How to Measure your Ring Size.
How to Measure your Ring Size.
Online customers ask me all the time how do I measure my partner’s ring size without them knowing. They also ask how do I measure my own finger? A recent customer was from outback Australia and she had lost her only rings long ago. She wished to buy a ring and wanted to know how to tell her ring size. She observed the following instructions carefully, I made her a gold ring with diamonds, it fitted perfectly and she never even had to leave her cattle station.
Naturally, it is always going to be more accurate if you can get a jeweller to give you a fitting but we cannot always do that so following are my tips and if you are careful you can be quite accurate enough. My customers do it all the time.
Some important considerations.
First of all let’s understand what ring sizing actually is. Ring size and finger size are two different things entirely. A ring is a solid, hard piece of material usually metal and it does not bend and squash to the shape of your finger. Your finger is never going to have this exact shape because it will get fat, get thin over time, and will swell and shrink with different temperatures etc.
In any case, have a look at your fingers you probably won’t find them perfectly round and don’t forget the knuckle which has to be passed and might be any shape and a different size to where the ring will sit.
Which finger will it be worn on? Does it matter?
Yes, of course it matters. If you are going to buy your wife a new dress ring and you take a measurement from her engagement ring then remember that she is still going to wear that engagement ring on her wedding ring finger and the new one on another finger or hand. If this new ring is going on the middle finger then allow at least a size as this finger is bigger. If it is going on the same finger but on the other hand then it should be almost the same, perhaps it will end up a touch tight.
Wide band or narrow band? Does it matter?
Yes it will matter. If it is a wide band you should allow for a larger size. Somewhere between a half to a full size extra.
I see on the internet different ring sizes. What is that all about?
Rings sizes in the UK and Australia are the same. They are letters of the alphabet and can be in half sizes and quarter sizes. Ring sizes in the USA are numbers and can be half sizes and quarter sizes as well.
When I speak to women on the telephone I have some fun by telling them that I bet their ring size is a 7 or a British N ½. How do I know this? Simply because that is the average western woman’s ring finger size. This should give you a guide too. If you are petite with small hands you will be smaller than a 7, perhaps a 6 or even a 5 but not likely to be smaller than that unless you are a child. Then, if you are a big lady you will go up from seven to a 9 or 10 perhaps. So already by now you can make a guess as to whether you are going to be a 6 or an 8.
Ring sizing chart. For a full chart see my website http:www.jewelleryexpress.com.au
Inside diameter for British sizes 16.5mm
Inside circumference for British sizes 51.8mm
US sizes 6
UK & Australian L 1/2
How to measure your finger size if you have a ring to compare.
Firstly measure the inside diameter of the ring. This is a measurement taken across the centre of the ring from the inside of one side to the inside of the other side. It is not easy and remember you are only concerned with the inside of the ring as that is where the finger goes. Make a couple of attempts and remember that the largest measurement is going to be the correct one. So once you have found that a couple of times you can be fairly sure that it is accurate.
Next you can measure the inside circumference of the ring
Get a stiff piece of paper as thin as possible and slide it inside the ring until it fits perfectly. Keep cutting little bits off the ends until both ends fit together snugly. You will then have an inside length that you can measure accurately. Allow a touch extra because the paper will have taken up a bit of space inside the ring.. Then measure the length of the paper. Now you have two measurements to compare with the chart. You only need one but using the two will give greater accuracy as one will be a check on the other.
Now that you have the length of the inside of the ring mark this length on a piece of very stiff paper or thin cardboard. Now tape it together so that it looks like a ring. Make it as wide as the real ring. Put this on your finger and then try the real ring on. Both of these have to be the same. Even if they do not fit your finger if it is not your ring, they will both fit on the exact same position on your finger.
Next check the inside diameter and inside circumference against the chart and read the size. Now you must be very close to the real size if you have been careful.
How to measure you partner’s ring size in secret.
If you can get to a jeweller you can do this: Put your partner’s ring on your finger. Pick a finger where the ring fits as close to a normal position as possible. Mark two marks, one on either side if the ring. Leave them there and go to a jeweler and tell them you want to find out what size ring goes on your finger where these marks are. That is going to get very close to what you need. Make sure it goes past a knuckle as this is eventually going to happen with the real ring.
How to measure your own finger size when you don’t have a ring to measure.
Take a piece of stiff cardboard, plastic or thick wire and wrap it around the finger then mark the exact spot where the ends join.
With a ruler measure the length of this piece of cardboard or wire.
Read from the chart the ring size.
Note:
1. Do not use a piece of string as this will bend to the shape of your finger. It is best to use a piece of thick cardboard the width of the new ring.
2. After you have measured the length then tape it together and put it on your finger just like a real ring. Be sure not to push or squeeze it because you won’t be able to do that with a real ring.
3. If you have used a thin piece of wire and your new ring is a wide band you must add some size to allow for this. The reverse may also be true. If you use a wide piece of cardboard but the ring is going to be thin then take a quarter size off.
So now you have a working model for your jewellery and as a further test you can check the measurements on the chart and read off the size. You must be getting very close if you have been careful.
