Buying a ring is an important event under any circumstance. But shopping for the perfect
engagement ring takes time, patience, and a bit of research. While it can be simple perusing ring styles and finding the right one, you’ll always need one vital metric to continue for a good fit — ring size (finger size).
Finding out the right ring size for either you or a partner isn’t always the easiest thing to do. For one thing finger size tends to fluctuate. The circumference of our fingers can change throughout the day. When it’s cold, blood flow is restricted and our fingers shrink. When it’s warm, the opposite happens. Even things such as exercise or diet can affect the size.
Rings should fit snugly around fingers. Not too tight as to restrict blood flow and not too loose so that they’re likely to fall off.
So how do you accurately measure ring size for yourself or someone you care about? We’ve listed a number of increasingly accurate ways.
Asking For Help
The best way to determine someone’s ring size is to ask for help. If you’re buying with the intent to propose, a family member such as a parent or sibling may know. They may even help by covertly measuring a ring already owned by your lucky intended recipient. Naturally, this approach assumes the ring in question is being bought as a surprise. If not, simply ask the intended recipient for their size.
There’s no harm in asking, however, the chances of a family member knowing this information with confidence is slim. You can also determine the size of a ring you know the recipient wears on the left ring finger.
Measuring Ring Size Manually
A more accurate method of identifying a ring size is to do some manual measuring.
Size ranges for women in the US from size three to size nine, with rings between size five and seven being the most commonly purchased. For men, ring size ranges from size six to thirteen, and common purchases range between size eight and size eleven.
While these are good average ranges to bear in mind, measuring is far more accurate than estimating. There’s a pretty simple and fairly accurate way of measuring, and all it requires is a piece of string or a slip of paper, and a ruler.
- Take the string or slip of paper and wrap it around the intended finger. This shouldn’t be done incredibly tightly or too loosely, as the measurement will be inaccurate.
- Mark the point where the end reaches the other side of the string or paper.
- Flatten the string or paper and measure how long this is. This number is your finger’s circumference.
- Cross-reference this number with a ring size chart to find the appropriate ring size.
Using a ring size chart is the most accurate way of measuring ring size.
Measuring With A Ring Size Chart
Ring size charts come in all styles. These are simple tools that display various ring sizes that you can use to identify the right one. The most accurate are physical versions that contain a number of ring-sized holes that enable to user to find the right ring size then and there.
If the ring is not intended to be a surprise, using a physical set of ring sizers to measure is the best option for an accurate measurement. More often than not, experienced, trustworthy jewelers will provide these upon request at no charge.
However, if the ring is for a surprise — such as the perfect proposal to a loved one — you can also use online tools for more secrecy. Today, you’re in luck, as the diamond specialists here at Whiteflash have developed a tool you can use right away.
The Whiteflash ‘Find My Ring Size’ Tool
‘Find My Ring Size’ is a versatile online tool that will help you find the right ring size. It contains tabs for:
- Measuring an existing ring.
- Measuring a finger.
- FAQs.
- Tips on ring sizing.
- An international Ring Size Conversion Chart, which allows for conversion to a variety of different international standards.
Additionally, there’s also the option to request a set of plastic ring sizers. These will be sent to you completely free of charge.
Measuring By A Jeweler
Another completely accurate measuring method comes with the added boon of professional advice and recommendations. Here at Whiteflash, you can visit our Houston showroom where we will provide you with a personalized experience, helping with ring measurement, diamond choice, or style recommendations.
When you contact us with a preferred time and date, our GIA-trained diamond and jewelry consultants will get the wheels turning on developing an experience that is right for you, with your needs in mind. You can even schedule your own appointment online.
Upon arrival, our consultants will answer all your questions and take the time to consider your needs and how best they can be met. There is never any pressure at Whiteflash.
Methods For Measuring A Partner’s Ring Size
When measuring discreetly to surprise a partner, there are several methods you could choose:
- Borrow a ring of theirs: For engagement rings, borrow a ring they wear on their left ring finger. (For other fingers you will need to scale up or down a size or two.)
- Enlist friends or family to help: If possible, get a friend or family member to either inquire about ring size or take them shopping for an organic way to find out ring size.
- Take an imprint: If you’re unable to measure a borrowed ring immediately and can’t use that ring if you’re concerned a disappearance will be noticed, make an imprint. A good, albeit unconventional, method is to push the ring into a bar of soap so that the imprint doesn’t change size over time. While this may raise a few amused eyebrows, it’s a good way of getting an accurate measurement.
Our Top Tips And Advice For Ring Sizing
- Try to measure in the evening, as this is when fingers will be at their largest due to increased blood flow.
- If the knuckle is wider than the base of the finger, take a measure for both and choose a size that sits between the two.
- If a measurement sits between two sizes, we would recommend choosing the larger size.
- Dominant hands tend to be bigger than non-dominant ones.
- Avoid measuring a finger on a particularly cold day. If this is unavoidable, make sure to warm the hands up.
Finding The Right Engagement Ring
If you’re at that exciting time in your life when you’re looking for an engagement ring and you need to find the perfect one, then research is key. There’s a lot to learn about diamonds and engagement ring styles, and the more you know, the more likely you are to choose the right one — the kind of ring that truly fits the wearer in every way, and one that will be treasured always.
To find out more about diamond engagement rings, alongside other in-depth information about diamonds and jewelry, head over to our
education center or
our blog.