The joys of online shopping are endless in number. It makes it possible to order products from anywhere in the world and have them delivered straight to your doorstep, which is incredibly convenient in countless different ways.
If you’re looking to buy a ring online, then it’s vital that you know your ring size so that you can obtain one that fits well without being too snug or being in danger of sliding off your finger.
To do this, you’ll have to know how to measure ring size at home.
Why Measure Your Ring Size At Home?
The benefits of online shopping come with one downfall. When it comes to clothes, shoes, accessories, and other wearables, you can’t try them on before you buy them. This can lead to buying the wrong sizes.
If you’re lucky, the online store you made the purchase from will accept returns and exchanges, but if they don’t, you’re stuck with something either too big or too small that you can’t use.
The same goes for rings, and although ring sizes are typically standardized, it’s a good idea to make sure you know the exact measurements of your fingers in centimeters or millimeters so you can easily choose the best size for you.
Most stores that sell rings will have a size chart you can refer to once you know those measurements.
There are quite a few options when it comes to measurement methods. Without further ado, here is how to measure ring size at home.
Option 1: How To Measure Ring Size With String
This is probably the most common method used by those purchasing rings online, so once you know how to measure ring size with string, you’re good to go.
Start by taking a piece of string or thread and a ruler. If you don’t have a string, you can use other more common items of a similar variety, such as dental floss.
Take this measurement item wind it around your finger. Where the piece of string meets itself as it wraps around your finger, use a pen to make a visible mark.
Be sure not to pull the string, thread, or floss too tight as you measure, as pulling at a material like this can cause it to stretch and result in you taking down an incorrect measurement.
If you have a selection of different possible string-like objects to choose from, try to go for the one that is more rigid.
Unwrap the string and place it against a ruler, using the mark you made as a guide to see the circumference of your finger. You now have your ring measurements.
Option 2: How To Measure Ring Size With Paper
If for some reason, you don’t have string or anything similar at home, then you can default to an even simpler method: using paper.
Although it has a tendency to be a little less accurate than using string would be, it’s still a viable method when done correctly.
Check out this short video teaching you on how to use paper to figure out your ring size:
https://youtu.be/2UmqVefGT64
Essentially, you would do this the same way you would with string. Cut or tear a thin strip of paper – preferably keeping the base of the paper as straight as possible – and wrap it around the base of your finger.
Use a pen to make a visible mark where the paper meets itself as it coils around.
Then, take the paper and line it up next to a ruler, noting down the measurements it provides using the pen marks you made.
Option 3: How To Measure Ring Size With A Tape Measure
Figuring out how to measure ring size with a tape measure is pretty simple and straightforward, as it’s a tool that virtually does all the hard work for you.
If you’re concerned about the accuracy of other methods, then this may work best for you.
Simply take a tape measure and wrap it around your finger’s base, and easily take measurements from there. Be sure that you’re measuring correctly – if the start of the wrap is not “0”, for example, be sure to take that into account when calculating the final circumference.
We are, of course, referring to flexible tape measures such as often used by fashion designers and tailors, and not the harder, much less flexible measuring tape devices meant for measuring furniture and more solid objects. Here is an example of the kind of tape measure we mean on Amazon.
Don’t have a tape measure but still want the accuracy one provides? Thanks to the wonders of online shopping, you can also have one delivered straight to your doorstep. There are countless ones available online in all sorts of lengths and even colors.
Option 4: How To Measure Ring Size With A Ring You Already Own
In order to use this method, you will need a true-to-size ring chart on hand. Some websites that sell rings will offer one that you can print out, so do print the chart out and make sure you’re printing it at the correct size so you don’t render the chart incorrect.
Then, once you have the chart, place a ring you own that fits you well onto the chart and match it up with the different circles until you find the one that matches your ring best. That will be your size.
Option 5: How To Measure Ring Size With A Specialized Tool
If you want the highest levels of accuracy possible, then, believe it or not, there are specialized ring size measuring tools available online designed specifically for those in your predicament. There are two kinds available, and they’re both relatively inexpensive.
The first and cheapest is a special gauge that looks like measuring tape that uses a piece of plastic in order to act like a mini-belt for your finger. You use it similarly to how to measure ring size with measuring tape, but it’s even easier.
You slip it on and tighten the plastic around your finger until it is snug, then simply read the measurement displayed. An example of this product on Amazon is this one by Peacock Jewel’s.
Here’s how it works:
The other kind of ring sizer is still very inexpensive, and it consists of multiple different rings in a single holder.
These rings are sized according to standardized ring sizes, some ranging from size 1 all the way up to size 13, with many also including half sizes. This way you’ll immediately know your ring size.
An example of this product on Amazon is this one by Mudder. However, do note that there may be minor discrepancies among ring sizes in stores, so you may still want to get exact measurements.
Here’s how it works:
Ring Size Measuring Tips
1. When is the best time to measure ring size?
It’s not so much about the best time as it is about the best temperature. Cold fingers are ones that are at the smallest they ever are. In addition, most people wake up with fingers that have not expanded yet and are therefore much smaller than they would be in a few hours.
You’ll want to go through a whole day and take measurements at the end of a day when the finger has expanded and is at the largest size it is. This is because fingers, like many other extremities of the body, swell slightly as the day goes on.
2. How do you ensure the best accuracy?
Don’t just measure once! This is especially true if you’re not using measuring tape or ring sizers. Take multiple measurements and determine the most accurate size by taking the average from them.
If you seem to be getting wildly different measurements each time, then it may be time to try a different method of measuring ring size at home.
3. Should I only measure anywhere else other than the base of my finger?
Usually, the answer would be no. But if you’re someone who has larger knuckles, then you may want to order a ring that is a half size bigger. If you’re worried that your knuckles may get in the way too much, you can measure them and use that to determine what the best size would be.
It’s alright to purchase a ring that will fit a little too snugly on the knuckle as what matters is how it fits on the base of the finger.
4. How can I buy someone a surprise ring if I don’t know their ring size?
Want to get a ring for someone but want it to be a surprise? All you need to get the right size is one of their own rings that fits them well.
If you don’t have access to a true-to-size ring chart, then all you’ll need is a candle or a similarly shaped object.
Slide the ring onto a candle or other cylindrical object, trace the ring with a pen where it fits snugly on the cylindrical object, and use options one, two, three, or five to measure the circumference of the object where the ring fits well.
Watch this video to get some tips on how to find out your partner’s ring size:
https://youtu.be/amfgCwxX49s
Arguably, you can use this method to measure your own ring size too with a ring you already own, but it’s certainly a rather convoluted way of doing it!
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