How Should an Engagement Ring Fit

Before we go any further, we just want to say that an engagement ring will never fit perfectly all the time.

Bet you weren’t expecting that! The fact is, our fingers change shape and size throughout the day and year for different reasons. A ring that felt snug just hours ago could suddenly be spinning around your finger.

Now, if there’s no such thing as a perfect fit, how should you size a ring? At Keyzar, we always ask our clients to aim for an engagement ring that stays on their fingers safely without restricting movement or feeling tight. YOU must feel comfortable in it, at least most of the time. In this article, we will help you define ‘comfortable fit’ on your terms. But first, let’s take a look at some of the factors that affect engagement ring fit.

Fit factors

As we said earlier, our fingers continuously change shape and size. It’s just how the human body works and it’s completely normal. A few reasons this happens are:

Lifestyle

The size of our fingers is determined a lot by our lifestyle. When you’re engaged in physical activities or sports, the blood vessels in the hands react to become wider, making hands and fingers swell.

The same thing happens when you’re hiking or walking. But it goes back to normal as soon as you quit exercising or are relaxed.

Environment

The environmental factor that affects our fingers’ size the most is the temperature. Your fingers usually shrink when the surrounding temperature is low. It could be winter or just a few degrees drop in the morning.

When it’s warmer or the afternoon sun is high, they swell and expand.

Altitude

A change in altitude can also affect the size of our fingers and ring fit. You might not be a mountain climber. But a vacation to a country with higher elevation or scuba diving somewhere deep in the ocean can also make your fingers shrink or swell.

Diet

A fancy dinner rich in umami flavors and salty foods taste great. But they can cause water retention and swelling. So, your ring might feel tight on your finger for a while.

Hormone

Although many don’t know this, hormones play a huge role in the size of our bodies in general. Pregnancy, stress, and other factors can cause hormone imbalances that usually affect the size of our hands and feet.

Although most of these are temporary effects, it can feel extremely uncomfortable when your ring is the wrong fit.

Finger factors

Each of our hands and fingers is unique even within the same individual. One finger on one hand may not be the same size as the same finger on the other hand.

When determining the fit, it’s important to take those unique characteristics into consideration. And remember that no matter what type of finger you have, there is a beautiful, fitting ring for you.

Long slender fingers

Long slender fingers are consistent in thickness from the base of the finger to the tip. If you have this type of finger, an engagement ring with a wide band and a large center stone can balance the length of your finger while fitting comfortably.

Fingers with large knuckles

Fingers with large knuckles require an engagement ring large enough to fit the knuckle. But it could end up sliding around the base of the finger where it’s more slender. For these types of fingers, an engagement ring with accent stones can add a bit more weight to the ring for a more balanced feel around the finger.

Short fingers

Just like long fingers, short fingers are consistent in thickness from the base of the finger to the tip. Except, they’re short. An engagement ring with a narrow band and an elongated center stone will help short fingers look longer, feel more comfortable, and be visually balanced.

Tapered fingers

Tapered fingers are thickest near the palm and gradually get thinner toward the fingernail. The challenge with these types of fingers is that the engagement ring could easily slide off.

For tapered fingers, we suggest picking a ring size that’s extra snug to prevent slipping.

Measuring ring size at home

By now we know the factors that affect ring size and possibly the type of finger we’re dealing with.

Next, let’s find out how we can measure ring size accurately using simple household items.

The ribbon method

For this method, take a ribbon and wrap it around the ring finger. Or the inside of a best-fitting ring for that particular finger.

Mark the point where the ends of the ribbon meet. Straighten the ribbon and measure it with a ruler or a measuring tape. Finally, use a free online conversion chart to find the right ring size.

Ring sizer method

For an easier way to measure engagement ring size, purchase a ring sizer from Keyzar. To measure the size, slide the end of the ring sizer through the buckle and pull the end until a decent loop to fit a finger forms.

Put ring finger through the loop and continue pulling the end until it fits right. Try moving the ring sizer to go past the knuckle. It should do so without too much effort and pain. Make adjustments to the size if needed and note the measurement on the ring sizer.

Both methods are great at delivering the correct size. But whichever you choose, measure in the morning, afternoon, and night over several days to get the average size.

How to know if the engagement ring fits correctly?

An engagement ring should be tight enough for the diamond to remain centered on the finger. But it must be loose enough for it to be spun around the finger with moderate effort. Remember though that a big stone on a dainty band will spin a bit sometimes due to gravity.

But it’s usually tighter than store-bought fashion jewelry and it does not come off with a strong shake of the hand.

This is important, to prevent slipping when exercising and performing other activities involving vigorous hand movements.

Some signs to watch out for if you suspect your ring is:

TOO LOOSE OR BIG	TOO TIGHT OR SMALL
The ring is easy to put on and take off	Soap or oil is needed to remove the ring
A strong shake of the hand moves the ring past the second knuckle	A strong shake of the hand does not move the ring at all
Another person can tug the ring off without much effort	The wearer experiences pain or numbness in the finger
The ring spins easily and the center stone is never visible as it often rests on the side or back of the finger	The ring leaves flesh bulging around the band

I bought the wrong size ring. What can I do?

If you bought the ring from Keyzar, it’s covered by our warranty and we will resize it for you for free within the first year of purchase. After one year, we can do it for a small fee.

We don’t resize rings that are not manufactured or sold by Keyzar, but you can consider visiting the jewelry store you bought the ring from to:

Size up

A small piece of metal the same as the band is added to make the ring bigger. In most cases, the simpler the band, the better its chances of being sized up.

Size down

The ring is cut to remove the extra metal and then resoldered for fit. Sometimes, when the problem is large knuckles, sizer balls are soldered to the inside of the ring. They help fill the space at the base of the finger while leaving enough room for the ring to slide past the knuckle.

Alternatively, a ring guard, which is a small plastic tube, is slid around the unexposed part of the band to tighten the fit. Generally, we advise our clients to get the size right the first time since not all engagement rings can be resized later.

We also advise giving it at least a week before resizing an engagement ring believed to be too big or small. Sometimes, it’s just a matter of getting used to it.

Conclusion

An engagement ring will not fit perfectly all the time due to factors that are sometimes out of our control. But it is possible to get one that feels comfortable to you by measuring the finger over a period of time with the methods suggested above.

By knowing what to look out for when deciding what’s ‘too loose’ or ‘too tight’ for YOU, you have a better chance at getting a ring that you will take pleasure in wearing every day.

Frequently asked questions about engagement ring fit

I already have a ring that fits. Why would my engagement ring be a different size?

Each finger is actually different in size. The fingers on the right hand are typically slightly bigger than the fingers on the left hand. The size of the ring also changes depending on its style, weight, and the width of the band

Why does my ring feel perfect on some days, and too loose or too tight on others?

Our fingers constantly change in thickness throughout the day for the duration of our lifetime. A change in temperature, eating habits, and physical activities can change as much as half of a size in one day.

How long does it take to resize a ring?

Resizing an engagement ring can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few weeks depending on the complexity of the work and the jeweler's availability. Simple rings without gemstones in the band can be resized quickly. Likewise, if the ring only needs to be adjusted by a half size or less.