People often ask me, “Benjamin, how do I figure out what my ring size is? I’d love to order one of your amazing, sustainable rings, but I’m afraid it might be the wrong size when it arrives.” And I completely understand the feeling. After all, there’s nothing worse than buying a ring for yourself (or your loved one) only for it to barely fit or slide right off.
Obviously, the best thing you can do is to visit a jewelry store and have the shopkeeper measure your finger. But there are ring manufacturers that don’t have brick-and-mortar stores, or simply don’t do ring measurements. More importantly, due to the COVID-19 situation, some people are still unable to leave their homes and visit an actual store. Therefore, self-measurement is the only option that remains.
So, how can you check our ring size at home? Is there a surefire way to do it without missing the mark? In a word — yes, there absolutely is. In this article, I’ll provide a helpful little guide to learning about your actual ring size.
Does Each Individual Finger Have Its Own Ring Size?
Of course, before going any further, I should stress one key detail. Namely, every single ring on our fingers has a size. And yes, that includes all ten individual digits on both hands.
First, let’s address the hand differences. When it comes to limbs and external body parts, your dominant side will be more developed than your non-dominant side. In practice, that means your right eye will usually see better than your left eye, your right arm will have more muscle than your left arm, etc. Hands are no exception here. Normally speaking, the dominant hand has a higher number of muscles, stronger bones, and more mobility than the non-dominant one, since you use it more frequently.
With that in mind, the fingers on your two hands will have noticeable differences in everything, including ring size. What might fit on your left ring finger may not go well on your right.
Now we move to the individual fingers, and in order to make it easy, I’ll use the ring finger as the controlled variable. We will call that finger “RF”, for short. Broadly speaking, if you want to buy rings for any finger other than your RF, here is what the size comparison would look like:
- Thumb: RF + 2
- Index finger: RF + 1
- Middle finger: RF + 1
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Pinky finger: RF - 1.
Of course, this chart is merely the closest rough estimate. Sometimes, a finger may just be thicker or thinner than the others due to genetics, or some other factor. So, if I’m not entirely sure about the size, even with this chart, I will move on to the next step described below.
Checking My Ring Size Using the Sticks & Stones Size Chart
In order to get the best estimate possible, I use a handy little tool called the Ring Sizer. What I do first is print the Sizer out on a piece of paper and cut it out. Of course, the Sizer itself needs to be 5 inches in length when printed. So, I recommend double-checking with a ruler after printing.
Next, I place the Sizer around my designated finger and slide the pointed end of the paper into the cut slit. Finally, I move the slit around the finger until the paper gets a good grasp of it.
Along the topside of the arrow is the size chart. Once I get the desired size, I merely look at the number and jot it down. The key is for the paper to not be wrapped too firmly so that the ring doesn’t constrict the finger. In addition, if the paper is overly loose, the ring will be too big. Make sure to size the largest part of your finger. Your ring needs to be able to easily slide over the joints of your finger. That way you can comfortably put it on and take it off.
A Few Final Thoughts
As stated, I highly recommend going to a jewelry store if possible and asking the clerks to measure the finger themselves. Nearly all stores do it for free, even if we don’t intend to buy any of their jewelry. But if you can’t visit a store and you need a good measuring method, feel free to give the Ring Sizer a try.
