How to measure ring size? Knowing your ring size and finger width is important when you’re expecting to receive an engagement ring or a wedding ring. You got to determine your finger and ring size and make sure the ring can fit the finger perfectly. Don’t wait until you get embarrassed in the middle of the engagement party or wedding ceremony if your engagement rings doesn’t fit or comes too big for your fingers and knuckles.
How do you know your ring accurately at home?
You want to surprise your girlfriend? I guess you are actually shopping for an engagement ring. If that is it, as it has happened to some men, you can get stuck in finding what size is her engagement ring finger. Probably, you won’t just walk in straight and ask, “Hei Janny, how big is your engagement finger?”. A smart guy will find a smart way to figure out her ring size without her realizing it.
I believe if your spouse already misplaced her gorgeous wedding ring, that is equally an opportunity to surprise your wife like you did at the engagement event. Luckily, you probably already know her wedding ring size and if you don’t, stick to an average woman’s wedding ring size or find out how to get ring size for her.
The point is, measure the ring size before ordering one from the local or online jewelry stores. For a big surprise, the best way is to ask around, for her ring measurement or finger width from family members and close friends.
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how should a wedding ring fit?
Irrespective of your finger size and your ring circumference, how a ring should fit is all about comfort. “Your wedding or engagement ring should fit your finger snug enough it does not fall away from your finger. The rings should also wear loose enough that it can, without much pulling resistance, slide and pass over your knuckles.
In the United States, rings sizing technique features a scale of numbers for ring sizes, starting from 3 to 14 for adults. Most women wear rings with sizes in the range 3 and 9, but rings dimension for an US male adults usually comes sized between 8 and 14.
This rings sizes have been calculated to correspond to the width of your finger in mm. You’ll notice that size 3 ring is a good match for a 14mm finger. The average, the standard wedding ring size for women is about 6 (between 5 and 7).
If there is one hefty task to lift when buying an engagement ring, it is doing the exact ring measurement before ordering a diamond wedding or gift ring for her.
Some people love to wear multiple rings. If you are love that multiple ring aesthetics, you must measure all the fingers for the rings.
How to size a ring accurately
When you plan to sit down and take measurement for a ring, you should consider eliminating errors. More importantly, when you ask a friend over the phone to pick you a gorgeous engagement ring from a jewelry store and send, you must provide accurate ring size.
Here is how to figure out ring size accurately.
1. Consider large knuckles
Common with chubby fingers, the big knuckles can ruin your engagement party if the ring does come down past the knuckles.
Except you want to be left with injury and bruises, don’t expect a tiny ring to enter a finger with fat knuckles.
To check your ring size accurately, you should make your final finger or ring measurement to be half a size bigger. If you get a ring based on the exact number you got for ring size, it can probably feel tight.
Adding an extra half a size to the ring or finger size would help it to slide over your knuckles easily into the right place, without resistance.
Your accurate finger size = measurement in mm + 0.5mm, or reading in inches + 0.5 inch
2. Measure ring size on several attempts
You have to take your ring or finger size measurements for about 3 to 5 times to ensure accuracy. Make sure that the plenty tries produce approximately the same readings.
If you measure your finger size up to five times using a flexible tape, sum all the readings and divide by five. That is your average finger size.
Your accurate finger size = sum of all the readings divided by the number of trials
3. Measure your knuckles and base of your finger
Another way how to tell your ring size accurately is to measure the circumference of the base of your finger and the circumference of your knuckle.
The diameters for these two sections of your finger significantly differ. The knuckle diameter and circumference are larger than the dimensions of the base of the same finger.
The true size of your finger is the average value between base size and knuckle size. What I mean is, you should choose a size that falls exactly in the middle of the base and knuckle measurements.
Your accurate finger size = size on finger base in mm + size of knuckles in mm, divided by 2
4. Check the weather of the day
You want to know calculate average finger width for your ring, take the finger thickness reading 3 times a day – morning, afternoon and evening. Average the ring size by dividing the three results by 3.
Here is the simple reason: your hand and finger size fluctuate depending on weather temperature. You might have noticed it, your fingers are swollen in hot weather, shrink and look too skinny in mornings and nights when it gets colder.
It is best to measure your fingers on a warm day, as opposed to very cold, winter-like days or extremely high temperatures.
Your accurate finger size = sum of reading in the morning, afternoon and night divided by 3
5. Compare with ring size chart
The standard ring sizes help most ring wearers make the right choices and it can also guide you to choose your or her perfectly fitting diamond wedding ring.
