How to measure your rings: our mini guide

How to take measurements to give a ring as a gift. A few tricks on ring sizes and everything you need to make sure you don’t make the wrong purchase

Giving a ring as a gift is always a delicate matter. Meanwhile, because a ring is rarely given as a gift, it always has a deep, intimate meaning, perhaps also because unlike other jewellery it tends to become a part of the wearer’s hand, an essential component. It is no coincidence that Catholic spouses exchange two very special rings: the faiths. The circular shape represents on the one hand the realization of the individual, who walks through their circle of life starting from a point that rejoins himself at the end of the circle, on the other hand, the mutual completion that comes from union. Once the wedding ring is worn, husband and wife become one, two souls united in an indissoluble and sacred bond.
Even in ancient Rome, there was a tradition of giving rings on the occasion of engagements and weddings as a symbol of union and a wish for happiness and prosperity. The fiancé gave his fiancée the Annulus Pronubus, an iron ring coated in gold, or entirely in gold, which just like today’s wedding rings was put on the ring.

However, the symbolic value of the ring is independent of religious significance. It seems that the first rings date back to the Bronze Age and, since ancient times, this particular jewel was used not only as an ornament but also as a seal and distinctive mark for documents and official communications. In ancient Egypt, it was common for Pharaoh to have his own ring seal that distinguished all his edicts. High-ranking priests in ancient Rome wore rings, first of iron, then of gold, and, over time, the kiss of the ring became a sign of respect and deference reserved for kings, emperors, popes and authorities of all kinds.

Buy Now:

Prayer rings

Prayer rings, in this department you will find a wide selection of religious rings…

But what if you have to give a ring and you don’t know the size?

There are different methods to measure the finger and different measurement scales to define which is the most suitable ring. Let’s see how to measure a ring and above all how to measure the finger for which your ring will be intended.

How do you measure the diameter of your finger? What about the circumference?

If we have a ring to start from

The simplest method, even if not very precise, to obtain the diameter of the finger is to use a ring belonging to the person to whom you want to give the gift already in your possession and place it on a ruler by identifying the distance in a straight line from one inner side to the other. If you have it, you can also use a decimal gauge, a measuring device composed of a fixed part graduated in millimetres and inches and a moving part that usually incorporates an additional graduated scale, which allows you to identify the fractions of the unit of measurement even more precisely.

From the Internet you can easily download and print a precompiled table showing circles of various sizes, on which you will place the ring in your possession, to determine its size.

Again starting from a pre-existing ring, we can roll a sheet of paper into the shape of a very narrow cylinder, which we will insert inside the ring. With a pencil, draw a line with the pencil around the area where the ring adheres to the paper. By removing the cylinder and unwinding it, we can measure the line with the ruler and obtain the inner circumference.

If you DON’T have a ring to start from

If you do not have a ring to start from, you can cut a paper band or use a thread, and wrap them around the finger of the person who will have to wear the ring. With a pencil, make a small mark to indicate the length, then extend the band or thread and measure with a ruler, thus obtaining the circumference of the finger. But this is not a very precise method. However,
there are specially made plastic straps, which show the measurement scale printed on the surface, with which you can always measure the circumference.

Once the circumference has been identified to obtain the diameter, divide it by π (Pi about 3.14) and obtain a precise result. Alternatively, there are also pre-compiled tables in the network that show the value of the diameter concerning the circumference but do not take into account many significant variables.

The variables

We must take into account several variables that can significantly change the size of the ring, even if we have identified the size of the diameter or circumference. Meanwhile, not all hands are the same, and not all fingers are the same. Depending on how bony or fleshy the hand is, the grip of the rings changes a lot. Also, the right hand is different from the left, even if it doesn’t appear so. Moreover, you could have swollen hands, so it is always necessary to evaluate the condition of the fingers at the time of measurement, so as not to buy a ring that, in the evening, could become unbearably tight or terribly wide and loose.
If the wearer of the ring has fleshy fingers, it will be advisable to measure the exact point where the ring will wrap the finger, while if the fingers are bony, the size of the knuckle must be taken into account, otherwise, the ring will not pass.

The Holyart rings

In our online store, we use finger diameter measurements for rings. If you browse through the pages dedicated to our prayer rings, such as the beautiful rings with Our Father and Hail Mary, or the rosary rings, the religious rings with a crucifix, or even the ten rings, you will find a drop-down menu that will show you the various sizes of diameter available.

Buy Now:

Ave Maria ring 925 silver HOLYART Collection

This 925 silver ring from our HOLYART Collection has the words “Ave Maria” and a polished finish…

The HOLYART COLLECTION also offers, among the many jewels, a rich collection of rings in 925 silver, gold, hypoallergenic steel, and materials selected by us of the highest quality, made 100% in Italy at every stage of processing, all strictly by hand.
Suitable for both women and men, all the jewels and accessories of the HOLYART line are designed by the best Italian designers, carefully studying the latest trends in fashion, to be matched to every style and worn in any age group.

Buy Now:

Adjustable red shell ring in 925 silver HOLYART Collection

This sterling silver ring belongs to the HOLYART line…

Furthermore, among the jewels of the MATER line you can find many men’s rings and women’s rings, and in particular rosary and ten rings, in 925 silver, designed with a modern style, which makes them suitable for everyone. Sophistication, elegance and solidity are the strengths of this all-Italian collection.

Buy Now:

Rosary ring in dark silver 925 glazed finishing, MATER

Rosary ring in dark silver 925 glazed finishing…