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 roughly1/10 inch
(more precisely, 0.1005 in or 2.55 mm) in inside circumference.
Generally, sizes in quarters and halves will not relate conventionally
to anything on any known ruler. Also, on one finger alone a person may
vary 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 circumference 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.
[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,
China |
Switzerland |
| 0.459 |
11.63 |
1.44 |
36.5 |
0 |
|
|
|
| 0.466 |
11.84 |
1.46 |
37.2 |
¼ |
|
|
|
| 0.474 |
12.04 |
1.49 |
37.8 |
½ |
A |
|
|
| 0.482 |
12.24 |
1.51 |
38.5 |
¾ |
A½ |
|
|
| 0.49 |
12.45 |
1.54 |
39.1 |
1 |
B |
1 |
|
| 0.498 |
12.65 |
1.56 |
39.7 |
1¼ |
B½ |
|
|
| 0.506 |
12.85 |
1.59 |
40.4 |
1½ |
C |
|
|
| 0.514 |
13.06 |
1.61 |
41.0 |
1¾ |
C½ |
|
|
| 0.522 |
13.26 |
1.64 |
41.7 |
2 |
D |
2 |
1.5 |
| 0.53 |
13.46 |
1.67 |
42.3 |
2¼ |
D½ |
|
|
| 0.538 |
13.67 |
1.69 |
42.9 |
2½ |
E |
3 |
2.75 |
| 0.546 |
13.87 |
1.72 |
43.6 |
2¾ |
E½ |
|
|
| 0.554 |
14.07 |
1.74 |
44.2 |
3 |
F |
4 |
4 |
| 0.562 |
14.27 |
1.77 |
44.8 |
3¼ |
F½ |
5 |
5.25 |
| 0.57 |
14.48 |
1.79 |
45.5 |
3½ |
G |
|
|
| 0.578 |
14.68 |
1.82 |
46.1 |
3¾ |
G½ |
6 |
6.5 |
| 0.586 |
14.88 |
1.84 |
46.8 |
4 |
H |
7 |
|
| 0.594 |
15.09 |
1.87 |
47.4 |
4¼ |
H½ |
|
7.75 |
| 0.602 |
15.29 |
1.89 |
48.0 |
4½ |
I |
8 |
|
| 0.61 |
15.49 |
1.92 |
48.7 |
4¾ |
J |
|
9 |
| 0.618 |
15.70 |
1.94 |
49.3 |
5 |
J½ |
9 |
|
| 0.626 |
15.90 |
1.97 |
50.0 |
5¼ |
K |
|
10 |
| 0.634 |
16.10 |
1.99 |
50.6 |
5½ |
K½ |
10 |
|
| 0.642 |
16.31 |
2.02 |
51.2 |
5¾ |
L |
|
11.75 |
| 0.65 |
16.51 |
2.04 |
51.9 |
6 |
L½ |
11 |
12.75 |
| 0.658 |
16.71 |
2.07 |
52.5 |
6¼ |
M |
12 |
|
| 0.666 |
16.92 |
2.09 |
53.1 |
6½ |
M½ |
13 |
14 |
| 0.674 |
17.12 |
2.12 |
53.8 |
6¾ |
N |
|
|
| 0.682 |
17.32 |
2.14 |
54.4 |
7 |
N½ |
14 |
15.25 |
| 0.69 |
17.53 |
2.17 |
55.1 |
7¼ |
O |
|
|
| 0.698 |
17.73 |
2.19 |
55.7 |
7½ |
O½ |
15 |
16.5 |
| 0.706 |
17.93 |
2.22 |
56.3 |
7¾ |
P |
|
|
| 0.714 |
18.14 |
2.24 |
57.0 |
8 |
P½ |
16 |
17.75 |
| 0.722 |
18.34 |
2.27 |
57.6 |
8¼ |
Q |
|
|
| 0.73 |
18.54 |
2.29 |
58.3 |
8½ |
Q½ |
17 |
|
| 0.738 |
18.75 |
2.32 |
58.9 |
8¾ |
R |
|
19 |
| 0.746 |
18.95 |
2.34 |
59.5 |
9 |
R½ |
18 |
|
| 0.754 |
19.15 |
2.37 |
60.2 |
9¼ |
S |
|
20.25 |
| 0.762 |
19.35 |
2.39 |
60.8 |
9½ |
S½ |
19 |
|
| 0.77 |
19.56 |
2.42 |
61.4 |
9¾ |
T |
|
21.5 |
| 0.778 |
19.76 |
2.44 |
62.1 |
10 |
T½ |
20 |
|
| 0.786 |
19.96 |
2.47 |
62.7 |
10¼ |
U |
21 |
|
| 0.794 |
20.17 |
2.49 |
63.4 |
10½ |
U½ |
22 |
22.75 |
| 0.802 |
20.37 |
2.52 |
64.0 |
10¾ |
V |
|
|
| 0.81 |
20.57 |
2.54 |
64.6 |
11 |
V½ |
23 |
|
| 0.818 |
20.78 |
2.57 |
65.3 |
11¼ |
W |
|
25 |
| 0.826 |
20.98 |
2.59 |
65.9 |
11½ |
W½ |
24 |
|
| 0.834 |
21.18 |
2.62 |
66.6 |
11¾ |
X |
|
|
| 0.842 |
21.39 |
2.65 |
67.2 |
12 |
X½ |
25 |
27.5 |
| 0.85 |
