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Explore Q Report's Content Centre for expert advice on jewellery insurance. You can also read e-guides and blogs, watch videos and more.

Explore Q Report's Content Centre for expert advice on jewellery insurance. You can also read e-guides and blogs, watch videos and more.

Jewellery, engagement ring & watch advice, plus insurance tips & industry insights. 

Watch expert tips, discover insurance benefits & hear real customer stories. 

Find answers to common questions about jewellery, engagement ring & watch insurance. 

Click here to access important policy documents - Product Disclosure Statement, Financial Services Guide, and Policy Wording.

Click here to access the Target Market Determination (TMD) document.

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How to Avoid Damage to Your Finger and Ring if You Can’t Get it Off

Q Report Team

Updated on March 18, 2025
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It’s a panicky situation. Maybe it’s hot outside, and your finger is swollen. Perhaps you tried on a friend’s ring, and her fingers are slightly smaller than yours. Whatever the reason, you need to remove the ring, but it won’t budge.

First off, take a deep breath. One of the following remedies will probably help you remove that engagement ring without damage to your finger or the jewellery. And if not, well, we have a solution for that problem, too.

How to Get a Ring Off a Swollen Finger

Relax Your Hand

Whether you are aware of it or not, your finger muscles are tensed up. Consciously try to relax your finger and hand to the point it gets “floppy”.

Elevate Your Hand

A straightforward method of reducing swelling is to raise your hand above your heart. Better yet, hold your hand up above your head for five or ten minutes. 

Place Your Hand in Cold Water

Have you ever noticed that your rings are looser when you’re cold? Banish swollen fingers quickly by submerging your hand in cold water, ice water if possible.

If you use this method, be sure to protect the ring from nearby drains. Instead of plunging your hand into a sink full of cold water, fill up a bowl, drop in some ice cubes, and then let those swollen digits soak until the ring slips off effortlessly.

Slather Up with Slippery Soap

Reduce as much friction as possible between your skin and the precious metal. Dish soap, with its ability to cut grease, works well for this strategy. Just make sure you use a soap that won’t hurt your skin or the ring.

After you’ve added soap, twist the ring around on your finger until it slips over your knuckle.

Try the String Strategy

For this method, you’ll need a ribbon, a string or a piece of dental floss. Here’s how it works:

  1. Slide one end of the string under the ring.
  2. Wrap the string around your finger several times between the ring and your knuckle. Make it tight, but not so tight that it hurts.
  3. Unwind the string from the bottom (near the ring). Slide the ring off with it.

You can repeat these steps several times if it doesn’t work right away.

Damage Coverage

 

It’s Still Stuck!

If none of these remedies helps, you may have to cut the ring off and have it repaired. 

Cutting the Ring Off

Doctors have several other tools they can use to remove rings, and in some cases, ring removal may be medically necessary, primarily if it affects blood circulation.

Cutting a ring off isn’t the end of the world. Jewellers know how to fix this problem and can shine your ring up as good as new.

Ring Resizing

Once the ring has been successfully removed from your finger, it’s time to think about resizing. You don’t want to go through that ordeal again!

To enlarge a ring, jewellers cut through the shank and add enough metal to make it a perfect fit. After soldering and polishing it up, you can safely wear the ring without worries. 

Some rings are trickier than others to resize. Tension settings, with their delicate balance, may require significant work. And eternity bands, with their row of diamonds, could require the addition of additional stones. For most rings, however, resizing is quick and relatively inexpensive.

Cover Your Engagement Ring With Specialised Insurance

Specialised jewellery insurance like Q Report is one of the best ways to cover your engagement ring from damage or loss like this.

With a Q Report policy, get 12 months worldwide cover, the option to return to your original jeweller for replacement and repair, a low fixed excess of $100 if you need to make a claim, and a free annual revaluation of your items.

See how little it can cost to insure your jewellery - receive a Q Report quote today.

