How to measure your ring size at home

Giving a ring without knowing the size, or ordering one online for yourself, is the small hurdle that makes everyone hesitate. It can be overcome in five minutes with what you already have at home.

Method 1 — starting with an existing ring

This is by far the most reliable method.

Take a ring that the person already wears on the correct finger. Place it on a ruler and measure the inside diameter, from one inside edge to the other, passing through the center. Note the measurement in millimeters.

17.3 mm corresponds to a size 7. 18.1 mm to a size 8. The full chart is here.

Tip for a surprise gift: discreetly borrow a ring and press it into a bar of soap or modeling clay. The impression can then be measured at your leisure.

Method 2 — the paper strip

Cut a strip of paper about 1 cm wide. Wrap it around the base of your finger, neither tight nor loose — you should be able to slide it slightly. Mark with a pencil where the two ends meet, unroll, and measure to the mark.

You will get the circumference: 54.4 mm for a size 7, 57 mm for a size 8.

Do not use string. It stretches and skews the measurement by half a size, sometimes a full size.

The four classic pitfalls

Measuring in the morning. Fingers swell throughout the day, with heat and salt. A ring fitted at 8 am might be tight at 8 pm. Instead, measure at the end of the day, at normal temperature.

Measuring with cold hands. Cold shrinks fingers, sometimes by half a size. There's nothing worse than a measurement taken in January in an entryway.

Forgetting the knuckle. The ring must pass over the joint. If the joint is significantly wider than the base of the finger, take the knuckle size — even if the ring spins a little.

Ignoring the band width. A wide band covers more surface and fits tighter. Beyond 6 mm, add half a size.

What about the right hand?

In most right-handed people, the fingers of the dominant hand are slightly thicker. Measure the exact finger where the ring will be worn, not its equivalent on the other hand.

Between two sizes?

Take the larger one. A slightly loose ring is comfortable for everyday wear; a ring that's too small stays in its box.

Can a ring be adjusted?

Often, but not always. A plain band resizes well. A model with a continuous pattern, set with stones all around or fully engraved, is difficult to modify without damaging the design.

That's why it's better to aim for the right size from the start — especially for an intricate piece.

The safest solution

Visit our store. We measure for free with a set of standard rings, which no home method can match, and you can try on the piece right away.

787 av. Marguerite-Bourgeoys, Quebec, Tuesday to Saturday. 418 623-6009.