There are several systems for denoting the sizes of
jewelleryJewellery or jewelry is an item of personal adornment, such as a necklace, ring, brooch or bracelet, that is worn by a person. It may be made from gemstones or precious metals, but may be from any other material, and may be appreciated because of geometric or other patterns, or meaningful symbols...
ringsA finger ring is a circular band worn as a type of ornamental jewellery around a finger; it is the most common current meaning of the word ring. Other types of metal bands worn as ornaments are also called rings, such as arm rings and neck rings....
in use around the world:
- In the United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and CanadaCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, ring sizes are specified using a numerical scale, with quarter and half sizes. An increase of a full size is an increase of 0.032 inch (0.8128 mm) in diameter, or roughly 1/10 inch (more precisely, 0.1005 in or 2.55 mm) in inside circumference.
Generally, sizes in quarters and halves will not relate conventionally to anything on any known ruler.
There are several systems for denoting the sizes of
jewelleryJewellery or jewelry is an item of personal adornment, such as a necklace, ring, brooch or bracelet, that is worn by a person. It may be made from gemstones or precious metals, but may be from any other material, and may be appreciated because of geometric or other patterns, or meaningful symbols...
ringsA finger ring is a circular band worn as a type of ornamental jewellery around a finger; it is the most common current meaning of the word ring. Other types of metal bands worn as ornaments are also called rings, such as arm rings and neck rings....
in use around the world:
- In the United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and CanadaCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, ring sizes are specified using a numerical scale, with quarter and half sizes. An increase of a full size is an increase of 0.032 inch (0.8128 mm) in diameter, or roughly 1/10 inch (more precisely, 0.1005 in or 2.55 mm) in inside circumference.
Generally, sizes in quarters and halves will not relate conventionally to anything on any known ruler. Also, on one finger alone a person may vary more than a whole ring size- depending on time of day, work performed, and other swelling-inducing activities/conditions. Therefore, in most cases quarter-sizes are meaningless unless one needs precise accuracy with a particular ring.
- In Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus Mountains , and the Black Sea to the southeast...
(excluding Ireland and the United Kingdom), ring sizes are specified using a numerical scale, with half sizes.
- In Ireland
Ireland is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island in the world. It lies to the north-west of continental Europe and is surrounded by hundreds of islands and islets. To the east of Ireland, separated by the Irish Sea, is the island of Great Britain...
, the United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
and AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
, ring sizes are specified using an alphabetical scale, with half sizes.
- In Japan
is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, ring sizes are specified using a numerical scale, that only has whole sizes.
- In Switzerland
Switzerland , officially the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 states named cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities...
, ring sizes are specified using a numerical scale, with quarter and half sizes.
- In Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
, ring sizes are specified using actual internal circumference in mm. (the same as ISO)
The
ISOThe International Organization for Standardization , widely known as ISO , is an international-standard-setting body composed of representatives from various national standards organizations. Founded on 23 February 1947, the organization promulgates worldwide proprietary industrial and commercial...
standard for ring sizes is ISO 8653:1986, which defines standard ring sizes in terms of the inner
circumferenceThe circumference is the distance around a closed curve. Circumference is a special perimeter.-Circumference of a circle:The circumference of a circle is the length around it....
of the ring measured in
millimetreThe millimetre is a unit of length in the metric system, equal to one thousandth of a metre, which is the current SI base unit of length.Equal to 1000 micrometres.Equal to 1000000 nanometres....
s.
Conversion chart for ring sizes
Inside diameterIn geometry, a diameter of a circle is any straight line segment that passes through the center of the circle and whose endpoints are on the circle. The diameters are the longest chords of the circle...
|
Inside circumference The circumference is the distance around a closed curve. Circumference is a special perimeter.-Circumference of a circle:The circumference of a circle is the length around it....
|
Sizes |
(inAn inch is the name of a unit of length in a number of different systems, including Imperial units, and United States customary units. There are 36 inches in a yard and 12 inches in a foot...
) |
(mmThe metre or meter is the basic unit of length in the International System of Units . Historically, the metre was defined by the French Academy of Sciences as the length between two marks on a platinum-iridium bar, which was designed to represent one ten-millionth of the distance from the Equator...
) |
(in) |
(mm) |
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and CanadaCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
|
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
,
IrelandIreland is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island in the world. It lies to the north-west of continental Europe and is surrounded by hundreds of islands and islets. To the east of Ireland, separated by the Irish Sea, is the island of Great Britain...
