Ring Sizing Help

[Mary Queen of Scotch]

Hoping to get some advice on ring sizing — basic, I know!

I’ve gotten measured at 5 different jewelers in the last 4 months, and the results have been inconclusive. The attempts so far:

1. Diamond District Jeweler A: 4
2. Diamond District Jeweler B: 4.25
3. Family-Owned Luxury Jeweler A: 4
4. Family-Owned Luxury Jeweler B: 4.25? They didn’t have quarter size increments, but the 4.5 felt too loose and the 4 needed a spritz of windex to remove comfortably. Very hot, humid summer day on the waterfront.
5. Tiffany & Co: 4 or 4.25? I finally went to the boutique on Leon’s advice, as anecdotal evidence has suggested to him that they are very consistent in their sizing. They were unfortunately less than helpful — only half size increments, and the SA basically just threw the box of sizers at me and walked away, lol. 4.5 felt loose (but not so loose that it would fly right off if I shook my hand)4 felt comfortable but took a fair bit of wiggling to remove it.

Some questions/considerations:

• Will it cause undue damage to the ring if I have to rock the ring back and forth over my knuckle to remove it? I imagine the ring will have a very narrow shank, in typical LM style.
• I don’t intend to stack my e-ring with a wedding band/other rings.
• Where I live, we have cold weather most of the year. Summers are short, but muggy.
• I’m not concerned about my finger size changing dramatically anytime soon — my weight is very stable (fluctuates by at most +/-3lbs) and pregnancy isn’t in the cards for the next 5 years or so.
• In general, I find it more comfortable when things fit quite snuggly: sausage casing dresses, pointed toe shoes in a half size too small, etc. I’m basically the human equivalent of a neurotic chihuahua in a tight weighted vest — I go totally batty when something I’m wearing doesn’t feel 100% secure. A spinning ring would give me the creeps.

Leon initially recommended going with a 4, as it’s easier to size up than size down, but I’d hate to have to ship my ring right back out for resizing the minute I get it! He said 4 1/8 would be an option, as well.

I know fit is to some degree a matter of personal preference, but I’d love to get some experienced opinions!

 

[seaurchin]

I think finger size tends to vary a little throughout the day, throughout the month and probably even with small weight fluctuations. So I'd go with the larger measurement. It's not much of a difference but a ring that's too tight, to me, is annoying and can be painful. I'd rather have that tiny bit of leeway.

ETA: I put my wedding band on after my engagement ring so if anything ever does slip off my finger, it would be the less expensive piece first.

P.S. Love your screen name.

 

[Cerulean]

Hoping to get some advice on ring sizing — basic, I know!

I’ve gotten measured at 5 different jewelers in the last 4 months, and the results have been inconclusive. The attempts so far:

1. Diamond District Jeweler A: 4
2. Diamond District Jeweler B: 4.25
3. Family-Owned Luxury Jeweler A: 4
4. Family-Owned Luxury Jeweler B: 4.25? They didn’t have quarter size increments, but the 4.5 felt too loose and the 4 needed a spritz of windex to remove comfortably. Very hot, humid summer day on the waterfront.
5. Tiffany & Co: 4 or 4.25? I finally went to the boutique on Leon’s advice, as anecdotal evidence has suggested to him that they are very consistent in their sizing. They were unfortunately less than helpful — only half size increments, and the SA basically just threw the box of sizers at me and walked away, lol. 4.5 felt loose (but not so loose that it would fly right off if I shook my hand)4 felt comfortable but took a fair bit of wiggling to remove it.

Some questions/considerations:

• Will it cause undue damage to the ring if I have to rock the ring back and forth over my knuckle to remove it? I imagine the ring will have a very narrow shank, in typical LM style.
• I don’t intend to stack my e-ring with a wedding band/other rings.
• Where I live, we have cold weather most of the year. Summers are short, but muggy.
• I’m not concerned about my finger size changing dramatically anytime soon — my weight is very stable (fluctuates by at most +/-3lbs) and pregnancy isn’t in the cards for the next 5 years or so.
• In general, I find it more comfortable when things fit quite snuggly: sausage casing dresses, pointed toe shoes in a half size too small, etc. I’m basically the human equivalent of a neurotic chihuahua in a tight weighted vest — I go totally batty when something I’m wearing doesn’t feel 100% secure. A spinning ring would give me the creeps.