 

Damage Coverage

Purchase Amount

To get an accurate insurance quote, please provide the amount from your purchase receipt.

Don't have the receipt?

If you don't have the receipt, you can provide the most recent valuation amount instead.

OK
Related Posts
Featured Posts
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Jewellery Insurance

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play-audio
Listen to article
/

It’s a panicky situation. Maybe it’s hot outside, and your finger is swollen. Perhaps you tried on a friend’s ring, and her fingers are slightly smaller than yours. Whatever the reason, you need to remove the ring, but it won’t budge.

First off, take a deep breath. One of the following remedies will probably help you remove that engagement ring without damage to your finger or the jewellery. And if not, well, we have a solution for that problem, too.

How to Get a Ring Off a Swollen Finger

Relax Your Hand

Whether you are aware of it or not, your finger muscles are tensed up. Consciously try to relax your finger and hand to the point it gets “floppy”.

Elevate Your Hand

A straightforward method of reducing swelling is to raise your hand above your heart. Better yet, hold your hand up above your head for five or ten minutes. 

Place Your Hand in Cold Water

Have you ever noticed that your rings are looser when you’re cold? Banish swollen fingers quickly by submerging your hand in cold water, ice water if possible.

If you use this method, be sure to protect the ring from nearby drains. Instead of plunging your hand into a sink full of cold water, fill up a bowl, drop in some ice cubes, and then let those swollen digits soak until the ring slips off effortlessly.

Slather Up with Slippery Soap

Reduce as much friction as possible between your skin and the precious metal. Dish soap, with its ability to cut grease, works well for this strategy. Just make sure you use a soap that won’t hurt your skin or the ring.

After you’ve added soap, twist the ring around on your finger until it slips over your knuckle.

Try the String Strategy

For this method, you’ll need a ribbon, a string or a piece of dental floss. Here’s how it works:

  1. Slide one end of the string under the ring.
  2. Wrap the string around your finger several times between the ring and your knuckle. Make it tight, but not so tight that it hurts.
  3. Unwind the string from the bottom (near the ring). Slide the ring off with it.

You can repeat these steps several times if it doesn’t work right away.

Damage Coverage

 

It’s Still Stuck!

If none of these remedies helps, you may have to cut the ring off and have it repaired. 

Cutting the Ring Off

Doctors have several other tools they can use to remove rings, and in some cases, ring removal may be medically necessary, primarily if it affects blood circulation.

Cutting a ring off isn’t the end of the world. Jewellers know how to fix this problem and can shine your ring up as good as new.

Ring Resizing

Once the ring has been successfully removed from your finger, it’s time to think about resizing. You don’t want to go through that ordeal again!

To enlarge a ring, jewellers cut through the shank and add enough metal to make it a perfect fit. After soldering and polishing it up, you can safely wear the ring without worries. 

Some rings are trickier than others to resize. Tension settings, with their delicate balance, may require significant work. And eternity bands, with their row of diamonds, could require the addition of additional stones. For most rings, however, resizing is quick and relatively inexpensive.

Cover Your Engagement Ring With Specialised Insurance

Specialised jewellery insurance like Q Report is one of the best ways to cover your engagement ring from damage or loss like this.

With a Q Report policy, get 12 months worldwide cover, the option to return to your original jeweller for replacement and repair, a low fixed excess of $100 if you need to make a claim, and a free annual revaluation of your items.

See how little it can cost to insure your jewellery - receive a Q Report quote today.

 

Damage Coverage

Table of Contents

Introduction
Understanding the 4 Cs of Diamonds
Diamond Shapes
Choosing a Ring Style
Selecting a Ring Retailer

Understanding Mechanical Movements

Rolex-super-precision

Unlike their battery-powered quartz counterparts, luxury watches have a beating heart – the mechanical movement. First created in the 14th century, large, weight-driven tower clocks with verge escapements and foliot balances marked the dawn of mechanical timekeeping.

