A beautiful ring deserves to be worn every day and this means that it must be comfortable. It’s not advisable to wear one that cuts into the finger, restricting blood flow. At the same time, no one likes the feel of a ring which slides every time the hand is pointed downwards.
Or, as the worst case scenario, a ring which slips off altogether, taking with it not just the expensive diamond but also some special memories.
To ensure that neither of the above disasters befalls you, getting the ring size right is of key importance. But how do you do that, if you’re buying a diamond ring online?
Consider ring width
A good place to start is the width of the band. A wider band will fit more snugly on your finger than a narrow one. Therefore, if the ring you’re about to purchase has a wide band, it may be sensible to size it up slightly. On the other hand, if the ring band is quite narrow, chances are that it’ll feel looser, so you may want to size it down just a little.
Use a printable ring sizer
While it’s always a good idea to visit a jeweller if you can, it is also possible to size the ring at home, using a printable ring sizer. Because this isn’t the most precise method, you may want to do it more than once, to double check your result. If your measurement lands between two numbers, then your size is a half-size.
Another way you can use the printable ring sizer is to take a ring that fits you well, and then find out its size by placing it on each of the printed circles, until you find a perfect match.
If you don’t have a printer
If you don’t have access to a printer, then you could try ordering a ready-made ring sizer. Typically, it will look like a thin and flexible measuring tape, which allows it to be wrapped around your finger for accurate sizing. Alternatively, it might look like a bunch of key rings, with a separate metal loop for each ring size.
If you are in a hurry
If you don’t have the time to wait for a ring sizer to arrive, you can take a measurement of your finger at home and then compare it to an online sizing chart.
It’s great if you have a flexible tape measure, but you can also do it using a simple piece of string – even floss will do! (But be careful as floss can stretch, giving you a false reading, so try not to pull on it too hard).
The method would look like this: you would take a piece of string or floss and wrap it around the base of your ring-wearing finger. You would mark the place where it overlaps with a pen. Then you would stretch it out into a straight line and measure it in millimetres – this will be the circumference of your finger.
Because what you need is the diameter, you should use a calculator (unless you’re very good at dividing a number by 3.14, which is what you need to do next!) Finally, use a ring size chart online to compare this result to standard ring sizes.
Ring sizes
If you are an adult based in the US, the scale for ring sizes will typically run from 3 to 14 and include both whole sizes and half sizes.
Women’s fingers, i.e. women’s ring sizes, will typically fall into the range between size 3 and size 9, which translates into 14mm and 19mm across, respectively. As you might expect, men’s fingers tend to be bigger so you should expect to see a number between 8 and 14 (or 18.2mm and 23mm, if you’re measuring across).
The average size for women is between 5 and 7, and for men between 10 and 11, but don’t worry if your own measurement falls outside of these averages – everyone’s hand is different and the only thing that matters is that you buy a ring that will fit you well. This is why it’s important to use a ring sizer DIY guide on Best Brilliance to get what you need.
Final considerations
As if working out the right size for the ring wasn’t tricky enough, the human body – or, in this case, the human finger – presents a variable that must be taken into consideration. Have you ever noticed how your fingers might feel a little swollen when the weather is hot or after you’ve been to the gym?
Outside temperature, humidity or exercise can make our digits expand or shrink slightly. It is considered best to measure size in the evening, and don’t forget the knuckle – the ring shouldn’t be able to slide over it too easily.
Finding that perfect fit will mean you can enjoy wearing your ring every day, without the worry of it getting accidentally lost.