Online customers ask me all the time how do I measure my partner’s ring size without them knowing. They also ask how do I measure my own finger? A recent customer was from outback Australia and she had lost her only rings long ago. She wished to buy a ring and wanted to know how to tell her ring size. She observed the following instructions carefully, I made her a gold ring with diamonds, it fitted perfectly and she never even had to leave her cattle station.
Naturally, it is always going to be more accurate if you can get a jeweller to give you a fitting but we cannot always do that so following are my tips and if you are careful you can be quite accurate enough. My customers do it all the time.
Some important considerations.
First of all let’s understand what ring sizing actually is. Ring size and finger size are two different things entirely. A ring is a solid, hard piece of material usually metal and it does not bend and squash to the shape of your finger. Your finger is never going to have this exact shape because it will get fat, get thin over time, and will swell and shrink with different temperatures etc.
In any case, have a look at your fingers you probably won’t find them perfectly round and don’t forget the knuckle which has to be passed and might be any shape and a different size to where the ring will sit.
Which finger will it be worn on? Does it matter?
Yes, of course it matters. If you are going to buy your wife a new dress ring and you take a measurement from her engagement ring then remember that she is still going to wear that engagement ring on her wedding ring finger and the new one on another finger or hand. If this new ring is going on the middle finger then allow at least a size as this finger is bigger. If it is going on the same finger but on the other hand then it should be almost the same, perhaps it will end up a touch tight.
Wide band or narrow band? Does it matter?
Yes it will matter. If it is a wide band you should allow for a larger size. Somewhere between a half to a full size extra.
I see on the internet different ring sizes. What is that all about?
Rings sizes in the UK and Australia are the same. They are letters of the alphabet and can be in half sizes and quarter sizes. Ring sizes in the USA are numbers and can be half sizes and quarter sizes as well.
When I speak to women on the telephone I have some fun by telling them that I bet their ring size is a 7 or a British N ½. How do I know this? Simply because that is the average western woman’s ring finger size. This should give you a guide too. If you are petite with small hands you will be smaller than a 7, perhaps a 6 or even a 5 but not likely to be smaller than that unless you are a child. Then, if you are a big lady you will go up from seven to a 9 or 10 perhaps. So already by now you can make a guess as to whether you are going to be a 6 or an 8.
Ring sizing chart. For a full chart see my website http:www.jewelleryexpress.com.au
Inside diameter for British sizes 16.5mm
Inside circumference for British sizes 51.8mm
US sizes 6
UK & Australian L 1/2
How to measure your finger size if you have a ring to compare.
Firstly measure the inside diameter of the ring. This is a measurement taken across the centre of the ring from the inside of one side to the inside of the other side. It is not easy and remember you are only concerned with the inside of the ring as that is where the finger goes. Make a couple of attempts and remember that the largest measurement is going to be the correct one. So once you have found that a couple of times you can be fairly sure that it is accurate.
Next you can measure the inside circumference of the ring
Get a stiff piece of paper as thin as possible and slide it inside the ring until it fits perfectly. Keep cutting little bits off the ends until both ends fit together snugly. You will then have an inside length that you can measure accurately. Allow a touch extra because the paper will have taken up a bit of space inside the ring.. Then measure the length of the paper. Now you have two measurements to compare with the chart. You only need one but using the two will give greater accuracy as one will be a check on the other.
Now that you have the length of the inside of the ring mark this length on a piece of very stiff paper or thin cardboard. Now tape it together so that it looks like a ring. Make it as wide as the real ring. Put this on your finger and then try the real ring on. Both of these have to be the same. Even if they do not fit your finger if it is not your ring, they will both fit on the exact same position on your finger.
Next check the inside diameter and inside circumference against the chart and read the size. Now you must be very close to the real size if you have been careful.
How to measure you partner’s ring size in secret.
If you can get to a jeweller you can do this: Put your partner’s ring on your finger. Pick a finger where the ring fits as close to a normal position as possible. Mark two marks, one on either side if the ring. Leave them there and go to a jeweler and tell them you want to find out what size ring goes on your finger where these marks are. That is going to get very close to what you need. Make sure it goes past a knuckle as this is eventually going to happen with the real ring.
How to measure your own finger size when you don’t have a ring to measure.
Take a piece of stiff cardboard, plastic or thick wire and wrap it around the finger then mark the exact spot where the ends join.
With a ruler measure the length of this piece of cardboard or wire.
Read from the chart the ring size.
Note:
1. Do not use a piece of string as this will bend to the shape of your finger. It is best to use a piece of thick cardboard the width of the new ring.
2. After you have measured the length then tape it together and put it on your finger just like a real ring. Be sure not to push or squeeze it because you won’t be able to do that with a real ring.
3. If you have used a thin piece of wire and your new ring is a wide band you must add some size to allow for this. The reverse may also be true. If you use a wide piece of cardboard but the ring is going to be thin then take a quarter size off.
So now you have a working model for your jewellery and as a further test you can check the measurements on the chart and read off the size. You must be getting very close if you have been careful.
posted by Gary Hocking at 11:33 PM
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