rings together?
As mentioned above, ring soldering involves the heating of metals and connecting the two rings together with the help of the soldering/ bonding molten metals.
Soldering is often done from the local jewelry stores, and it’s a fairly inexpensive process. In most cases, soldering rings would cost as low as $45 or $30, but the cost could go as high as $90.
You’d spend more when soldering 3 rings and not 2 rings, but the cost of soldering the rings would also depend on the material that the ring is made of, your location, and the jeweler or jewelry store the rings are soldered from.
Regarding the metal used, it costs more to solder jewelry made of platinum because this metal is harder and a little more difficult to work with.
That said, you may incur a higher fee if, in addition to soldering, the rings need to be resized or replated. Otherwise, the highest possible amount you’d spend soldering the ring is $90 and as low as $30.
Does soldering rings make them smaller?
No, soldering will not make your rings smaller. Soldering involves melting a metal alloy at a relatively low temperature, and this solder is what is used to fuse the two rings together. So, no change in the size of the rings should be expected.
Keep in mind that, unlike welding where the rings are actually melted, the rings are not melted during soldering; and instead, a filler material is melted, and it acts as the glue that keeps the rings together. After soldering, the structure of the rings is unchanged, and the rings are not damaged at all.
Does soldering rings decrease value?
Soldering will not decrease the value of your rings because the filler material used doesn’t have any impact on the actual rings.
Tips for soldering two rings together
- Not all rings can be soldered. Although soldering might feel like the best remedy for you, it might prove impossible or less than an ideal where one of the rings is heavily decorated on its sides or if it’s domed. For soldering to be done smoothly, both rings must have flat sides; otherwise, the details on the side of the rings would have to be removed if one of the rings is heavily decorated, especially on the sides.
- Sizing up the rings. If both rings fit snugly before soldering, you may want to get them sized up slightly before soldering. The rings tend to fit tighter after soldering, presumably from the heat from the filler metal alloy.
- Soldering rings in different In such cases, the rings would have to be fused together – heated then joined as one. Unfortunately, this leaves that melted look on the rings, especially where the rings are fused.
- Not all rings can be soldered. In the case of rings made of tungsten and/or titanium, soldering will not work because these metals are just too hard and impossible to work with.
- Compare prices. Different jewelers charge differently for the same quality service. Shop around, compare prices and settle on the store that offers the best deal (price and quality of soldering).
Alternatives to soldering rings together
Spinning – If you are not sure about soldering your rings just yet, you may want to opt for a more temporary fix known as spinning. It involves wrapping the rings using a connector or a wire that then holds the rings in place together for increased convenience. Spinning will reduce the diameter of the rings, but the rings will stay in place, and they will not rub against each other.
Using a Ring Guard – a ring guard or a ring enhancer is the other option for keeping the rings together, albeit temporarily. It prevents the rings from rubbing against each other.
Conclusion
Soldering rings allows for the combination of two rings into one. It is an effective strategy against corrosion and sliding of the rings, and it will not affect the quality of the rings.
It is affordable also. The only downside is that soldering means that you will no longer enjoy the uniqueness and individuality associated with each of your lovely rings.
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Stephanie is a jewelry lover when she was a teenager. Her major was fashion design when she was in college. She is a jewelry designer at SOQ Jewelry and other design companies. Now she is also a writer for our website. She writes a lot of designs&brands posts with very actionable tips.