Ring size

ISO 8653:2016 defines standard ring sizes in terms of the inner circumference of the ring measured in millimetres.[1] ISO sizes are used in Austria, France, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Scandinavia (Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland), and other countries in Continental Europe.

This international standard specifies a method to measure the ring-size using a ring stick with defined characteristics, which is used during manufacturing steps, and specifies the designation of the ring-size.

For jeweller-consumer relationships, the finger size is measured with a finger gauge set made up of a ring for each size with the same diameter and tolerance as the ring stick ones. The sizes are in millimeters and correspond directly to the outer circumference of the ring stick to the inner circumference of the finger gauge.

Other ring size measurement systems are used in areas that do not use ISO 8653:2016.

In the United States, Canada, and Mexico, ring sizes are specified using a numerical scale with 1⁄4 steps, where whole sizes differ by 0.032 inches (0.81 mm) of internal diameter, equivalent to 0.1005 inches (2.55 mm) of internal circumference. The relationship of this size (${\displaystyle s_{NA}}$) to ISO 8653:2016 circumference (${\displaystyle C_{ISO}}$) is ${\displaystyle C_{ISO}=2.55\times s_{NA}+36.5}$, while the relationship to ISO 8653:2016 diameter (${\displaystyle d_{ISO}}$) is ${\displaystyle d_{ISO}=0.8128\times s_{NA}+11.63}$.

The Circular of the Bureau of Standards[2] summarizes the situation with this system: "While there apparently is only one standard in use in the United States, in reality, because of the lack of specific dimensions and because of the errors introduced by the adoption of a common commercial article as a pattern, there are many, although similar, standards." The standards are generally consistent and remain so. There does not appear to have been any improvement in the standard since then.

In Ireland, the United Kingdom and Australia, ring sizes are specified using an alphabetical scale with half sizes. Originally in 1945, the divisions were based on the ring inside diameter in steps of 1⁄64 inch (0.40 mm).[3] However in 1987 BSI updated the standard to the metric system so that one alphabetical size division equals 1.25 mm of circumferential length. For a baseline, ring size C has a circumference of 40 mm.[4]

In India, Japan and China, ring sizes are specified using a numerical scale with whole sizes that does not have a linear correlation with diameter or circumference.

In Italy, Spain, and Switzerland, ring sizes are specified as the circumference minus 40 mm: for example, size 10 in this system is equivalent to ISO 8653:2016 size 50.[5]

In Russia, ring sizes are equal to the inner diameter rounded to whole and half numbers, sometimes to quarters, for example diameter 16.92 mm is equal to size 17, 16.1 mm is equal to size 16.

Small metal beads called sizing beads can be added to the inner circumference of a ring to:

• Decrease the effective inner diameter of a ring that is too big, to aid in holding the ring in place against the finger
• Counterbalance top-heavy rings
• Keep a ring from spinning for wearers whose knuckles are much larger than their finger base[7]

Sizing beads are typically made of the same metal as the rest of the ring since it is easier to solder two similar metals.