Ring size for pudgy fingers

[Snowsparkle]

My fiancé and I have been shopping for an engagement ring for a couple of months now and I think I''ve finally found a ring I love that we can afford, but I find now that I''m a bit nervous about the sizing. It might seem weird when I talk about having pudgy fingers despite my small ring size, but what I mean by that is that the bottom section of my fingers below the knuckles is thicker than the knuckles, but feels soft and squishy.

I got sized at two different jewelry stores, one in February and one a couple of weeks ago, and both jewelers said my size was 3.5. In both cases I told them I thought that seemed too small, because I could barely get it past my knuckle even with the thin sizer bands. The 3.75 seemed easier without being loose, so I figured that would be the right size.

Today I found a box with some old cheap silver rings I had when I was a teenager. It''s been over a decade and I''ve gained about 30 pounds since then, so I wasn''t surprised that most of them only fit on my pinky now. There was one with a band about 2 mm wide (which is the width of the ring I''m considering buying) that fit on my ring finger, sliding over the knuckle without too much trouble but feeling pretty tight around the base of my finger, so I measured its inner diameter with a ruler and checked that out on a ring size conversion chart. It looked like 15 mm exactly, and on the chart that worked out to between a 4 and 4.25 ring size.

Granted, measuring with a ruler isn''t the most accurate way to figure out ring size, but I''m concerned because the ring seems bigger than how I was sized and yet feels uncomfortably tight. The ring was basically making a "waist" on my ring finger and was too uncomfortable to wear for more than a couple of minutes.

So my question is what''s the best method to find out my real ring size? Should I ask more jewelers about it? Should I buy my own sizer so I can try it at my leisure? I thought of buying some cheap silver rings in all of the quarter sizes from 3.75 to 4.75 and wearing them around to see what might be comfortable, but I can''t seem to find a website that sells all of those quarter sizes. Maybe the best strategy would be to get the ring slightly bigger but get sizing beads put in it so it won''t feel so binding and yet hopefully won''t fall off? I''d really appreciate some tips for this situation.

 

[arjunajane]

Hi snowsparkle,

I can understand your concern - seeing as I''m in a different country, figuring out my ring size was always challenging as often the conversion charts are even different depending where you look.
I can say confidently that when I have been sized in a store with their sizers, it has Always been Wrong.
You must also take into mind that each store will have their own set of custom sizers and sometimes different methods, so it can (and does) vary from store to store.

Can I ask are you buying from a bricks & mortar store? If so, I would try on actual finished rings in that store, in the mm size and band style (ie. 2mm half round) of your intended ring, and then when you find the one that fits have them measure the diameter and according size.

If you are buying online, many places offer to send out plastic ring sizers (I think usually for free).
I like the idea of finding some cheap silver rings (again in 2mm if that is your intended shank size)- perhaps from a local market or costume jewellery store? And than once you decide which feels best, give your vendor the internal mm measurements, and let them determine which size that matches to on their scale. There is nothing wrong with using a ruler, as long as you are careful - I recommend tracing the inside of the ring onto paper, then measuring that.

You should be able to figure it out this way, and to be honest from what you have described with the silver ring I would think you are a 4.5 - 4.75.
If you are still unsure I personally would err on the side of a quarter size larger - it''s not much of a difference IRL, and at least it will be wearable and comfortable and allow for swelling in warmer weather etc.
I cannot stand too-tight rings! (in case you couldn''t tell, ha ha).

hope that helps a bit,

 

[clgwli]

You can actually print a ring sizer off from one like this
http://www.bluenile.com/pdf/bluenile_ringsizer_copyright2008.pdf

After you do that, you can always go to a place like www.etsy.com and find someone to custom make a ring for you (usually really cheap) in something like sterling to see how it fits for you if you are worried.

I used to have the same issue as you before I lost a significant amount of weight and I never had it that snug over my knuckles. I had to fit for my flesh, not my knuckle. I do know that having a smaller ring size makes it harder to find the right size too. Most people can walk into a jewelry store and find one that fits. However I always have issues since the average size to try here is about a 7.