To ensure you are accurate, use the ring size chart. You have to compare your finger size measurement to the standard ring sizes. Contact our professionals to help if you can’t find your own ring size. Perhaps, you can place a special order from jewelry makers.
Three ways how to find your ring size
- Measure and know your finger size
- Use an existing ring
- Use a ring sizer
Shopping:
How to measure your finger size at home
How do i measure my finger for a ring at home? It is your hand that is going to wear the ring and you definitely know which of the fingers will carry the ring. You will have to accurately measure your finger size for the ring if you are at home.
There are different ways on how to size your finger for a ring, and we’ll explore them all. You can measure your finger ring size using a string, ribbon, a thread, a thin paper strip, ruler, tape, digital calipers and other common measuring tools in your home.
How to measure finger size with string, thin paper strip, ribbon or thread
Let us see how to determine ring size by measuring the dimension of a finger with a paper strip or string.
Step 1 : Pick up a string or paper and wrap it around the base of the wedding finger. The paper strip or string should feel flexible enough, not too tight and not too loose, on your finger.
Step 2 : Mark where the string or the ends of the string overlap with a pencil.
Step 3 : Take off and stretch out the string along a ruler or tape.
Step 4 : Read its length (finger circumference) in millimeters, centimeters, or inches.
Step 5 : To find your ring size, compare the finger width to the nearest measurement on the ring size chart
How to size your finger for a ring, using a tape measure
Another simple but straightforward method how to measure your finger for a ring is by using a tape. A measuring tape like the one for a seamstress is more flexible.
There is no need for a string or paper ass before. Check the inches and the centimeter scale, and wrap the flexible measuring tape round your engagement or wedding finger.
How you measure the finger for ring may produce inaccurate result, on one trial. So if you expect to get accurate dimensions, adjust tape so that it feels too tight, or too loose.
However, if you are going to pass the tape over or across the knuckles, at least pull it tighter. The tape is scaled in inches and centimeters, so depending on your favorite unit, read the value where the ends of the tape overlap.
To know your correct ring size, compare the tape reading to the nearest measurement on the ring size chart.
How to measure finger ring size in CM?
If you choose to check your finger size in centimeters(cm), I guess the cm metric unit is one that you understand better. Here is a video on how to tell your finger width in centimeters.
Now you got it, what size is your wedding finger?
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How to find out ring size using an existing Ring
If you already have a ring, that is pretty easier. The ring will serve no purpose when you’ve gained overall body weight (due to COVID-19 lockdown), get pretty fat fingers, and your old ring has become or feels too small to fit.
How to find out ring size with a Caliper
If you are fortunate to have an old standard ring that fits comfortably, you can measure it yourself or bring it to the jeweler to use calipers. Actually, a caliper is the best measuring tool if you want to figure out your ring size using another ring you already have.
Before you find out ring size of an existing ring, make sure the ring already fits your finger snugly–not loose and not tight. The ring with a comfort fit is rounded on inside and a ring with standard fit is flat on the inside.
It requires a bit of math to determine a ring size with caliper and this method is the most accurate. This will same result only if you are measuring a comfortable fit ring and a standard fit ring.
Step 1: Measure outside diameter of ring
Measure the outside diameter (OD) repeatedly to ensure you have the same reading. If they differ, measure the OD three times and divide their sum by 3.
For example, OD = 22.91+22.93+22.92 divided by 3 is 22.92mm
Step 2: Measure ring thickness
Measure the ring thickness (TH) three times on three different sides of the ring, and record the average.
For example, TH = 2.27+2.28+2.76 divided by 3 is 2.77mm
Step 3: Measure inside diameter of ring
Use the caliper to measure the inside diameter of the ring in millimeters. It is just as simple as inserting the other ends of the caliper and adjusting them to touch the inside of the ring. Turn the ring (like spinning it) by an angle, take another measurement and calculate the average.
Step 4: Accurate ring size calculation
Your average inside diameter of the ring should come close to the difference between the ring thickness and the outside diameter. If they are not the same, get the average of the measurement and the calculated size (OD –TH).
You have to compare your ring calculations with the ring measurement-conversion chart.
how to measure ring size with tape measure or ruler
Place a tape or a ruler over a ring you already own if it fits your finger comfortably. The ruler or tape should come straight across the inside of the ring from one edge to another.
Let the zero-mark of the tape or ruler be exactly on one edge and you extend the tape to another edge. Turn the ring flat, and repeat the same measurement 3-5 times and calculate the average.
Sometimes, rings don’t come exactly round-shaped even though it may not be visible. Accurate measurement of the diameters on multiple sides is necessary for precision.
