Size Guide: Rings, Bracelets and Necklaces
A few minutes measuring, and no more nasty surprises. Here is how to find your exact size, with simple methods, UK conversion charts and a little calculator to guide you.
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 we shrink: a ring measured with freezing hands will be too tight the rest of the time.
- Get the right tool. A sewing tape measure, or simply a strip of paper and a ruler. That's all it takes.
The right frame of mind: 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
In the UK, ring sizes are given as letters, L, N, P and so on, where each letter corresponds to a precise inside circumference. My pieces are made in France, where sizes are given as the circumference in millimetres, so the chart below lets you move between the two. Two ways to take your measurement:
Take a ring that already fits that finger. Measure its inside diameter (edge to edge) with a ruler, then find it in the chart below. This is the most reliable method.
Wrap a thin strip of paper around the base of your finger, without pulling it tight. Mark where it overlaps, unroll it and measure the length in mm: that is your finger circumference.
Then find your measurement here:
| UK size | Circumference | Inside diameter | EU / French |
|---|---|---|---|
| H | 46.8 mm | 14.9 mm | 47 |
| I | 48.0 mm | 15.3 mm | 48 |
| J | 49.3 mm | 15.7 mm | 49 |
| K | 50.6 mm | 16.1 mm | 51 |
| L | 51.9 mm | 16.5 mm | 52 |
| M | 53.1 mm | 16.9 mm | 53 |
| N | 54.4 mm | 17.3 mm | 54 |
| O | 55.7 mm | 17.7 mm | 56 |
| P | 57.0 mm | 18.1 mm | 57 |
| Q | 58.3 mm | 18.6 mm | 58 |
| R | 59.5 mm | 18.9 mm | 60 |
| S | 60.8 mm | 19.4 mm | 61 |
| T | 62.1 mm | 19.8 mm | 62 |
| U | 63.4 mm | 20.2 mm | 63 |
N is the most commonly ordered women's size in the UK, and T to V the most common for men, useful to know if you're buying a gift. Half sizes (N½, P½…) exist as well: if your measurement lands squarely between two letters, do ask me. Or let the calculator do the conversion for you:
What I measured:
My wrist measurement:
Type of bracelet:
A tip: measure the exact finger that will wear the ring, sizes vary from one finger to another, and your dominant hand is often slightly larger. Take your knuckle into account too: if it's pronounced, measure that as well, since the ring has to pass over it.
Finding your bracelet size
Everything starts from your wrist measurement. Wrap a tape measure (or a strip of paper) around your wrist, just below the bone, without pulling tight. Note it 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 | In inches | Beads on elastic | Flexible, with a clasp |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 cm | 5½" | 15-15.5 cm | 16 cm |
| 15 cm | 6" | 16-16.5 cm | 17 cm |
| 16 cm | 6¼" | 17-17.5 cm | 18 cm |
| 17 cm | 6¾" | 18-18.5 cm | 19 cm |
| 18 cm | 7" | 19-19.5 cm | 20 cm |
| 19 cm | 7½" | 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 type is the most forgiving.
- Flexible with a clasp: add around 2 cm so the bracelet sits beautifully without gripping.
- Rigid bangle: this isn't measured at the wrist but around the widest part of your hand with your fist closed, that's what it has to slide over.
Good news
Most of my obsidian bracelets are strung on elastic thread: they adapt across a small range of sizes, which cuts the risk of getting it wrong considerably. If you're between two, take the larger.
Choosing a necklace length
With a necklace there's no "size" but a length, which decides where it falls on your chest. The best method: take a piece of string, hold it around your neck at the height you'd like in front of a mirror, then measure it flat. Compare it with this guide:
The choker (35-37 cm, 14-14½"), worn close around the neck, completes the family for anyone who likes the look.
Worth knowing: many of my necklaces have an extender chain that lets you adjust the length by a few centimetres. Enough to fine-tune 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 not a problem. Here's the simple rule:
- Ring: go up a size. A slightly loose ring can be sorted (a sizer insert, or I can adjust it); a ring that's too tight simply can't be worn.
- Bracelet: go up a size too, especially for a clasp design. On elastic, the ease takes care of the rest.
- Necklace: when in doubt, choose the longer length, a slightly long necklace always works, and designs with an extender chain 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 conditions 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 design? My contact page is there for that. I reply personally, usually within 24 to 48 hours.