Secret Ring SizeFor the proposal
Engagement ring size: what to order for a surprise proposal
Order the size of a ring they wear on the left ring finger. If your measurement falls between sizes, order the larger, and buy where resizing is offered. Measure below to get a note you can hand the jeweler.
What you measured
Right on a size.
Getting the size right
- The same fingerA ring worn on the left ring finger is the best guide. The right hand is often a little larger, and a middle finger is often about half a size larger.
- Round upBetween two sizes, order the larger. A slightly loose ring can be worn and resized after the proposal.
- Ask about resizingBefore you pay, ask how far the ring can be resized and what it costs. Some designs, like full eternity bands, can barely be resized.
Worked example: a ring worn on the left ring finger measures 17 mm across the inside. That is just over US 6½ (16.9 mm), so the tool gives US 6½, UK M½, EU 53. Borrowed from a middle finger, the same ring suggests the ring finger may be about a half size smaller; ordering the measured size is the safe choice.
No ring to borrow? Try the quiet ways to find a ring size, or send a friend the helper page.
Questions
What size engagement ring should I buy if I don't know their size?
Find a ring they wear on the left ring finger and measure it. If you cannot, the common women's range is US 5 to 7; choose the larger end and confirm the ring can be resized.
Is it better to get an engagement ring too big or too small?
Too big. It can be worn, carefully, until it is resized; a ring that is too small cannot go on at all.
Can I measure a ring from the right hand?
Yes, but the right hand is often slightly larger for right-handed people, so the ring may be up to half a size large for the left ring finger. Tell the jeweler.
What should I tell the jeweler?
How you measured, the size you got, which finger the ring came from, and that it is a surprise. The note above says all four.