This can reveal irregularly shaped wedding rings. Anyway, this method is how to measure ring size in cm or mm since the ruler or tape has both scales – millimeters and in centimeters.
When you get the diameter measurement in millimeters, compare it to the measurement conversion or ring size chart to choose the right ring size.
how to measure ring size with paper or string
If you choose to use a paper, ribbon, thread or a string, that is ok but you still need to have a ruler or tape nearby.
Step 1: Cut out a thin sheet of paper, ring or thread, and place it over a ring that fits your finger well. If you can precisely detect the middle of the ring, make sure the edge of the ribbon or paper just pass over it.
Step 2: Mark the sections of the paper or thread that indicate the inside of the ring. Of course, this technique is prone to many errors because you may not place the paper exactly across the center of the ring.
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How to Find ring size using a Ring Sizer
A ring sizer is an ideal tool for those who don’t want to use rulers and tapes. This method is an easier way how to measure ring size without tape measure with a bit of arithmetic and other calculations.
Print out our paper ring size or buy your own ring sizer
How does a ring sizer work?
A printable ring sizer is actually a strip of paper marked with ring sizes in sequence. The idea behind it is that when you wrap the print out ring sizer around your finger, where the tips meet the strip indicates your ring size for that particular finger.
You can use a downloadable piece of paper, or you can buy a cheap ring sizer.
Paper or plastic ring sizer?
Custom ring sizer cost few dollars, although they are the most accurate way to figure out or determine ring size. The ring sizers are designed with estimated size, width and fit for most rings.
In order not to get embarrassed, some people wisely order smaller and large ring sizers. For example, if you estimate your men’s ring size is 9, you can order custom sizers at 8.75 and 9.25.
The advantage in buying a custom ring sizer is that you can remove your precious ring and wear the size, when going for gardening, fitness exercises, sports activities and other house chores activities. I guess you don’t want to lose your ring or have it ruined by chemicals and other fluids.
A paper ring sizer is a perfect way that people can measure ring size online without leaving their room. Although it cheerfully costs you no money, the method of using a printable paper ring size can yield inaccurate ring size measurement.
If you place the paper loosely, you get wrong ring size measurement. If you a pull the paper too tight, it can cut. Remember, papers are not solid or strong material and make the potential for inaccurate ring sizing measurement very huge.
All they need is a printer to print out the paper ring sizer.
How to know ring size using a ring sizer in few seconds
You can use a pre-measured strip of paper to measure your finger. Al you need is to print out the ring sizer at home. But I prefer to use the calibrated plastic ring sizer.
Step 1: Put the end of the ring sizer through the buckle
Step 2: Slowly pull until you have a large sized hollow ring your finger can pass through
Step 3: Put the ring size over the right finger
Step 4: Gently pull the ring size, tightly so that it fits the base of your finger snugly
Step 5: Try if the ring sizer can move your buckle without much effort or resistance
Step 6: Your measured ring size is the one inside buckle of the sizer
Step 7: If the gauge on the ring sizer is between two sizes, read the larger one
Step 8: Remove the ring size from your finger
Step 9: Place the ring sizer in the circles of the Ring Sizing Guide.
Step 10: Continue to check until you find the matching ring size
Tips when measuring an engagement or wedding ring size
Fingers on the dominant hands are often slightly larger than on the less dominant hand.
Measure your finger later in the day when finger looks chubby. Finger looks thinner at night and in the morning. The best way is to measure the finger in the morning, afternoon and at night and get the average.
The ring size and any other measuring item should slip over your buckle with ease
It takes time to measure ring size accurately
Plastic ring sizers can be more accurate and reliable than paper ring sizers
Measure only the particular finger that will wear the ring and nothing else
There are vast differences in finger shapes.–your finger shape is as unique as you
If you are using paper ring sizers, know that printers have settings for margins that can change with each print size width. If your printer has larger margins set up, your ring size measurement will be affected as the measurement on the strip will get larger and bigger.
What Should I Do If My Ring Is Too Big or Too Small?
Now you know how to find your ring size. With everything done right, you can probably still have your ring too big or too small to fit your hand. In that case, you need to have your ring resized.
It is either you made a mistake picking the correct size ring, or you just received a surprised engagement ring or a family heirloom ring that does not fit you correctly. Another big reason is that you have probably gained weight and your fingers got bigger to fit your ring.
Above all, an improperly fitting or loose wedding or engagement ring has a bigger chance of falling off and getting lost. So you must do something to wear it properly.
The best skilled person to resize your ring is a professional jeweler. You know, you can’t just throw away a precious ring, so you must send it for standard service for ring resizing.
How do you resize rings – sizing up or sizing down?