Today, the core concept of mechanical movements remains unchanged from its original conception. It involves an intricate arrangement of gears, springs, and an escapement powered by a wound mainspring. This precision engineering allows for smooth operation and precise timekeeping.

Manual watch movements require the wearer to wind the crown periodically. Automatic watch movements, on the other hand, utilise the wearer's movements to keep the mainspring wound, offering a convenient everyday solution.

The Patek Philippe Calatrava, with its ultra-thin manual movement, exemplifies the elegance of traditional watchmaking. On the other hand, the Rolex Oyster Perpetual, with its self-winding mechanism epitomises practicality and durability.

Whether manual or automatic, a mechanical movement imbues a luxury watch with a soul, a testament to human ingenuity and a treasured heirloom for generations to come

Luxury Watch Complications: Exploring Hidden Features & Functionality

Luxury watches often boast 'complications,' intricate mechanisms that add layers of sophistication, style and utility. Here, we explore some of the most fascinating complications created by the best luxury watch brands.

Statistic Heading

Rolex-super-precision

Unlike their battery-powered quartz counterparts, luxury watches have a beating heart – the mechanical movement. First created in the 14th century, large, weight-driven tower clocks with verge escapements and foliot balances marked the dawn of mechanical timekeeping.

Today, the core concept of mechanical movements remains unchanged from its original conception. It involves an intricate arrangement of gears, springs, and an escapement powered by a wound mainspring. This precision engineering allows for smooth operation and precise timekeeping.

Manual watch movements require the wearer to wind the crown periodically. Automatic watch movements, on the other hand, utilise the wearer's movements to keep the mainspring wound, offering a convenient everyday solution.

The Patek Philippe Calatrava, with its ultra-thin manual movement, exemplifies the elegance of traditional watchmaking. On the other hand, the Rolex Oyster Perpetual, with its self-winding mechanism epitomises practicality and durability.

Whether manual or automatic, a mechanical movement imbues a luxury watch with a soul, a testament to human ingenuity and a treasured heirloom for generations to come

Peace of Mind: An engagement ring is a significant financial and sentimental investment. Specialised engagement ring insurance provides financial protection in the event of loss, theft or damage by ensuring you can recover the ring's monetary value or repair or replace.

Peace of Mind: An engagement ring is a significant financial and sentimental investment. Specialised engagement ring insurance provides financial protection in the event of loss, theft or damage by ensuring you can recover the ring's monetary value or repair or replace.

Peace of Mind: An engagement ring is a significant financial and sentimental investment. Specialised engagement ring insurance provides financial protection in the event of loss, theft or damage by ensuring you can recover the ring's monetary value or repair or replace.

Peace of Mind: An engagement ring is a significant financial and sentimental investment. Specialised engagement ring insurance provides financial protection in the event of loss, theft or damage by ensuring you can recover the ring's monetary value or repair or replace.

Common Diamond Alternatives
for Engagement Rings

Tanzanite

Contents insurance is essential for anyone who owns valuable items, as it helps protect you should a potential loss occur in your.

Aquamarine

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Sapphire

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Luxury Watch Complications: Exploring Hidden Features & Functionality

Luxury watches often boast 'complications,' intricate mechanisms that add layers of sophistication, style and utility. Here, we explore some of the most fascinating complications created by the best luxury watch brands.

Peace of Mind: An engagement ring is a significant financial and sentimental investment. Specialised engagement ring insurance provides financial protection in the event of loss, theft or damage by ensuring you can recover the ring's monetary value or repair or replace.

Peace of Mind: An engagement ring is a significant financial and sentimental investment. Specialised engagement ring insurance provides financial protection in the event of loss, theft or damage by ensuring you can recover the ring's monetary value or repair or replace.

Peace of Mind: An engagement ring is a significant financial and sentimental investment. Specialised engagement ring insurance provides financial protection in the event of loss, theft or damage by ensuring you can recover the ring's monetary value or repair or replace.

