hi skip,
sizing beads, jewelers knots, jewelers balls (i would always
tease the salesperson who asked me to install jewelers balls
inside a ring. ‘i’m not putting mine in there!, you’ll have to
find somebody elses!’) are installed inside a shank to
theoretically keep the ring from turning around on a finger. not
something i recmd.
best regards,
geo fox
Sizing beads are small beads of gold/silver/platinum that are soldered inside the ring shank at about 10 & 2 o'clock (usually). They serve to ke ep a ring from turning on the finger while not reducing the ease with which it can be put on & removed. If a person's finger periodically swells or shrinks for what ever reason this alleves the too tight/loose ring proble m.
I prefer something like 4:15 & 7:45. They are more comfortable
on the underside of a finger, and can get a grip there to keep
the ring from rolling over.
sizing beads, jewelers knots, jewelers balls (i would always tease the salesperson who asked me to install jewelers balls inside a ring. 'i'm not putting mine in there!, you'll have to find somebody elses!') are installed inside a shank to theoretically keep the ring from turning around on a finger. not something i recmd.
why don’t you suggest them? I find them vey helpful with
arthritic customers whom sware bye them. Ron
not something i recmd.
Why wouldn’t you recommend it? Are they ‘special’ beads–I
haven’t come across them before. Sandra
…installed inside a shank to theoretically keep the ring from turning
around on a finger. not something i recmd.
George,
I’m curious, why don’t you recommend this practice? I do it
frequently since many of my customers suffer from mild arthritis
and the cost of the hinged shanks is prohibative (sp?). I only
use those in extreme cases where the difference between knuckle
and the rest of the finger is too great for the balls to work. I
have never had a customer dissatisfied with the balls.
Sharon
Is this becoming a common practice (instead of actually sizing
the ring)??? I’ve seen this locally and was surprised that the
customer was happy with this method.
Just a small note on the “balls”. I have heard of a situation
where the balls inflicted injury to the customer when she
snagged the ring on something. She then, with little or no
compunction, sued the jeweler. Now, I can’t verify this as true,
but as a result of this story I’ve always used pieces of round or
1/2 round wire going diagonally across the shank instead of the
balls…and I CAN verify that I’ve never been sued over their,
“wound-inflicting”,properties!! Roland
not something i recmd.
Why wouldn't you recommend it? Are they 'special' beads--I haven't come across them before. Sandra
hi sandra,
no, they aren’t that special. one could make them by melting
scrap into a ball and soldering them onto the inside of a shank.
not too technical.
best regards,
geo fox
Is this becoming a common practice (instead of actually sizing the ring)???? I've seen this locally and was surprised that the customer was happy with this method.
no this method of sizing balls inside the base of a ring is only
needed when the knuckle of ones finger in much bigger than where
the ring is worn. I feel it is only an alternative to sizing a
ring ie as in the case of arthritis or injury to a finger and
when the cost of a hinged finger mate or somthing similar is too
much for the customer. My costomers that wish this cheaper
alternative are very happy and usually we put a hinged adjuster
only on their more expensive rings. Ron www.kreml.com
why don't you suggest them? I find them vey helpful with arthritic customers whom sware bye them. Ron
hi ron,
well, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
though they are an inexpensive alternative to other arthritic
devices, it is my opinion (we know what opinions are
like…everybodies got one) that is their limitation, an
inexpensive alternative, affective for some. what i like to use
as an inexpensive alternative, besides the balls (which i will
install when asked) is a small curved piece of sheet inverted to
the shank. one could put one in the middle (6 o’clock), or two
in the same places that the balls would go. i think that this
accomplishes the same thing and looks better.
very frequently, a customer will have me run the gamut of
inexpensive alternatives before deciding to go for a real
arthritic shank.
best regards,
geo fox
I only use those in extreme cases where the difference between knuckle and the rest of the finger is too great for the balls to work. I have never had a customer dissatisfied with the balls.
hi Sharon,
i’ll put them in if asked to. as i said before, i think they are
an inexpensive alternative to something a little better. if i go
with an inexpensive alternative, i will use curved strips of
sheet instead of the balls. concave surface of the ring and the
sheet are facing. or as roland gerson suggested, round or 1/2
round wire. roland also made other points i agree with in his
post on this subject.
they look uncomfortable to me and also don’t look aesthetically
pleasing on the inside of a shank. i’m glad your customers are
satisfied with the balls, but i’m sorry to say that i don’t have
your experience with customers always being satisfied with their
jewelers balls. maybe it’s me?
best regards,
geo fox
no this method of sizing balls inside the base of a ring is only needed when the knuckle of ones finger in much bigger than where the ring is worn. I feel it is only an alternative to sizing a ring ie as in the case of arthritis or injury to a finger and when the cost of a hinged finger mate or somthing similar is too much for the customer.
The woman I saw (who had a ring with these balls) was a tiny 28
year old, no arthritis, no huge knuckle, and she told me she
asked the jeweler to “size” the ring.
I thought she was being taken by the jeweler (cost her a mighty
dollar) to have this done!
Just a small note on the "balls". I have heard of a situation where the balls inflicted injury to the customer when she snagged the ring on something. She then, with little or no compunction, sued the jeweler. Now, I can't verify this as true, but as a result of this story I've always used pieces of round or 1/2 round wire going diagonally across the shank instead of the balls....and I CAN verify that I've never been sued over their, "wound-inflicting",properties!! Roland
Although, when I first saw the “balls” I thought they looked
strange . . . I have a difficult time figuring out how they could
inflict any damage to anyone (other than the wearer) . … These
balls are tiny, and are on the inside of the band (opposite part
of the shank from the setting.) How can this positioning cause
any “wound inflicting?” Are two people trying to sick their
fingers through the same shank??? I think I’m confused.
…they look uncomfortable to me and also don’t look aesthetically
pleasing on the inside of a shank. i’m glad your customers are
satisfied with the balls, but i’m sorry to say that i don’t have
your experience with customers always being satisfied with their
jewelers balls. maybe it’s me?
George,
I suppose too large could be uncomfortable for some women
(blush), however, on the serious side, I do tell my customers
that if the difference between the knuckle and the rest of the
finger is too great, a hinged shank of some sort will be
neccessary. They usually blanch when I tell them the cost. Only
one has needed to go that route, and I made the mistake of
estimating the cost without looking it up. If you consider the
value of the scrap piece of shank you are left with, I didn’t
loose money, but I’ll never give estimates like that again. I
just don’t have many customers willing to spend that much money
to make a ring more comfortable. They find that after a few
days, they get used to the feel of the balls and don’t really
notice them.
Is there any supplier of hinged shanks that is less expensive
than others while still being functional? If so I’d like to
know.
Thanks for your response.
Sharon
Is there any supplier of hinged shanks that is less expensive than others while still being functional? If so I'd like to know.
hi sharon,
nope, the ajusto-shank is the least expensive. it’s been awhile
since i’ve used one, but i think they cost about 40ish dollars.
finger fit is 70ish and the others (finger-mate, superfit) have
a lot of different prices but they start at about 110.
best regards,
geo fox
ps i’m glad that everyone calls them balls now. thanks for the
chuckle.