Jewellery Size Guide: Rings, Bracelets and Necklaces
A few minutes to measure, and no more nasty surprises. Here's how to find your exact size, simple methods, Australian conversion charts, and a little calculator to walk you through it.
In this guide
Before you start
Three small habits that change everything, whatever the piece:
- Measure at the end of the day. Fingers and wrists swell slightly with warmth and activity, that's when the measurement is truest.
- Avoid the cold. In cold weather you shrink: a ring measured on chilly hands will be too tight the rest of the time.
- Grab the right tool. A dressmaker's tape measure, or simply a strip of paper and a ruler. That's all it takes.
The right mindset: better to measure twice than get it wrong once. And if you're still unsure after this guide, write to me before you order, I'm happy to help.
Finding your ring size (AU letter sizes)
Australia uses the British letter system: sizes run from A to Z, with half sizes in between. My workshop is in France, where rings are sized by their inner circumference in millimetres, so the table below gives you both. Measure once in millimetres and you'll have your answer in either system.
Take a ring that already fits that finger. Measure its inside diameter (edge to edge) with a ruler, then find it in the table below. This is the most reliable method.
Wrap a thin strip of paper around the base of your finger, without pulling tight. Mark where it overlaps, unroll it, measure the length in mm: that's your finger circumference.
Now find your measurement here:
| AU / UK size | Circumference | Inside diameter | EU equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| H | 46.8 mm | 14.9 mm | 47 |
| J | 49.3 mm | 15.7 mm | 49 |
| L | 51.9 mm | 16.5 mm | 52 |
| N | 54.4 mm | 17.3 mm | 54 |
| P | 57.0 mm | 18.1 mm | 57 |
| R | 59.5 mm | 18.9 mm | 59 |
| T | 62.1 mm | 19.8 mm | 62 |
| V | 64.6 mm | 20.6 mm | 65 |
Or let the calculator do the conversion for you, it gives you the AU letter and the millimetres:
What I measured:
My wrist measurement:
Type of bracelet:
A tip: measure the exact finger the ring will go on, size varies from finger to finger, and your dominant hand is often slightly bigger. Take the knuckle into account too: if it's pronounced, measure that as well, since the ring has to pass over it.
Finding your bracelet size
It all starts with your wrist measurement. Wrap a tape measure (or a strip of paper) around your wrist, just below the bone, without pulling tight. Note the measurement in centimetres: that's your starting point.
Then you add a little ease depending on the type of bracelet, this is where a lot of people go wrong:
| Wrist | Beads on elastic | Flexible, with a clasp |
|---|---|---|
| 14 cm | 15-15.5 cm | 16 cm |
| 15 cm | 16-16.5 cm | 17 cm |
| 16 cm | 17-17.5 cm | 18 cm |
| 17 cm | 18-18.5 cm | 19 cm |
| 18 cm | 19-19.5 cm | 20 cm |
| 19 cm | 20-20.5 cm | 21 cm |
- Beads on elastic: add roughly 1 to 1.5 cm to your wrist. Elastic gives a little leeway, so this style is the most forgiving of mistakes.
- Flexible with a clasp: add roughly 2 cm so the bracelet sits beautifully without gripping.
- Rigid bangle: not measured at the wrist but around the widest part of your hand, fist closed, that's where it has to pass.
Good news
Most of my obsidian bracelets are strung on elastic: they adapt across a small range of sizes, which cuts the risk of getting it wrong considerably. If you're torn between two, take the larger.
Choosing a necklace length
Necklaces don't have a "size" but a length, which decides where they sit on your chest. The best method: take a piece of string, hold it around your neck at the height you want in front of a mirror, then measure it flat. Compare it against this guide:
The collar (35-37 cm), worn snug around the neck, completes the family for anyone who loves that look.
Worth knowing: many of my necklaces come with an extender chain that lets you adjust the length by a few centimetres. Handy for fine-tuning the drop to suit an outfit, and one more safeguard against choosing the wrong length.
Between two sizes: what to do
It happens often, and it's no drama. Here's the simple rule:
- Ring: go up a size. A slightly loose ring can be fixed (a sizer, or I can adjust it); a ring that's too tight simply can't be worn.
- Bracelet: go up here too, especially for a clasp style. On elastic, the ease takes care of the rest.
- Necklace: when in doubt, choose the longer length, a slightly long necklace always works, and extender styles can be shortened.
And the best option of all: write to me before you order. Send me your measurement and the piece you like, and I'll confirm the ideal size. It's free, and it's exactly what I'm here for.
Exchanges & help
Because a piece of jewellery should be a pleasure, not a source of stress:
If the size isn't right
Get in touch soon after it arrives: there's always a solution, an exchange or an adjustment, under the terms set out on my terms and conditions page. A piece that doesn't fit is never the end of the story.
Any doubt at all about a measurement? A question about a particular piece? That's what the contact page is for. I reply personally, usually within 24 to 48 hours.