Sizing Rings

[perry]

This may not be the best forum for this - but I didn''t see another obvious choice...

Figuring that I may well have to purchase the ring from an e-vendor I ventured forth and purchased a set of ring sizing rings (wide: 5.85 mm by my measurement) (If you are going to spedd $$$$ or more on a ring, why not spend $$ on a set of sizing rings - I am actually surprised that Gary does not sell some with his other Ideal-Cut gear).

My concept for choosing the wide sizing rings was that by the time you assemble the engagement and weding band - it will be about as wide as the wide bands (seeing most e-rings are 2.5 to 4 mm wide). The weding band will not be soldered to the e-ring as the e-ring will need to be removed for work (but the band can stay).

Last night we got to use it, and had a big discussion on ring styles and metals.

My question is: Is there any effective size difference between using a wide ring sizing gauge and getting a 3 mm wide comfort fit e-ring.

We measured last night, and will measure again this AM. Any other hints or issues I should be aware of?

Thanks in advance for the help.

Perry

 

[Patty]

So you are asking if a 3 mm width band will fit the same as a 6 mm band? For me, I need my narrower rings (about 2 or 2 1/2 mms) to be about a 1/4 to 1/2 size smaller than my wide (8 mm) band.

 

[oldminer]

The wider the ring is made, the size needed to fit a finger increases. However, if you instruct a decent jeweler that the person''s finger fits a 6mm sizing gauge at a particular size, then the jeweler will know enough how to re-figure the correct size for any other width of actual ring being fitted. It is no problem to a bench jeweler to handle this simple adjustment, but it is not something readily handled by a lay user of the sizing tool. Don''t guess, just tell the jeweler what you actually know and what tool you used.

 

[perry]

Thanks Dave. I realized a bonus, I can size my ring as well with the wider ring sizers as I will be gettinga a wider band.

I will instruct the jeweler exactly what sizes worked under what conditions and the ring sizer width I am using.

Perry

 

[denverappraiser]

perry,

I have to disagree with your plan. There are several issues that come into play.

Firstly, human fingers aren''t cylindrical and they aren''t consistent. They aren''t even especially round. To make matters worse, they tend to change throughout the day. The result of all of this is that a particular ring of a particular size doesn''t fit everyone the same. There is almost always a negotiation that happens at the jeweler over this topic and it helps a lot to have done it a few times before. Buying the tool yourself doesn''t really solve the problem because you don''t have the opportunity to practice with a variety of rings and a variety of fingers.

The other thing is that the tools aren''t especially well calibrated by their manufacturers. Straight out of the box, these can’t be relied on for more than ¼ size either way unless some effort has been put into choosing and measuring the tool and perhaps even relabeling them with the correct information. Mandrels have the same problem (this is the tool used to measure rings instead of measuring fingers).

Find a jeweler you like and have the appropriate finger measured with THEIR tool by THEIR employee. Your chances of success go up considerably.

Neil Beaty, GG ISA
Independent Appraisals in Denver

 

[strmrdr]

Your plan is ok for the first go around but for final sizing or unsizeable bands always have the jewler size the finger with his tools even if you know the ring size.
Why?
Sizers vary and any jewler worthy of the name will have calibrated his tools with each other.

woops just saw that Neil covered this.
Well now you have it from 2 sources....

 

[perry]

Interesting: Of course the problem with having the jeweler size the ring is that it can''t be done when ordering internet rings... I figure that my sizing rings are better than the plastic sizer that Blue Nile sends out (yes I requested one from them initially).

Concerning the accuracy of the ring sizers I purchased. That had already come up and it checks out. The sizing rings are not perfectley round either. But on the sizing ring of question I checked the ID with my dial calipers (machine shop quality) and with 3 or 4 measurments at different points and estimated the ID at 0.684" Size 7 (US) has a theroretica ID of 0.685", and the difference is within the calibration tolerence of the caliper (and probably the production machinery) - and the simple averaging method for the not perfectly round sizing ring.

I am aware of the hot / cold hand issue (and live where the hands can get cold in the winter).

I only have sizing rings for 1/2 size increments (in the 6 mm wide sizing ring set).

Perry

 

[oldminer]

Ring sizing gauges generally only come in 1/2 size increments. The rest is left up to the jeweler and the person wearing the ring to perfect. While they are not all perfectly calibrated, they are mostly within a 1/4 size tolerance. You coudl always supply the exact ring size circle to the vendor and say "this one fit". It then wouldn''t matter what size it was or how much it was off.

Unless the ring is tension set, don''t get to pent up over it. Very few people''s fingers don''t change size with the time of the month, the temperature, their health, and their weight. In other words, what fits today may most likely not fit in a few days, a few months, or a few years, but you only can do it somewhat correctly right now. I have never recommended buying a ring that cannot be re-sized readily, while you wait. This pretty much eliminates tension settings and the non-precious metal rings which are all quite popular and very tempting as they look nice. "Pick a style you can live with", would be my suggestion.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Regardless of finger size and band width, knuckle size comes into play. My fingers are small, but my knuckles unfortunely are not. My eng. ring spins at size 4.5-4.75, but this is the smallest I can go to fit over my knuckle. This is a thin 2.7 mm band. My wedding band is thicker (4-5 mm???) and still regardless of how loose it is on my finger it''s also larger due to needing to fit over my knuckle. Look at your GF''s knuckle closely and realize that this will not change as readily with weather so this is a good idea of finger sizing. I''ve had two kids, weight has ranged from 132 down now to 110 and regardless my rings have stayed THE SAME size (and only while pregnant in the summer have I had to take one of my rings off).