Ring size

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For the "ring gauge" used for cigars (1/64 inch), see Cigar

There are several systems for denoting the sizes of jewellery rings in use around the world^[1]:

In the United States and Canada, 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.

PLEASE NOTE that generally, sizes in quarters and halves will not relate conventionally to anything on any known ruler. For example, on one finger alone a person may wear 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 (excluding Ireland and the United Kingdom), ring sizes are specified using a numerical scale, with half sizes.
In Ireland, the United Kingdom and Australia, ring sizes are specified using an alphabetical scale, with half sizes.
In Japan, ring sizes are specified using a numerical scale, that only has whole sizes.
In Switzerland, ring sizes are specified using a numerical scale, with quarter and half sizes.
In Germany, ring sizes are specified using actual internal diameter in mm. (the same as ISO)

The ISO standard for ring sizes is ISO 8653:1986, which defines standard ring sizes in terms of the inner circumference of the ring measured in millimetres.

1 Conversion chart for ring sizes
2 Finger sizing
3 References
4 External links

[edit] Conversion chart for ring sizes

Inside diameter		Inside circumference		Sizes
(in)	(mm)	(in)	(mm)	United States and Canada	United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia	Japan	Switzerland
0.458	11.63	1.44	36.5	0
0.466	11.84	1.46	37.2	1/4
0.474	12.04	1.49	37.8	1/2	A
0.482	12.24	1.51	38.5	3/4	A 1/2
0.49	12.45	1.54	39.1	1	B	1
0.498	12.65	1.56	39.7	1 1/4	B 1/2
0.506	12.85	1.59	40.4	1 1/2	C
0.514	13.06	1.61	41.0	1 3/4	C 1/2
0.522	13.26	1.64	41.7	2	D	2	1.5
0.53	13.46	1.67	42.3	2 1/4	D 1/2
0.538	13.67	1.69	42.9	2 1/2	E	3	2.75
0.546	13.87	1.72	43.6	2 3/4	E 1/2
0.554	14.07	1.74	44.2	3	F	4	4
0.562	14.27	1.77	44.8	3 1/4	F 1/2	5	5.25
0.57	14.48	1.79	45.5	3 1/2	G
0.578	14.68	1.82	46.1	3 3/4	G 1/2	6	6.5
0.586	14.88	1.84	46.8	4	H	7
0.594	15.09	1.87	47.4	4 1/4	H 1/2		7.75
0.602	15.29	1.89	48.0	4 1/2	I	8
0.61	15.49	1.92	48.7	4 3/4	J		9
0.618	15.70	1.94	49.3	5	J 1/2	9
0.626	15.90	1.97	50.0	5 1/4	K		10
0.634	16.10	1.99	50.6	5 1/2	K 1/2	10
0.642	16.31	2.02	51.2	5 3/4	L		11.75
0.65	16.51	2.04	51.9	6	L 1/2	11	12.75
0.658	16.71	2.07	52.5	6 1/4	M	12
0.666	16.92	2.09	53.1	6 1/2	M 1/2	13	14
0.674	17.12	2.12	53.8	6 3/4	N
0.682	17.32	2.14	54.4	7	N 1/2	14	15.25
0.69	17.53	2.17	55.1	7 1/4	O
0.698	17.73	2.19	55.7	7 1/2	O 1/2	15	16.5
0.706	17.93	2.22	56.3	7 3/4	P
0.714	18.14	2.24	57.0	8	P 1/2	16	17.75
0.722	18.34	2.27	57.6	8 1/4	Q
0.73	18.54	2.29	58.3	8 1/2	Q 1/2	17
0.738	18.75	2.32	58.9	8 3/4	R		19
0.746	18.95	2.34	59.5	9	R 1/2	18
0.754	19.15	2.37	60.2	9 1/4	S		20.25
0.762	19.35	2.39	60.8	9 1/2	S 1/2	19
0.77	19.56	2.42	61.4	9 3/4	T		21.5
0.778	19.76	2.44	62.1	10	T 1/2	20
0.786	19.96	2.47	62.7	10 1/4	U	21
0.794	20.17	2.49	63.4	10 1/2	U 1/2	22	22.75
0.802	20.37	2.52	64.0	10 3/4	V
0.81	20.57	2.54	64.6	11	V 1/2	23
0.818	20.78	2.57	65.3	11 1/4	W		25
0.826	20.98	2.59	65.9	11 1/2	W 1/2	24
0.834	21.18	2.62	66.6	11 3/4	X
0.842	21.39	2.65	67.2	12	X 1/2	25	27.5
0.85	21.59	2.67	67.8	12 1/4	Y
0.858	21.79	2.70	68.5	12 1/2	Z	26	28.75
0.866	22.00	2.72	69.1	12 3/4	Z 1/2
0.874	22.20	2.75	69.7	13		27
0.882	22.40	2.77	70.4	13 1/4	Z1
0.89	22.61	2.80	71.0	13 1/2
0.898	22.81	2.82	71.7	13 3/4	Z2
0.906	23.01	2.85	72.3	14	Z3
0.914	23.22	2.87	72.9	14 1/4
0.922	23.42	2.90	73.6	14 1/2	Z4
0.93	23.62	2.92	74.2	14 3/4
0.938	23.83	2.95	74.8	15
0.946	24.03	2.97	75.5	15 1/4
0.954	24.23	3.00	76.1	15 1/2
0.962	24.43	3.02	76.8	15 3/4
0.97	24.64	3.05	77.4	16

[edit] Finger sizing

Ring size is not the same as one's finger size; this is perhaps the first law of ring sizing to remember. A professional jeweler can determine your proper ring size using a set of steel gauge-rings, which are known as "ring-sizers". These come in narrow and wide widths (see photo), therefore be conscious of that fact when being measured. Also, be aware that you must first judge how your fingers change over the course of the day, and what work you are performing on a day-to-day basis. All the aforementioned can affect 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 is advisable to visit several jewelers at different times during the day. For a more accurate reading, one may measure one's finger at the end of the day, when it is at its largest diameter. Also, it is better to have recorded data of ring measurements taken from rings that fit, if one wears rings. Other factors that can affect ring size include: the menstrual cycle, temperature, humidity, water-retention and exercise.

The best strategy for any ring-lover is to purchase good 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, a tapered rod that measures rings, 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. One jeweler may find a size 10 1/4 ring to be a 10. Another jeweler may determine the same ring to be 10 1/2.

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 titanium or tungsten steel, stone-set rings with complicated or precise mountings, extremely thin/wide rings cannot be re-sized.