,
and AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
|
Japanis an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
,
ChinaChina is a cultural region, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
|
SwitzerlandSwitzerland , officially the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 states named cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities...
|
| 0.459 |
11.63 |
1.44 |
36.5 |
0 |
|
|
|
| 0.466 |
11.84 |
1.46 |
37.2 |
¼ |
|
|
|
| 0.474 |
12.04 |
1.49 |
37.8 |
½ |
A |
|
|
| 0.482 |
12.24 |
1.51 |
38.5 |
¾ |
A½ |
|
|
| 0.49 |
12.45 |
1.54 |
39.1 |
1 |
B |
1 |
|
| 0.498 |
12.65 |
1.56 |
39.7 |
1¼ |
B½ |
|
|
| 0.506 |
12.85 |
1.59 |
40.4 |
1½ |
C |
|
|
| 0.514 |
13.06 |
1.61 |
41.0 |
1¾ |
C½ |
|
|
| 0.522 |
13.26 |
1.64 |
41.7 |
2 |
D |
2 |
1.5 |
| 0.53 |
13.46 |
1.67 |
42.3 |
2¼ |
D½ |
|
|
| 0.538 |
13.67 |
1.69 |
42.9 |
2½ |
E |
3 |
2.75 |
| 0.546 |
13.87 |
1.72 |
43.6 |
2¾ |
E½ |
|
|
| 0.554 |
14.07 |
1.74 |
44.2 |
3 |
F |
4 |
4 |
| 0.562 |
14.27 |
1.77 |
44.8 |
3¼ |
F½ |
5 |
5.25 |
| 0.57 |
14.48 |
1.79 |
45.5 |
3½ |
G |
|
|
| 0.578 |
14.68 |
1.82 |
46.1 |
3¾ |
G½ |
6 |
6.5 |
| 0.586 |
14.88 |
1.84 |
46.8 |
4 |
H |
7 |
|
| 0.594 |
15.09 |
1.87 |
47.4 |
4¼ |
H½ |
|
7.75 |
| 0.602 |
15.29 |
1.89 |
48.0 |
4½ |
I |
8 |
|
| 0.61 |
15.49 |
1.92 |
48.7 |
4¾ |
J |
|
9 |
| 0.618 |
15.70 |
1.94 |
49.3 |
5 |
J½ |
9 |
|
| 0.626 |
15.90 |
1.97 |
50.0 |
5¼ |
K |
|
10 |
| 0.634 |
16.10 |
1.99 |
50.6 |
5½ |
K½ |
10 |
|
| 0.642 |
16.31 |
2.02 |
51.2 |
5¾ |
L |
|
11.75 |
| 0.65 |
16.51 |
2.04 |
51.9 |
6 |
L½ |
11 |
12.75 |
| 0.658 |
16.71 |
2.07 |
52.5 |
6¼ |
M |
12 |
|
| 0.666 |
16.92 |
2.09 |
53.1 |
6½ |
M½ |
13 |
14 |
| 0.674 |
17.12 |
2.12 |
53.8 |
6¾ |
N |
|
|
| 0.682 |
17.32 |
2.14 |
54.4 |
7 |
N½ |
14 |
15.25 |
| 0.69 |
17.53 |
2.17 |
55.1 |
7¼ |
O |
|
|
| 0.698 |
17.73 |
2.19 |
55.7 |
7½ |
O½ |
15 |
16.5 |
| 0.706 |
17.93 |
2.22 |
56.3 |
7¾ |
P |
|
|
| 0.714 |
18.14 |
2.24 |
57.0 |
8 |
P½ |
16 |
17.75 |
| 0.722 |
18.34 |
2.27 |
57.6 |
8¼ |
Q |
|
|
| 0.73 |
18.54 |
2.29 |
58.3 |
8½ |
Q½ |
17 |
|
| 0.738 |
18.75 |
2.32 |
58.9 |
8¾ |
R |
|
19 |
| 0.746 |
18.95 |
2.34 |
59.5 |
9 |
R½ |
18 |
|
| 0.754 |
19.15 |
2.37 |
60.2 |
9¼ |
S |
|
20.25 |
| 0.762 |
19.35 |
2.39 |
60.8 |
9½ |
S½ |
19 |
|
| 0.77 |
19.56 |
2.42 |
61.4 |
9¾ |
T |
|
21.5 |
| 0.778 |
19.76 |
2.44 |
62.1 |
10 |
T½ |
20 |
|
| 0.786 |
19.96 |
2.47 |
62.7 |
10¼ |
U |
21 |
|
| 0.794 |
20.17 |
2.49 |
63.4 |
10½ |
U½ |
22 |
22.75 |
| 0.802 |
20.37 |
2.52 |
64.0 |
10¾ |
V |
|
|
| 0.81 |
20.57 |
2.54 |
64.6 |
11 |
V½ |
23 |
|
| 0.818 |
20.78 |
2.57 |
65.3 |
11¼ |
W |
|
25 |
| 0.826 |
20.98 |
2.59 |
65.9 |
11½ |
W½ |
24 |
|
| 0.834 |
21.18 |
2.62 |
66.6 |
11¾ |
X |
|
|
| 0.842 |
21.39 |
2.65 |
67.2 |
12 |
X½ |
25 |
27.5 |
| 0.85 |
21.59 |
2.67 |
67.8 |
12¼ |
Y |
|
|
| 0.858 |
21.79 |
2.70 |
68.5 |
12½ |
Z |
26 |
28.75 |
| 0.866 |
22.00 |
2.72 |
69.1 |
12¾ |
Z½ |
|
|
| 0.874 |
22.20 |
2.75 |
69.7 |
13 |
|
27 |
|
| 0.882 |
22.40 |
2.77 |
70.4 |
13¼ |
Z1 |
|
|
| 0.89 |
22.61 |
2.80 |
71.0 |
13½ |
|
|
|
| 0.898 |
22.81 |
2.82 |
71.7 |
13¾ |
Z2 |
|
|
| 0.906 |
23.01 |
2.85 |
72.3 |
14 |
Z3 |
|
|
| 0.914 |
23.22 |
2.87 |
72.9 |
14¼ |
|
|
|
| 0.922 |
23.42 |
2.90 |
73.6 |
14½ |
Z4 |
|
|
| 0.93 |
23.62 |
2.92 |
74.2 |
14¾ |
|
|
|
| 0.938 |
23.83 |
2.95 |
74.8 |
15 |
|
|
|
| 0.946 |
24.03 |
2.97 |
75.5 |
15¼ |
|
|
|
| 0.954 |
24.23 |
3.00 |
76.1 |
15½ |
|
|
|
| 0.962 |
24.43 |
3.02 |
76.8 |
15¾ |
|
|