Peace of Mind: An engagement ring is a significant financial and sentimental investment. Specialised engagement ring insurance provides financial protection in the event of loss, theft or damage by ensuring you can recover the ring's monetary value or repair or replace.

“Knowing your engagement ring is insured brings peace of mind. Accidents can happen, and insurance coverage alleviates the worry and stress of potential loss or damage.”

Unlike their battery-powered quartz counterparts, luxury watches have a beating heart – the mechanical movement. First created in the 14th century, large, weight-driven tower clocks with verge escapements and foliot balances marked the dawn of mechanical timekeeping.

Today, the core concept of mechanical movements remains unchanged from its original conception. It involves an intricate arrangement of gears, springs, and an escapement powered by a wound mainspring. This precision engineering allows for smooth operation and precise timekeeping.

Manual watch movements require the wearer to wind the crown periodically. Automatic watch movements, on the other hand, utilise the wearer's movements to keep the mainspring wound, offering a convenient everyday solution.

The Patek Philippe Calatrava, with its ultra-thin manual movement, exemplifies the elegance of traditional watchmaking. On the other hand, the Rolex Oyster Perpetual, with its self-winding mechanism epitomises practicality and durability.

Whether manual or automatic, a mechanical movement imbues a luxury watch with a soul, a testament to human ingenuity and a treasured heirloom for generations to come

Export
Expert Tip

Budget Considerations

Diamond shapes can vary in price due to popularity and demand. Round brilliants, for example, tend to be more expensive than other shapes due to their high demand. If budget is a concern, consider alternative shapes or prioritise other aspects, such as cut quality, over the shape itself.

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Jewellery Insurance FAQ

Contents insurance covers the items within your home in case they are damaged, lost or stolen. This can include furniture, electronics, clothing and other personal.  Contents insurance is essential for anyone who owns valuable items, as it helps protect you should a potential loss occur in your.

Contents insurance covers the items within your home in case they are damaged, lost or stolen. This can include furniture, electronics, clothing and other personal.  Contents insurance is essential for anyone who owns valuable items, as it helps protect you should a potential loss occur in your.
Home Security Fortification

An engagement ring is a significant financial and sentimental investment. Specialised engagement ring insurance provides financial protection in the event of loss, theft or damage by ensuring you can recover the ring's monetary value or repair or replace.

An engagement ring is a significant financial and sentimental investment. Specialised.

Travel Savvy

An engagement ring is a significant financial and sentimental investment. Specialised engagement ring insurance provides financial protection in the event of loss, theft or damage by ensuring you can recover the ring's monetary value or repair or replace.

An engagement ring is a significant financial and sentimental investment. Specialised.

Social Media Caution

An engagement ring is a significant financial and sentimental investment. Specialised engagement ring insurance provides financial protection in the event of loss, theft or damage by ensuring you can recover the ring's monetary value or repair or replace.

An engagement ring is a significant financial and sentimental investment. Specialised.

Regular Valuations

An engagement ring is a significant financial and sentimental investment. Specialised engagement ring insurance provides financial protection in the event of loss, theft or damage by ensuring you can recover the ring's monetary value or repair or replace.

An engagement ring is a significant financial and sentimental investment. Specialised.

bulb
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Contents insurance is essential for anyone who owns valuable items, as it helps protect you should a potential loss occur in your.

Luxury Watch Complications: Exploring Hidden Features & Functionality

Luxury watches often boast 'complications,' intricate mechanisms that add layers of sophistication, style and utility. Here, we explore some of the most fascinating complications created by the best luxury watch brands.

Home Security Fortification

Contents insurance covers the items within your home in case they are damaged, lost or stolen. This can include furniture, electronics, clothing and other personal.  Contents insurance is essential for anyone who owns valuable items, as it helps protect you should a potential loss occur in your.

Purchase Amount

To get an accurate insurance quote, please provide the amount from your purchase receipt.

Don't have the receipt?

If you don't have the receipt, you can provide the most recent valuation amount instead.

OK

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