Guides
Stretch Band Rings and the EasyFit Shank: Solving the Knuckle Problem
A standard ring is sized to the finger's base circumference. Fingers are not cylinders. For many people, the joint is meaningfully larger than the base — and no standard size satisfies both requirements at once.
The Knuckle Problem
Why Standard Sizing Fails for Many Hands
The difference between knuckle and base circumference varies by person. For some hands it's minimal — half a size or less — and a standard ring works fine. For others, particularly those with joint changes from arthritis or age, the difference is substantial enough that no standard size works for both.
The conventional workarounds don't hold up. Sizing up to clear the knuckle leaves the ring spinning and migrating throughout the day. Sizing down means a struggle every time the ring goes on and off, with the knuckle abrading the metal over years. Neither is a solution — they're accommodations to a constraint the jewelry industry has accepted rather than solved.
The EasyFit Shank
How the Mechanism Works
The EasyFit shank is a patented ring construction by Bez Ambar. The mechanism replaces the continuous band of a standard shank with a flexible structure that opens under gentle lateral pressure and closes securely when released. From the outside, the ring looks like any other fine jewelry piece — the mechanism is entirely internal, visible only at the underside of the shank.
In the open position, the ring passes over a significantly larger diameter than the closed position — typically enough to accommodate the full difference between joint size and base size. In the closed position, it contracts to the base circumference, holding the ring in place without spinning. No springs, no pins, no small components that wear out. The mechanism relies on controlled metal elasticity.
Who It Helps Most
Candidates for a Stretch or EasyFit Ring
The most common candidate is someone whose knuckle circumference is one or more sizes larger than their ring base. This is particularly common in women over fifty, where joint changes — from arthritis or aging — progressively increase the difference between joint and base size.
Arthritis affects ring sizing in two ways: it enlarges the joint, and it makes forcing a tight ring over an inflamed joint painful. An EasyFit ring eliminates both problems — the joint is never stressed during entry, and the ring doesn't need to be sized to a compromised dimension.
Pregnancy and the temporary swelling it causes create the same problem in a shorter time frame. While an EasyFit shank is designed for permanent jewelry, the concept allows women to continue wearing meaningful pieces through periods when their fingers are temporarily enlarged.
The Extent Collection
The Same Mechanism at Bracelet Scale
The Extent bracelets apply the same engineering at wrist scale. The patented flex mechanism allows the bracelet to open wide for the hand and close precisely around the wrist. No clasp to manage, no box closure to align, no push-tab spring to break. It goes on and off with a gesture.
The collection runs round brilliant diamonds in 25mm and 30mm widths, Asscher-cut in a double-row configuration, and emerald-cut in a full edge-to-edge setting. The round models — Liquid Carat™ — present diamonds in an unbroken sequence with no visible structural interruption. The bracelet moves like fabric and returns to its shape.
What the Extent collection demonstrates is that the flex mechanism is compatible with serious fine jewelry construction: VS clarity stones, matched cuts, substantial carat weights. This is not a compromise. It's the same standard of construction as any other Bez Ambar piece, with the mechanism engineered in from the start.
Commissioning
How to Order a Ring With an EasyFit Shank
The process begins with establishing both measurements: knuckle circumference and base circumference. Both are needed to specify the mechanism's range of motion for the individual hand. The sizing consultation is more involved than for a standard ring — the jeweler needs to understand the full range, not just a nominal size.
The EasyFit shank can be added to most ring designs. Existing pieces can be retrofitted in many cases, and new pieces can be built with it from the start. Lead time is the same as for any custom fine jewelry piece — typically six to ten weeks depending on complexity.
Continue Reading
- The Los Angeles Diamond District
- Traveling With Fine Jewelry: What to Bring and How to Protect It
- What to Ask a Jeweler Before You Buy: A Complete List
Explore the Bez Ambar fine jewelry collection.
Ready to start your own piece? Contact the studio for a private consultation.
Commission a Piece of Your Own
Every piece is designed and made in the Los Angeles atelier, from the first reading of the stone to the final pass of the setting wheel. Enquire to begin a commission.