First, Can You Resize a ring? Yes. Probably your ring is made of a non-metals like wood, quarts and metals like silver, gold or platinum. Some rings can be resized, others cannot.
Rings can be resized, depending on many things, but heating up and cutting the band. First, if the ring is smaller and tight-fitting, an expert can resize up to make it bigger.
A jeweler can make the ring larger by either stretching the metal or extending it by soldering with another short metal. Unfortunately, enlarging a ring to half size bigger can make the ring weaker.
In the same manner, a jeweler can heat up your oversized ring and cut off a small piece of metal from the band. This will reduce your ring circumference and make it smaller. If it can’t be resized, a jeweler can install sizing assistant to anchor a top-heavy ring to your finger.
At the end of it, after soldering the ends, most jewelers will clean and polish your gorgeous ring to maintain the aesthetics and glittering appearance.
- Rings with a simpler design are the easiest to resize
- If the ring can’t be resized, larger or smaller, you can wear it on a different finger
- Rings with gemstones around the entire band cannot have the size altered. Any attempt may compromise the tensile strength of the ring or cause the gemstone to mis-align.
- Some metals are just too hard to cut, so a tungsten ring is too hard to cut or be weltered together
- Rose gold rings and other variations of gold rings can break or crack when resized
The cost of resizing a ring varies. It depends on the work to be done on it by a knowledgeable and skilled jeweler. The engravings on the ring, and handling of the delicate gemstone is huge time consuming. All these can range from $20 per simple ring resizing to several hundred dollars for complicated and hard to resized rings.
Ring size chart
The ring size for women varies in the range 3 to 9, but based on statistics from jewelry stores, women mostly buy rings with sizes between 5 and 7.5 maximum while 6 is the most popular, I guess average women’s ring size.
On the other hand, the man’s ring sizes are available from 6 to 13 maximum. Males who wear rings pick their rings in the range 8(18.2mm) to 11 (20.6mm) but ring size 9 (19mm) is, on average, a widely used ring dimension.
Some people approximate that it is 0.5mm for every half-size, but to be on the safe side, it goes up by just 0.4 millimeters for every half-size.
I guess you understand this Grade 3 arithmetic rightly. Use this to quickly check your standard wedding ring size.
- A size 3 ring measures 14 mm, a
- A size 3.5 ring measures 14.4 mm,
- A size 4 ring measures 14.8mm.
Jewelry experts have known that 6 (16.5mm), 6.5 (16.9mm), 7(17.3mm) are the most common ring sizes for a woman. Adult men’s ring sizes are mostly 10 (19.8mm), 10.5 (20.2 mm), and 11 (20.6 mm).
Ring Size Conversion Chart (mm and inches)
| Inner Diameter (inches) | Inner Diameter (mm) | Inner Circumference (inches) | Inner Circumference (mm) | USA & Canada | Britain, Australia | Europe |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.458 | 11.6 | 1.438 | 36.5 | |||
