Before you can purchase an engagement ring, you need to know your correct ring size. Determining your ring size isn’t difficult, but there are a number of ways you can get an accurate number.

The Importance of Determining Ring Size

When you present an engagement ring to your bride-to-be, you need to make sure it has been properly sized to ensure the correct fit. If you intend on keeping the proposal a secret, slipping a perfectly sized ring on her finger shows initiative, and she will undoubtedly be surprised that you were able to determine her size without bringing her along. Practical reasons exist for accurate sizing as well, because more elaborate settings and designs cannot normally be resized once they have been purchased.

How to Determine Ring Size

There are several ways to determine ring size. Even for secret proposals, you can still ensure you have an accurately sized ring using one of these methods.

• Charts

Many websites offer printable ring size charts to help determine an accurate size. Simply print the chart and use it to measure an existing ring your bride-to-be wears.

• Jewelers

A jeweler can measure an existing ring to determine its size or use a special tool to measure your bride-to-be’s ring finger to get an accurate number. This is definitely the most accurate method, but won’t work for proposals that are being kept a secret.

How Certain Conditions Affect Ring Size

Believe it or not, there are optimal times to measure your finger for an engagement ring. Having your finger sized only once is probably not enough, because an engagement ring may be sized differently than a wedding band depending on how elaborate the style is. More elaborate designs are usually harder to take on and off than simple bands, and may require a larger size.

The best time to have your measurement taken is during the afternoon, as your fingers tend to be narrower in the morning and more swollen during the evening. An afternoon measurement will give the most accurate representation of your correct ring size.

Avoid having your ring size taken if your fingers are swollen from exercise or another health condition, and ensure your hands are not too hot or too cold as this can affect a measurement as well.

Even if you try your hardest to get an accurate size for an engagement ring, it still may not fit. Provided the ring isn’t too elaborate, you can easily have it resized without much hassle. Luckily, most jewelers have a repair plan as part of the purchase of a ring and will typically offer resizing for free or at minimal cost. Check with the jeweler before your purchase to see what guarantees and maintenance plans they offer.

While it may be challenging to determine an accurate ring size (especially if you aren’t involving the bride-to-be,) there are several ways that can help you find the perfect ring size. When you slip that beautiful engagement ring on your bride-to-be’s finger and see her light up with joy, any effort you spent will be well worth it!