Good luck!

 

[Lula]

I see many women wearing their rings too tight, and it creates that "waistline" look you mentioned. I, too, find that most jewelers size my finger too small, especially considering how much my finger changes due to heat, time of day, etc. I also think the size you find most comfortable depends on the shape of your finger. No matter how much weight I lose or gain, my fingers are always fleshy. I''ve just learned to ignore what the jewelers say, and order the size that works for me. And I determined that size by finding some inexpensive silver and vintage bands in 2 mm and 4 mm sizes. I know I wear one size at 2 mm and go up a quarter size for each mm increase in width.

 

[RaiKai]

I think one of the problems with having a knuckle smaller than wear you wear the ring is you need a tighter fit so the ring does not slip off especially when your finger is cold or wet etc. I am the opposite - larger knuckle so my issue is getting a ring that slips over knuckle without too much hurt and does not spin as I wear it! Rings that are too loose are no fun either...drove me nuts! I compromised by getting a size that is a little harder to get over knuckle when my hands are really warm without some soap and water...but fits well with no spinning otherwise.

Fingers can swell up to a size during day too, and different seasons affect them etc.

I suggest not going off ring you have as it may be bent a little etc. But I do recommend visiting jeweler several times at different times of day and trying on sizes to see what works best for you or getting new silver rings to wear around though you will not get same spinning issue as with a centre stone. The right size for you may not be what jeweler recommends.

 

[yssie]

Perhaps you could purchase a set of sterling rings in approximately the same width as your future ring in different sizes - 3.5, 3.75, 4, 4.25, wear them around for a while and see which you like best?


ALso remember if you plan to wear a wedding band, that will take up space and make your current ring feel a bit tighter so going 0.25 up from your "perfect" size now may be something to consider. I wear a 3.5 but I'm having my rings made in a 4.25 to accomodate my loathing of too-tight rings, slight weight gains, and wearing a full set of Ering, wb, and eternity

 

[slg47]

When I went to two different jewelry stores they said I was a size 5 (which seemed really small) but the ring sizers they used felt fine. I ordered some cheap silver rings online to see what width I would like (in a size 5) and they were IMPOSSIBLE to get on (finally got it on but it was really tight and uncomfortable). I ended up just ordering some because everything in the store is size 7 and you can''t really tell how it fits.

Anyway, it seems like a lot of people have had problems with the ring sizers...maybe you can find a ring that fits you well and take it in to the store?

Also does anyone know if ring sizes are pretty standard (unlike clothing sizes which are ridiculous)...

 

[Snowsparkle]

Thanks for the advice, everyone!

I tried printing the Blue Nile sizer pdf. The funny thing is that my knuckle really does appear to be a 3.75 when I cinch the sizer there, but the lower part of my finger looks to be around the 4.5 or 4.75 area, so that''s a pretty huge difference. Comparing the rings I have to the chart at the bottom it does look like I measured them properly. The ones around a size 4 are too small, and the couple that look to be a 5 are a bit too big. At least I''m getting it narrowed down.

I''m looking to buy from an online jewelry company as I couldn''t seem to find any local stores that stocked what I wanted. I know they send out a ring sizer, but at this point I figure my best bet is to try buying some rings that have a similar width to what I''m looking at and wearing them for a couple of days to see if I can find a balance between what''s comfortable and what falls off. I know there''s a mall in town that tends to have a few cheap jewelry stands set up, so I should check it out and see if they have some in the 4.25-4.75 range to see how that goes. I''m guessing I might end up the most comfortable with 4.75 once I have both the engagement ring and wedding band on at the same time, so if I can I''ll buy two rings of that size and wear them both at once to see how that goes.

This whole concept of sizing is probably why my favorite jewelry type is earrings. I swear, I can''t seem to take a normal size in anything that has to be sized, like shoes or dresses, and now even my ring size isn''t straightforward. But the earrings will never forsake me.