Before you buy a diamond ring, it is important to know your exact ring size. When you buy a ring that is too large or too small you will never wear it. What a waste of money! Prevention is better than cure! Therefore, ask your professional diamond jeweler to properly determine your ring size, which is possible by several different methods, such as using gauge-rings, using calipers that measure inside diameters,…

ISO standard ring size

Keep in mind that there are several systems for denoting the size of the ring depending on your geographical region. In Belgium, France, Germany, Austria and Scandinavia ring sizes are specified with the ISO standard for ring sizes, which is ISO 8653:1986 that use the actual circumference of the ring in millimeters. In Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and Switzerland, the ring size is defined as the circumference minus 40 (ISO standard – 40).

In the UK the ring size is specified with an alphabetical scale and half sizes, while in the US people use a numerical scale with quarter and half sizes. In countries as India, Japan and China a ring size is also specified with a numerical scale, which has only whole sizes.

Measuring the ring size

Some people think it might be a good idea to measure the finger with a strip of paper. Wrong! To measure the size of your ring, you're better off relying on professional help and specific ring size techniques:

• One method is to use a set of steel gauge-rings in narrow and wide widths. These will fit both for men and women and for different finger sizes.
• Another technique is to measure the diameter of a ring that you are already wearing with a special lineal.
• You can also use a special scheme that shows different ring sizes. All you have to do is place your own ring on the different sizes.
• One of the best methods however is to purchase calipers that measure inside diameters.

Watch out! The size of your fingers might change throughout the day and it depends on the room temperature as well as the humidity, the menstrual cycle or whether you did sports throughout the day or not. It’s better to determine the ring size of your fingers when they have the largest diameter. Usually this is at the end of the day or in the afternoon.

Are you planning to buy a new diamond ring? The experts at Diamondland will help you measure your exact ring size!