21.59 |
2.67 |
67.8 |
12¼ |
Y |
|
|
| 0.858 |
21.79 |
2.70 |
68.5 |
12½ |
Z |
26 |
28.75 |
| 0.866 |
22.00 |
2.72 |
69.1 |
12¾ |
Z½ |
|
|
| 0.874 |
22.20 |
2.75 |
69.7 |
13 |
|
27 |
|
| 0.882 |
22.40 |
2.77 |
70.4 |
13¼ |
Z1 |
|
|
| 0.89 |
22.61 |
2.80 |
71.0 |
13½ |
|
|
|
| 0.898 |
22.81 |
2.82 |
71.7 |
13¾ |
Z2 |
|
|
| 0.906 |
23.01 |
2.85 |
72.3 |
14 |
Z3 |
|
|
| 0.914 |
23.22 |
2.87 |
72.9 |
14¼ |
|
|
|
| 0.922 |
23.42 |
2.90 |
73.6 |
14½ |
Z4 |
|
|
| 0.93 |
23.62 |
2.92 |
74.2 |
14¾ |
|
|
|
| 0.938 |
23.83 |
2.95 |
74.8 |
15 |
|
|
|
| 0.946 |
24.03 |
2.97 |
75.5 |
15¼ |
|
|
|
| 0.954 |
24.23 |
3.00 |
76.1 |
15½ |
|
|
|
| 0.962 |
24.43 |
3.02 |
76.8 |
15¾ |
|
|
|
| 0.97 |
24.64 |
3.05 |
77.4 |
16 |
|
|
|
[edit]Finger
sizing
Ring size is not the same as finger size. A professional jeweler can
determine proper ring size using a set of steel gauge-rings. These "ring
sizers" come in narrow and wide widths. Fingers change over the course
of the day due to diet or work affecting 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 has been recommended that fingers be measured at the end of the day,
when they are at their largest diameters. Existing fitted rings can also
be measured for increased accuracy. Other factors that can affect ring
size include: the menstrual cycle, temperature, humidity,
water-retention and exercise.
The best strategy for measurement is to purchase 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, the tapered ring-measuring rod, 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.
It is best for the consumer to know and be firm about finger dimensions,
because every jeweler or ring seller will think his/her method is the
"best" ring-measuring method. It has often been suggested that the
industry universally standardize on using inner diameter (the diameter
of the finger) as the only size-number method of determination.
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.
A good way for a "rough-and-ready" measurement is to find a ring that is
just smaller than the second knuckle of the finger. This way the fit is
comfortable but will not slide off the finger. The method of trying on a
ring and shaking the hand violently, to see if the ring comes off, is
inadvisable and not very accurate.
Furthermore, every ring size chart will vary slightly in its standards.
This always occurs unless one company has copied another company's size
chart. Even the ISO, ringsmiths and jewelers use different sizing
standards, assigning different numbers to the same measurements. On one
chart a diameter of 20.65mm may equal a size 10 3/4; on another chart, a
similar number, such as 20.62mm, may read out as size 10. It is wise to
keep all of the above firmly in mind when ring shopping.
If ordering from catalog or internet, always demand that the seller
provide the inner diameter of a ring.
