Method one: paper strip and a ruler
This is the most reliable method at home, and the one we suggest first.
- Cut a strip of paper about 10 cm long and 1 cm wide. Paper, not thread — thread stretches.
- Wrap it around the base of the finger, snug but not tight. You should be able to slide it off over the knuckle with a little resistance.
- Mark where the strip overlaps, take it off, and measure to the mark in millimetres.
- That measurement is your inner circumference. Find it in the chart below.
Measure the finger you will actually wear the ring on. Your dominant hand is usually half a size larger than the other, and your ring and middle fingers differ more than people expect.
Method two: a ring you already wear
If you own a ring that fits the right finger well, this is faster and slightly more accurate.
- Lay the ring flat on a ruler.
- Measure straight across the inside of the band, edge to edge, through the centre. That is the inner diameter in millimetres.
- Match it to the diameter column in the chart.
Measure twice at different angles and take the average — rings are rarely perfectly round after a few years of wear.
Indian ring size chart
India uses a numeric scale, typically from size 6 to size 26 for most jewellery. Find your measurement in either column:
- Size 8 — 14.8 mm diameter, 46.5 mm circumference
- Size 10 — 15.6 mm diameter, 49.0 mm circumference
- Size 12 — 16.5 mm diameter, 51.8 mm circumference
- Size 14 — 17.3 mm diameter, 54.4 mm circumference
- Size 16 — 18.1 mm diameter, 56.9 mm circumference
- Size 18 — 19.0 mm diameter, 59.5 mm circumference
- Size 20 — 19.8 mm diameter, 62.1 mm circumference
- Size 22 — 20.6 mm diameter, 64.6 mm circumference
- Size 24 — 21.4 mm diameter, 67.2 mm circumference
If your measurement falls between two sizes, go up rather than down. A ring that is marginally loose can be worn; one that will not pass the knuckle cannot.
When you measure changes the answer
Fingers change size through the day by as much as half a size, which is the single most common reason a ring ordered online does not fit.
- Measure in the evening. Fingers are at their largest late in the day and smallest first thing in the morning.
- Measure at room temperature. Cold fingers shrink noticeably; do not measure straight after washing up in cold water or coming in from air conditioning.
- Do not measure after exercise or a salty meal, when fingers are swollen.
- Account for the band. A wide band — anything over 6 mm — sits tighter than a thin one at the same size. Go up half a size for wide or heavily carved rings.
Buying a ring as a surprise
If you cannot measure their finger without giving the game away, you have three options, in order of reliability:
- Borrow a ring they already wear on that finger and measure the inside diameter. Take it from a jewellery box, not off their hand.
- Ask someone who would know. Most people have told a sibling or a close friend their size at some point.
- Choose an adjustable design. Several of our bands are made with an open shank that flexes across two or three sizes, which removes the problem entirely and is the safest choice for a gift.
And if it still arrives wrong, it is not a crisis: our 15-day return policy covers sizing, and we can resize most plain 925 silver bands at the studio.
Quick answers
- What is the most common ring size in India?
- For women, sizes 12 to 14 cover most hands; for men, sizes 18 to 22. These are starting points, not substitutes for measuring — finger size varies far more than clothing size.
- Should I size up or down if I am between sizes?
- Size up. A slightly loose ring can still be worn and can be tightened, but a ring that will not pass the knuckle is unwearable until it is resized.
- Can a 925 silver ring be resized?
- Most plain silver bands can be resized up or down by a size or two. Eternity bands set with stones all the way round, and rings with intricate carving across the shank, usually cannot.
- Does the width of the band change the size I need?
- Yes. A band wider than about 6 mm sits tighter on the finger than a thin one of the same size, so go up half a size for wide or heavily detailed designs.