Guide to Ring Sizing
Whenever possible, I prefer to take your ring measurement myself. However, as that is not always possible, here is a guide to some of the things to consider if you are checking your ring size.
1. What is the most accurate way to find your ring size?
Best option: we meet so I can measure you with my kit and sample bands, see how you wear your rings, and discuss what feels comfortable and practical for you.
Next best: visit a jeweller and be measured with proper ring gauges/sample bands.
Useful backup: order or borrow a physical ring sizer - but they are not all made equal!
Final backup: use some DIY methods to measure an existing ring but please be warned that they are easier to get slightly wrong.
2. Are you using the right kind of ring sizer?
- Narrow ring gauges are best for narrow/fine rings.
A narrow ring gauge is most suitable for measuring rings with a narrow band or shank. The rings on these gauges are usually about 2mm wide and will help you find an accurate size for rings that are around 1.5mm to 3mm wide. Often these include half sizes so you can be very precise.
- Wide ring gauges are better for wide bands, signet rings, chunky designs or wedding bands.
A wide ring gauge is most suitable for measuring rings with a wide band or shank. The rings on these gauges are usually about 4mm or 5mm wide and will help you find an accurate size for rings that are wider.
- Steel ring gauges/sample bands are usually more reliable than flimsy plastic or paper options.
Essentially the same as the two above but they are usually in a box rather than held together on a ring which can make them more comfortable to try on. Sometimes they are also made in aluminium or silver.
- Plastic ring gauges are a back up option for narrow/fine rings.
Plastic sizers can be a helpful starting point if you do not have access to other options, but they are not as consistent as metal gauges. If this is the only option available to you, let me know and I can help you combine a couple of methods to get as close as possible.
- Sliding multisizer belts can be helpful at home, but they do not feel exactly like a solid ring.
I also have not found these to be very accurate. They are mass-produced, cast plastic so the accuracy is not great and the "belt" style means that there is a lump pressing into your finger which you will probably not have on your real ring.
- Printable size guides can be useful, but only if printed at 100% scale and checked carefully.
3. What kind of ring are you sizing for?
Different ring designs can lead to different ring sizes:
- Narrow bands often feel looser and may need a closer fit. Especially if you have a very small ring size, half sizes on a narrow band can feel like a big difference so measuring on a narrow gauge with half sizes is helpful.
- Wide bands cover more of the finger and often need a slightly larger size. 5mm is moderately wide and wider bands fit a little tighter. If you were measured as size Q with a skinny band, it might be better to go up to Q 1/2. If you were measured in a shop, you might also have heard them say "Q leading edge" or "Q centre" which refers to where the ring would land on a ring sizer stick.
- Open or shaped bands may not fit like a continuous plain band. Depending on your finger shape, the skin can "squish" into the open section so you might go a size down from your normal size.
- Top-heavy rings can spin, especially if sized too loosely which can lead to the stone being damaged.
- Stacking rings can feel tighter when worn together than alone as you are essentially creating a 6mm wide band if you stack three 2mm bands together.
4. What is your finger shape?
Tapered fingers:
The ring may slide on easily but feel loose at the base, so a too-large size can spin or slip. If you have tapered fingers you will need to find the balance between having a snug ring that makes a squish-shape on your finger or a loose ring that comes off too easily.
Knuckly fingers:
The ring needs to pass over the knuckle but not feel too loose once it is on, so there may be a compromise between getting it on and keeping it stable.
Some people prefer a firmer fit and some prefer a looser fit, especially if they are not used to wearing rings.
N.B. A note for first-time ring wearers: if you are not used to wearing a ring, a properly snug fit can feel strange at first. This is especially common with wedding bands. A ring should not be painful or digging in, but it should usually take a little effort to remove - if it slides off too easily, it may be too loose.
5. When should you avoid measuring your ring size?
Your ring size is not fixed and will change throughout your life, the seasons, and even the day. It is best to avoid measuring your ring size when you are experiencing temporary changes:
- Very hot or humid weather
- Very cold weather
- Pregnancy or the months after giving birth, when your hands may still be changing.
- Recent weight change
- Water retention - this could be hormonal, following a long haul flight or even after a lot of salt!
- Immediately after exercise
- First thing in the morning or late at night, if your fingers fluctuate noticeably
The key advice: if you are measuring at home, measure more than once, ideally at a calm, normal-temperature time of day.
It is also important to remember that your fingers do change constantly so you want to have a ring size that fits you the majority of the time which may not mean all of the time. If you are in a heatwave or experiencing something that is making your rings uncomfortable, just take them off and put them somewhere safe until your body has a chance to settle.
6. What if you cannot get professionally measured?
There are some alternative methods but please email me to chat about this so I can help you find the best size:
- Measuring an existing ring, ideally on a ring stick
- Measuring the inside diameter of an existing ring, ideally with callipers but are tricks to do this without them
- Using a printable circumference guide if you are 100% sure that it is printed to scale
- Please do not use string/paper around the finger, this is the least reliable because it can stretch, tilt or be pulled too tightly and I have been asked to make a ring that was seven sizes off based on this method
- Secret sizing for gifts/proposals, with a note that it is always a little more approximate
For bespoke designs, the first sizing free of charge so long as it is within 3 sizes as anything greater may require starting over.
My best advice: measure more than once, use a sizer that is similar in width to the ring you want, and remember that the right size is the one that works for your finger most of the time, not necessarily every hour of every day. If you are ordering a bespoke, wide, shaped or stone-set ring, it is always worth double-checking before the piece is made.