Friends and family reading this will probably be wondering whether this is some sort of announcement – not quite yet, sorry! But I wanted to share a little bit of info on finding your correct ring size. I’m not a big accessory wearer in general (I always forget!), but I do wear 2 rings on a daily basis – my Disney “And at last I see the light” ring and a silver ring Ben gave me when I was 18 (can’t believe I haven’t lost it yet!). The Disney one is adjustable, and the silver one I never actually had properly measured so it’s actually slightly too big – Ben bought it when he was with his sister, so they used her finger as a guide apparently! But there are actually a few ways to find out ring size a bit better than this.
Whether you’re planning to propose to your long-term partner with a ring from 77 diamonds or want to give someone an extra-special birthday surprise, you’re probably trying to find a way to subtly working out their ring size. Thankfully there are many ways to do this without giving the game away – and many ways to do this if your ring buying isn’t confidential – so here’s a three-step guide to help you out.
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Have the finger size measured
If you’re not trying to keep your purchase a secret, there are a number of ways to find the correct ring size. Firstly, you can go into a local jeweller and have the finger size measured accurately. In the UK, ring sizes are specified using an alphabetical scale, with half sizes such as A, A 1/2 , B, B ½, C, C ½ and measurements are usually taken in millimetres. Stupidly enough, my fingers are annoying and swell and shrink depending on the weather and my body temperature, so I can seemingly vary by about 5 ring sizes! I tend to go somewhere in the middle so it’s not too tight if my hands are hot, but it won’t fall off if I’m cold.
If you can’t get to a jewellers shop, many companies will also send out free finger sizers allowing you to place rings you already own over different circles to find out the specific size. Many charts are available online and while manual measuring methods can lead to slight inaccuracies, they’re usually pretty good. I’ve also tried out a couple of ring sizing apps on my phone, but these were pretty poor actually and I wouldn’t recommend them – you might find a better one than me though!
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Find a ring and have it adjusted
Of course, if you’re planning an elaborate proposal, you won’t want your loved one to know you’re buying a ring. The good news is, reputable jewellery sites allow you to find and buy the ring of your choice – be it a classic solitaire ring or a more vintage design – and will work with you to make adjustments further down the line if needed. They will usually make the ring in a standard medium/large (to ensure it at least fits the person you are giving it to) allowing you to pop the question in style before tweaking the jewel if necessary at a later date. It’s also really popular to use an old family ring, and usually these can be resized. Unfortunately, not all rings can – I found a gorgeous opal ring that was far too big but couldn’t be adjusted that much due to the softness of the stone – so make sure you do your research first.
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Use an old ring as a guide
Another thing you can do if you’re trying to keep the whole ring buying thing a secret is to use an old ring as a guide. Simply take it into a jewellery shop/showroom or hold it up against a measuring chart to determine what size accessory your other half requires. Be sure to choose a ring your partner wears often as that way you’ll know it fits. Opting for one shoved in the back of her jewellery box might not be a good idea as it could be too big or small – hence why it doesn’t see the light of day very often.
Sneaky tip though: if you don’t want to take any jewellery out of the house in case you lose it, simply pop a ring onto your finger and draw a line around where it reaches. You can then take your marked finger into a shop and have the assistant measure it for you.
Buying a ring can be a nerve-racking experience – often because it represents an exciting, emotional and eventful time in your life – but choosing the right one will make someone extremely happy.
