How to Measure Your Ring Size for Women

Lester Fangonilo - December 25, 2021

In this feature, we talk about standard ring size comparisons for the ladies along with a few practical methods with which to determine what ring size works best for you

Getting a new ring is always a thrilling experience, especially if it’s a ring that marks a significant event in your life like your graduation from university, your engagement, and - most especially - your wedding. However, if you’re receiving that ring as a gift and the person giving it to you doesn’t know or isn’t aware of your ring size, then you might be in for a problem.

Here, we’ll show you how to measure your ring size based on several criteria, including comfort, ring style, function, and even materials. In doing so, we hope that you’ll be better informed when it comes to knowing your ring size and making sure that you get a correctly sized ring in the future.

The Conventional Way to Determine Your Ring Size

For the most part, measuring your ring size at home is an easy enough thing to do using a standard dressmaker's tape measure - and it's also one of the most accurate ways to know your actual size. 

It's so easy to do that it only takes three steps:

1. Properly place the measuring tape on your finger. This involves placing the measuring tape around the circumference of the base of your ring finger and pulling it into a circle.

2. Make the necessary adjustments. Adjust the size of the circle, ensuring that it doesn't feel too tight around the base of the ring finger. Move the measuring tape circle upwards over your knuckles to see if you can slip a ring of similar circumference easily on or off.

3. Note the measurement of your finger. Take your measurements in both millimeters and inches as some jewelers prefer to use one or the other. In order to determine your actual ring size, comparison charts and measurement guides can be downloaded off the internet in PDF form or as an infographic on the websites of reputable jewelers and jewelry review sites.

Measuring a Ring for a Gift

If you're planning to give someone a ring as a present, then keeping things secret is necessary - but how can you pick out a ring that fits without overtly measuring the recipient's finger? There are actually a couple of discreet ways by which you can get an accurate measure of someone else's ring size.

1. Use a printable conversion or sizing guide together with one of the recipient's current rings. This is actually the easiest way to get an accurate measure: borrow a ring from the person and print out a sizing guide from a reputable jeweler's site. (Be sure to set the page scaling to "NONE" in your print dialog box to print the guide out to the accurate size.) Take the sizing chart and find the ring size that aligns with the size of the inner circle of the ring you're using to get the measurement; and

2. Take a tracing of an existing ring. If you aren't too confident about your observation skills, the alternative calls for tracing the shape of the inner circle of the ring onto a piece of paper using a pencil or pen. Bring this to your jeweler or goldsmith of choice to help find a ring in the correct size.

An Alternative Way to Measure Ring Size Without Measuring Tape

Let's say you don't have a roll of measuring tape at home but you need to get a ring resized to your correct measurements; what do you do? A bit of resourcefulness comes into play here and the method involves four steps:

1. Cut a piece of non-elastic string or a particularly stiff-feeling coarse thread or yarn and wrap it around the base of the finger on which you usually wear your rings. Alternatively, you can use a thin strip of paper.

2. Identify the point where the end meets the string and mark it with indelible ink or permanent marker.

3. Lay the string flat on a smooth surface and measure the length of the mark you made using a ruler, particularly one that measures in inches and millimeters rather than centimeters.

4. Compare the figure to a ring sizing chart and find the closest ring size.

A Few Practical Pointers to Remember

1. In order to get the most accurate results when you do the measurement, ensure that you allow for enough space with which to accommodate the knuckle. Otherwise, slipping the ring on or tugging it off may raise a few problems for you.

2. The size of your fingers is not constant contrary to what you may be thinking. This is due to several factors: temperature, humidity, even stress. Sometimes, repetitive motion such as typing or writing may cause your fingers to feel stiff and swollen by the end of the day. In which case, we suggest that it is best to measure your fingers at the end of the day when they are at their largest.

3. When it comes to ring sizes, there is no such thing as symmetry between your left and right hand. They may seem the same size, but the ring finger on your left hand may not be the same size as the one on the right. That said, it pays to properly do measurements of the finger you're planning to wear your rings on.

4. On average, the ring size for a woman ranges between 6.0 and 6.5.
   
   
5. Even though the circumference of their interiors are the same size, do not expect a ring with a thin band to have the same fit as one with a wider band. Rings with wider bands tend to fit a bit more snugly than thinner ones, so if you're planning to use the tracing method to gauge the ring size based on an existing ring, it has to be of the same width as the one you're planning to buy as a gift.