Unlike clothing sizes, many people don’t know what their ring size is. Ring size also varies for each finger, so even if you know the size of your ring finger, you might not know the ring size of your middle finger.
This can make ordering jewelry or having rings sized difficult. Things can become even more complicated when looking at the differences between men’s and women’s sizes.
Men’s and Women’s Ring Sizes
Because men’s and women’s fingers are shaped so similarly, there is little difference between men’s and women’s ring sizes. Sizes for both genders range from 3 to 16 in the United States.
Women’s rings are usually offered in sizes 3 to 12. Men’s rings are usually offered in sizes 8 to 14. A woman’s size 9 ring is about the same size as a men’s size 9 ring.
In the United States, a ring’s size number correlates to the circumference around the finger in inches. In other parts of the world where the metric system is more common, ring sizes are usually given in millimeters.
Whole ring sizes, such as 7 or 9, are most common, but many jewelers also offer rings in half sizes, such as 8.5. For a perfect fit, some jewelers also offer quarter sizes.
Because they correlate to inches or millimeters, ring sizes are relatively standard. This means that, if you have a size 7 ring that fits on your finger, you can be quite confident that a size 7 ring from any other jeweler will also fit.
However, the exact size of a ring can fluctuate slightly from jeweler to jeweler, and sizes aren’t always completely exact. For these reasons, it’s best to always try on rings whenever you can.
Width
The only true difference between men’s and women’s ring sizes is that men’s rings are usually wider. Women tend to have smaller hands than men, so a slimmer ring looks more balanced.
A wider ring, on the other hand, makes more of a statement on a man’s larger hand. Each jeweler will craft rings to their own designs, however, and there are no standard widths for either men’s or women’s rings.
Wider rings tend to be tighter than thinner rings because they’ll naturally sit at a slightly higher, wider part of the finger.
If you normally wear a size 9, for example, but the ring is thin, you might want to consider looking at sizes 9.5 or 10 for wider rings.
Common Sizes
Although rings are available in many sizes, you can often narrow down what ring size you might be by looking at the most common ring sizes. Women usually wear rings in sizes 6, 7, or 8. Men usually wear rings in sizes 9, 10, or 11.
How to Determine Ring Size
The best way to determine your ring size is to visit a jeweler. Jewelers can use ring sizers to determine your exact ring size, and if you need a custom ring, they can then use that size to design a ring that fits you perfectly.
Even jewelry departments in big box or department stores usually have ring sizing tools available.
If you don’t have access to a ring sizer, you can wrap a piece of string around your finger. Measuring the string will give you the circumference of your finger.
You can then look at a ring size chart to determine what size matches the size of your finger.
You can also use a ring chart with a ring you already have. These charts are available online or in many stores or jewelry stores. You can simply place a ring that fits you over the circles on the chart to figure out which size is correct.
It’s important to remember that the size of your finger will fluctuate throughout the day depending on water intake, what you’ve eaten, and the temperature in the room. Cold temperatures, for example, will make your fingers shrink.
It’s best to figure out your ring size in the afternoon when your finger size is at its most stable. Make sure you’ve had adequate water, but don’t have your finger sized if you’ve eaten too many salty foods that day.
Salt can make your body retain water, which can make your fingers swell and will give you a larger ring size than you need.
When choosing a ring size, it’s also a good idea to remember that your fingers will periodically swell and shrink.
Although this won’t make too much of a difference, if you opt for a ring size that’s quite loose or a little snug, you may find that there are times when the ring falls off or feels too tight.
If you’re not sure about how a ring will fit and you can’t try it on before purchasing it, always round up on your ring size instead of down. It’s much easier for jewelers to resize a ring to make it smaller than it is to make it larger.
