Jewellery for Arthritis: Clever Designs Making Life Easier
Naughty Knuckles … they are so annoying, but never fear, there are plenty of ways to still put on and wear your favourite jewels.
If you have arthritis, you already know that daily tasks can create unexpected challenges, including when putting on your jewellery. Tiny clasps, stiff fastenings and tight rings don’t mix well with sore and swollen joints. But the good news is that you don’t have to give up your treasured jewels. If you have a favourite piece of jewellery that has become tricky to wear, a jeweller can often adapt it to make it accessible to you again. Even if you are spec’ing a new piece of jewellery, there are plenty of clever, stylish and surprisingly practical jewellery solutions designed to make life easier and still let you enjoy all those lovely sparkles.
Rings that are easier to wear with arthritis:
Bumpers:
The simplest solution is to have your rings resized to fit over your knuckle, however that does mean the ring will be prone to spinning, as the new ring size will be larger than the base of your finger. That’s where bumpers come in to play! A couple of small balls of the same metal soldered into the inside of the band still allow you to wiggle the ring over your knuckle, but then the two bumpers touch your finger and reduce the likelihood of it spinning.
Adjustable / Open bands:
You could have the band of the ring changed so it is open at the back. This gives you a little wiggle room to stretch the ring to fit over your knuckle and pinch it shut. These are a great idea if your fingers seem to change size with the seasons.
Hinged rings:
Honestly, I have no experience with these - they seem to be quite an expensive option to manufacture, and I’d be worried that the hinge would spring open and fall off.
Necklaces that are easier to wear with arthritis:
Now if the necklace is long enough to place over your head, happy days! But if a clasp is involved, things can get fiddly. Even without arthritis, I’m sure we’ve all spent aaaaaages trying to do up a particularly delicate clasp (normally when we’re already running late for an event)!
Magnetic clasps:
One of the simplest swaps you can make is to connect a magnetic clasp to the existing clasp. No more fiddling with a minuscule lever behind your neck — just bring the ends near to each other and click!
Magnetic clasps come in all sorts of styles, and metal colours tones, so there is one to suit your necklace. The magnets are strong, but tiny. I’ve been trialling a magnetic necklace clasp on my favourite gemstone necklace for a couple of years and it has never failed me. However … they can fail - the magnet is glued into its setting, so time, water and the weight of the necklace can all have an effect on the lifespan of the glue. And of course a firm enough tug or pull and the magnets will release.
I’m happy to risk it personally for myself, but I wouldn’t fit a magnetic clasp on a necklace in the price-bracket of my collection. For a necklace you can happily replace, the everyday ease of a magnetic clasp is so worth it!
Larger Clasps:
If you a prefer classic clasp, a jeweller can swap a small clasp for a larger one on your existing jewellery, there are lots of larger clasp styles and materials to choose from, and the circular or oval loop the clasp locks into can be as big as you want, so your jeweller can design to suit!
Toggle Clasps:
Toggle clasps (the ones with a large circle and a long bar that threads through the circle) are brilliant for arthritic hands. They’re chunkier, easier to hold, and can often be fastened using just one hand.
They also add a lovely visual feature to a necklace (or bracelet) and are regularly designed to sit at the front of the neck, rather than around the back, so a toggle feels like a creative design choice rather than just a ‘finding’ (that’s a techie term for a composite part of a piece of jewellery).
Bracelets that are easier to wear with arthritis:
Clasps:
The magnetic clasps and toggle clasps mentioned above are also great for bracelets - it can be tricky doing up a bracelet with one hand, a magnet or a toggle makes it easy. A traditional clasp is the most secure option though, particularly with a safety chain attached, but the easiest way to put one on is to find a friend to do the clasp for you!
Stretch bracelets:
Stretchy bead bracelets aren’t just casual wear anymore — you’ll find elegant gemstone and metal-accented designs that slip on effortlessly. Because they simply roll over the hand, there’s absolutely no fastening to fuss with. Perfect for days when your grip strength and dexterity isn’t at its best. Keep an eye on the elastic though. It will perish over time with normal wear and tear.
Slip-on bangles and cuffs:
Cuff bracelets have a small gap so they slide over your wrist. They are a brilliant arthritic-friendly option. They’re firm enough to stay put but flexible enough to get on and off without twisting or squeezing your hands. Slip-on bangles are also a great idea, as long as they’re sized generously and have smooth edges.
Precious materials that are easier to wear with arthritis:
Sometimes it’s not the clasp that’s the problem, it’s the weight of the piece. Heavy jewellery can be uncomfortable and put unnecessary strain on joints. If you have some heavy beads on a necklace, maybe you can split them up into a necklace design using less of the beads, perhaps use the remaining beads in a bracelet or design a couple of the beads into a pair of drop earrings, so you have a jewellery set to wear, and you spread the weight of those beads around your body, rather than it all hanging on your neck.
Instead of heavy gold or platinum, lighter weight jewels can be made from materials like aluminium, resin or titanium.
You don’t have to give up wearing jewellery you love. Get in contact with me if you want to explore arthritis-friendly jewelery designs or adjustments.
A ring with bumpers
An open band
A hinged wedding band
An open bypass ring
A toggle clasp necklace
A magnetic clasp
