Ring sizes

Finding out your ring size is an important part of looking for an engagement ring. While ring sizing guides are great, you may have questions about ring sizing.

To make sure you’re confident about your ring size when buying an engagement ring, we’ve answered some commonly asked questions below.

Your ring size is the circumference of your finger. Ideally, the ring should be snug but not too tight, and not so loose it may fall off.

There are a few ways you can know your ring size.

To measure at home, you can use a piece of string, paper or a tape measure.

Wrap the tape measure around your finger and adjust to make it snug, while still being able to move it across your knuckles. Take down the measurement in inches or millimetres and use the comparison chart below to find your ring size.

To use string or a piece of paper, place the material around your finger and mark where the ends meet with a pen. Then all you need to do is lay the string or paper flat and measure with a ruler in millimetres.

We also have a printable ring sizer here.

Cut out the sizer, adding a slit where indicated by the arrow. Wrap the sizer around your finger, placing the thinner end into the slit. The paper should feel snug around your finger, but comfortable enough to fit over your knuckle. Read your size in millimetres.

Note: If you’re in between two sizes, opt for the larger of the two.

You can also place one of your rings on the printable ring sizer and find the one where the inside of the ring lines up with the outside of the circle.

Alternatively, you can order a physical ring sizer. A ring sizer is the tool jewellers use to find out your ring size, and it’s a great – and affordable – way to be sure of your ring size.

In the UK, we measure ring sizes from A to Z. It simply means a measure in millimetres is associated with a letter. In Europe and the UK, ring sizes are in millimetres, while in the US and Canada, the measurement is in inches.

Remember: all your fingers are different sizes, so make sure you measure the finger you will be wearing the ring on. It’s also worth noting your dominant hand’s fingers may be slightly bigger than on your other hand. So if you’re right handed, your right hand may be bigger than your left.

A – 37.54 mm/ 1.49 in

B – 38.86 mm/ 1.53 in

C – 40.15 mm/ 1.58 in

D – 41.50 mm/ 1.63 in

E – 42.76 mm / 1.68 in

F – 44.14 mm / 1.74 in

G – 45.11 mm / 1.77 in

H – 46.02 mm / 1.81 in

I – 47.25 mm / 1.86 in

J – 48.38 mm / 1.90 in

K – 49.64 mm / 1.95 in

L – 50.58 mm / 1.99 in

M – 51.87 mm / 2.04 in

N – 53.16 mm / 2.09 in

O – 54.51 mm / 2.15 in

P – 55.76 mm / 2.20 in

Q – 57.15 mm / 2.25 in

R – 58.47 mm / 2.30 in

S – 60.00 mm / 2.36 in

T – 61.29 mm / 2.41 in

U – 62.89 mm / 2.48 in

V – 63.84 mm / 2.51 in

W – 65.22 mm / 2.57 in

X – 66.54 mm / 2.62 in

Y – 67.51 mm / 2.66 in

Z – 68.77 mm / 2.71 in

Please note this is only a guide and different jewellers may use slightly different measurements.

The average ring size in the UK for engagement rings - the third finger of the left hand – isn’t something you should keep in mind when measuring your ring size. But if you really want to know, the average woman's ring size is L ½.

For men, the average ring size is Q.

Every jeweller will have a different version of “small/medium/large”, which is why we don’t use these terms at Finematter.

Primarily used for non-real jewellery, small, medium and large sizes aren’t the best way to think of your ring size. Because you want your ring to fit perfectly, snug while still being comfortable, using real jewellery sizes (A-Z system for the UK) is preferable.

Like the rest of your body, your fingers will slightly change size throughout the day.

The best time of day to measure your fingers is around midday.

Fingers react to temperature. Warm or hot weather tends to make fingers swell, and they may shrink when it’s cold.

To make sure you get a “true” ring size measurement, it’s best to measure on a day that’s neither hot not particularly cold.

Whether you find the ring too big or too small once it’s been purchased, fear not. Resizing rings is perfectly possible and is usually fairly easy for an experienced jeweller.

It’s worth noting that some styles are harder to resize than others. Rings with gemstones on the band may be hard to resize, and full eternity bands can’t be resized at all. If you’re really unsure about sizing and want an eternity band, it may be safer to propose with a “placeholder ring” and wait until your significant other can confirm their ring size, or try it on.

In general, ring sizes are pretty reliable. Styles shouldn’t affect your ring size, but do bear in mind a deep band width may need to be ordered slightly bigger than your normal ring size.

There are a few things that can affect your ring size, including pregnancy, water retention, weight fluctuations, exercising, and ageing.

If you’re wondering if you should buy an engagement ring while pregnant or starting a new diet or exercising routine, you may want to consider how it will affect your fingers.

Throughout your life, your finger sizes will fluctuate, this is normal. You may need to resize your engagement ring at some point, regardless of whether you were pregnant when you got it or not.