Style, shape, stone... there are many things to consider when making a purchase of jewelry, but another often neglected consideration when choosing a band is size. A properly fitting ring should be snug and not too tight and that’s how you’ll know that your ring has the correct fit.

But how do you find your right ring size? We offer four top tips to measure your finger to ensure that the band fits properly. A perfectly fitting ring, whether it is silver, gold or platinum will show the design and gemstone off to best effect and also, more importantly, ensure that you are less likely to lose it.


1. Ask the Experts
If you are making a purchase for yourself, the best thing to do is to go to your jeweler and ask them to measure your finger. Their expert advice will ensure that you get the exact measurement and the best fit and they will be delighted to select the perfect size for you. If you are making a purchase, jewelry stores will include a professional sizing as part of the process.

2. Finger Measurements Can Change
Be aware that your finger measurements can change so be aware of the time that you take the measurements. Don’t measure when the temperature of your body is either too warm or too cold. A cold finger shrinks slightly while a warmer finger will expand and cause an inaccurate reading. Only measure your fingers when your body is at room temperature. Your fingers might also swell if you’re pregnant or taking certain medications. If you need to have a ring resized, go to a reputable jewelry store, but be aware that certain types of rings are more difficult to resize than others.

3. Use the Online Ring Sizing Guide
If you are making an online purchase, reputable retailers such as Rings from Ireland will offer a special ring sizing guide on their website. This will particularly come in useful if you are buying a gift for a birthday, Christmas or a gift for Mother’s Day or Father’s Day or perhaps even a surprise engagement! Use this to ascertain the exact size that you require and make sure to measure the hand that you or the person that you are making the purchase for, will be wearing the ring on, as hand sizes can vary.

4. Tips for Sizing and Measuring
When measuring your finger, there will be times that two ring sizes will seem comfortable. If you are in any doubt, go with the larger size. Also if the ring style that you are purchasing has a wider band, then go up a size to ensure a more comfortable fit. Many online guides recommend the use of strings, but this is not best practice. Strings can stretch and this can result in inaccurate measurements. A paper strip is a much better way of measuring. Account for knuckle size. Another common mistake is to take finger measurements without accounting for the knuckle size and knuckles can be a lot larger than the base of your finger so need to be considered.