Leon initially recommended going with a 4, as it’s easier to size up than size down, but I’d hate to have to ship my ring right back out for resizing the minute I get it! He said 4 1/8 would be an option, as well.

I know fit is to some degree a matter of personal preference, but I’d love to get some experienced opinions!

A jeweler just explained to me that mandrels are sometimes slightly inconsistent in size. I personally prefer rings to be a tiny bit too loose verses too tight, as you’ll find unlike a dress or shoes, there’s literally no give.

Of your options, it actually sounds like 4 1/8 might fit the bill. Fingers can go up and down in size throughout the day. Not everyone gets sausage fingers easily, but my ring size between winter and summer is probably close to a 3/8 difference.

This also depends on the shape of your fingers. My knuckles are about equal and in diameter as the base of my fingers. Is that the same for you? If your fingers taper thinner at the base, I’d go for the “was too hard to go over your knuckle” size, which was a 4.

 

[yssie]

I have the same finger size and I size everything 4.5-5. They spin freely and in winter they do their best to slip off my finger (I stack bands in front to tighten things up). But I’m the opposite - I can’t stomach tight rings!

I personally would go with 4.25. Adding a wedding band of the same size will make for a tighter fit. As @Cerulean says - metal has no elasticity at all.

 

[oldminer]

Make your ring 4.25 and see if you grow accustomed to it. I am assuming this is not an eternity ring which can't easily be re-sized. You should plan to wear the ring day and night for at least two weeks so you grow totally accustomed to how it feels. See what happens. You can always put a little spacer inside, like a wrapped strip of band aid to see if a tiny bit of tightness makes you happier. Don't rush to try this. Get used to the ring first for a couple of weeks, not just a few hours.

A 1/4 size is really not much in terms of and adjustment in looseness versus tightness. Don't center your attention to what size it is, but after you have worn it for a considerable amount of time, just concentrate on how it feels. You can definitely overthink this and it is a total waste of effort. You will need to have it on so much of the time you forget it is there.

Hope you succeed and enjoy the ring.

 

[RayRay]

Do you have a ring that fits perfectly now? If so, I’d send it to Leon to measure on his mandrel to ensure the size matches perfectly. I’ve done this for every single one of my custom orders good luck!

 

[yssie]

Oh. This is what I get for not reading. You don't intend to stack with a band.
Well. I'm still going with 4.25 and add a rim/beads if it's too big.
(I actually read it all this time!)

 

[Asscherhalo_lover]

I always account for swelling and go .25 up, I would go with the 4.25!

 

[Rhea]

You have a much more consistent finger than that I do! Mine can vary around a size and a half over a day and time of year.

 

[elle_71125]

I would go with the 4.25. You can easily add sizing beads / bumps to the inside of the ring that make it feel more snug. My fingers are pretty consistent in size but if I travel somewhere warm, they swell up enough that my rings feel tighter. You do not want to struggle every time you take off your ring.

 

[wifelife]

I would probably go the 4.25, but I prefer rings loose and like the off centre solitaire with stacked band look. But for you I'd probably do the 4 and 1/8. It sounds like it might just be firm enough, especially with the thinner band Leon tends to do.

 

[Lookinagain]

Sounds to me like a 4 is definitely too small if it takes windex or a lot of wiggle to remove it. In these times I think most of us take our rings off even more than normal because we are using so much hand sanitizer and therefore probably more lotion as well. If I have a ring that’s a bit too tight going over my knuckle and I have to take it off often it ends up making my knuckle red. So I would say definitely go to a 4.25.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

How do you get these ring beads ?
Do all jewlers do it ?

 

[Lookinagain]

How do you get these ring beads ?
Do all jewlers do it ?

Do you mean the sizing beads, bumps or cushions? I would think any fairly competent jeweler could add them to a ring.