|
| 0.97 |
24.64 |
3.05 |
77.4 |
16 |
|
|
|
Finger sizing
Ring size is not the same as finger size. A professional jeweler can determine proper ring size using a set of steel gauge-rings. These "ring sizers" come in narrow and wide widths. Fingers change over the course of the day due to diet or work affecting the results using gauge rings.
Other methods, such as measuring the finger with a strip of paper, or slipping the finger through pre-cut "measuring holes", are inaccurate. It has been recommended that fingers be measured at the end of the day, when they are at their largest diameters. Existing fitted rings can also be measured for increased accuracy. Other factors that can affect ring size include: the menstrual cycle, temperature, humidity, water-retention and exercise.
The best strategy for measurement is to purchase calipers that measure inside diameters. A tightly-calipered measurement should then be taken of various rings that fit; these should be noted and the corresponding size recorded. The MANDREL, the tapered ring-measuring rod, should be regarded as only half-accurate. Different jewelers will employ the mandrel in different ways. For instance, one jeweler may use the mandrel and take an edge-of-the-ring reading; others will take the measure that corresponds to the
largest finger the ring can fit.
It is best for the consumer to know and be firm about finger dimensions, because every jeweler or ring seller will think his/her method is the "best" ring-measuring method. It has often been suggested that the entire world switch to using inner diameter (the diameter of the finger) as the only size-number standard.
A wider band can be worn more loosely. Large knuckles/hands should wear a slightly loose ring, while slimmer knuckles/smaller hands will require a tighter ring. Some rings can be re-sized, but many cannot. Rings made of
titaniumTitanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ti and atomic number 22. Sometimes called the “space age metal”, it has a low density and is a strong, lustrous, corrosion-resistant transition metal with a silver color.Titanium can be alloyed with iron, aluminium, vanadium, molybdenum, among other...
or
tungstenTungsten , also known as wolfram , is a chemical element with the chemical symbol W and atomic number 74.A steel-gray metal, tungsten is found in several ores, including wolframite and scheelite...
steel, stone-set rings with complicated or precise mountings, extremely thin/wide rings
cannot be re-sized.
A good way for a "rough-and-ready" measurement is to find a ring that is just smaller than the second knuckle of the finger. This way the fit is comfortable but will not slide off the finger. The method of trying on a ring and shaking the hand violently, to see if the ring comes off, is inadvisable and not very accurate.
Furthermore, every ring size chart will vary slightly in its standards. This always occurs unless one company has copied another company's size chart. Even the ISO, ringsmiths and jewelers use different sizing standards, assigning different numbers to the same measurements. On one chart a diameter of 20.65mm may equal a size 10 3/4; on another chart, a similar number, such as 20.62mm, may read out as size 10. It is wise to keep all of the above firmly in mind when ring shopping.
If ordering from catalog or internet, always demand that the seller provide the inner diameter of a ring.
External links