| 0.466 | 11.8 | 1.463 | 37.2 | |||
| 0.474 | 12 | 1.488 | 37.8 | A | ||
| 0.482 | 12.2 | 1.513 | 38.4 | A 1/2 | ||
| 0.49 | 12.4 | 1.539 | 39.1 | 1 | B | |
| 0.498 | 12.6 | 1.564 | 39.7 | 1 1/4 | B 1/2 | |
| 0.506 | 12.9 | 1.589 | 40.4 | 1 1/2 | C | |
| 0.514 | 13.1 | 1.614 | 41 | 1 3/4 | C 1/2 | |
| 0.522 | 13.3 | 1.639 | 41.6 | 2 | D | 1.5 |
| 0.53 | 13.5 | 1.664 | 42.3 | 2 1/4 | D 1/2 | |
| 0.538 | 13.7 | 1.689 | 42.9 | 2 1/2 | E | 2.75 |
| 0.546 | 13.9 | 1.714 | 43.5 | 2 3/4 | E 1/2 | |
| 0.554 | 14.1 | 1.74 | 44.2 | 3 | F | 4 |
| 0.562 | 14.3 | 1.765 | 44.8 | 3 1/4 | F 1/2 | 5.25 |
| 0.57 | 14.5 | 1.79 | 45.5 | 3 1/2 | G | |
| 0.578 | 14.7 | 1.815 | 46.1 | 3 3/4 | G 1/2 | 6.5 |
| 0.586 | 14.9 | 1.84 | 46.7 | 4 | H | |
| 0.594 | 15.1 | 1.865 | 47.4 | 4 1/4 | H 1/2 | 7.75 |
| 0.602 | 15.3 | 1.89 | 48 | 4 1/2 | I | |
| 0.61 | 15.5 | 1.915 | 48.7 | 4 3/4 | J | 9 |
| 0.618 | 15.7 | 1.941 | 49.3 | 5 | J 1/2 | |
| 0.626 | 15.9 | 1.966 | 49.9 | 5 1/4 | K | 10 |
| 0.634 | 16.1 | 1.991 | 50.6 | 5 1/2 | K 1/2 | |
| 0.642 | 16.3 | 2.016 | 51.2 | 5 3/4 | L | 11.75 |
| 0.65 | 16.5 | 2.041 | 51.8 | 6 | L 1/2 | 12.75 |
| 0.658 | 16.7 | 2.066 | 52.5 | 6 1/4 | M | 12.75 |
| 0.666 | 16.9 | 2.091 | 53.1 | 6 1/2 | M 1/2 | 14 |
| 0.674 | 17.1 | 2.116 | 53.8 | 6 3/4 | N | |
| 0.682 | 17.3 | 2.141 | 54.4 | 7 | N 1/2 | 15.25 |
| 0.69 | 17.5 | 2.167 | 55 | 7 1/4 | O | |
| 0.698 | 17.7 | 2.192 | 55.7 | 7 1/2 | O 1/2 | 16.5 |
| 0.706 | 17.9 | 2.217 | 56.3 | 7 3/4 | P | |
| 0.714 | 18.1 | 2.242 | 56.9 | 8 | P 1/2 | 17.75 |
| 0.722 | 18.3 | 2.267 | 57.6 | 8 1/4 | Q | |
| 0.73 | 18.5 | 2.292 | 58.2 | 8 1/2 | Q 1/2 | |
| 0.738 | 18.7 | 2.317 | 58.9 | 8 3/4 | R | 19 |
| 0.746 | 18.9 | 2.342 | 59.5 | 9 | R 1/2 | |
| 0.754 | 19.2 | 2.368 | 60.1 | 9 1/4 | S | 20.25 |
| 0.762 | 19.4 | 2.393 | 60.8 | 9 1/2 | S 1/2 | |
| 0.77 | 19.6 | 2.418 | 61.4 | 9 3/4 | T | 21.5 |
| 0.778 | 19.8 | 2.443 | 62.1 | 10 | T 1/2 | |
| 0.786 | 20 | 2.468 | 62.7 | 10 1/4 | U | |
| 0.794 | 20.2 | 2.493 | 63.3 | 10 1/2 | U 1/2 | 22.75 |
| 0.802 | 20.4 | 2.518 | 64 | 10.3/4 | V | |
| 0.81 | 20.6 | 2.543 | 64.6 | 11 | V 1/2 | |
| 0.818 | 20.8 | 2.569 | 65.2 | 11 1/4 | W | 25 |
| 0.826 | 21 | 2.594 | 65.9 | 11 1/2 | W 1/2 | |
| 0.834 | 21.2 | 2.619 | 66.5 | 11 3/4 | X | |
| 0.842 | 21.4 | 2.644 | 67.2 | 12 | X 1/2 | 27.5 |
| 0.85 | 21.6 | 2.669 | 67.8 | 12 1/4 | Y | |
| 0.858 | 21.8 | 2.694 | 68.4 | 12 1/2 | Z | 28.75 |
| 0.866 | 22 | 2.719 | 69.1 | 12 3/4 | Z 1/2 | |
| 0.874 | 22.2 | 2.744 | 69.7 | 13 | ||
| 0.882 | 22.4 | 2.769 | 70.3 | 13 1/4 | Z1 | |
| 0.89 | 22.6 | 2.795 | 71 | 13 1/2 | ||
| 0.898 | 22.8 | 2.82 | 71.6 | 13 3/4 | Z2 | |
| 0.906 | 23 | 2.845 | 72.3 | 14 | Z3 | |
| 0.914 | 23.2 | 2.87 | 72.9 | 14 1/4 | ||
| 0.922 | 23.4 | 2.895 | 73.5 | 14 1/2 | Z4 | |
| 0.93 | 23.6 | 2.92 | 74.2 | 14 3/4 | ||
| 0.938 | 23.8 | 2.945 | 74.8 | 15 | ||
| 0.946 | 24 | 2.97 | 75.4 | 15 1/4 | ||
| 0.954 | 24.2 | 2.996 | 76.1 | 15 1/2 | ||
| 0.962 | 24.4 | 3.021 | 76.7 | 15 3/4 | ||
| 0.97 | 24.6 | 3.046 | 77.4 | 16 |
Quick Guide Engagement Ring Size Chart
