How to Measure Your Ring Size at Home (NZ Guide)

Why getting your ring size right is worth two minutes

Ordering a ring online comes with one small worry, and it's almost always the same one. What if it doesn't fit. It's the thing that makes people leave a ring sitting in their cart, and honestly it's a fair concern, because a ring that's a touch too big spins around all day and a ring that's too tight never comes off comfortably.

The good news is you don't need anything special to get it right. You can measure your ring size at home in a couple of minutes with things already in your kitchen drawer. Let me walk you through it.

Method one: the string or paper trick

This is the one to use if you don't have a ring that fits the right finger. All you need is a thin strip of paper or a piece of string, a pen and a ruler.

• Cut a strip of paper about 1cm wide, or grab a length of string.
• Wrap it snugly around the base of the finger you want the ring for. Snug, not tight, the way a ring should actually sit.
• Mark the spot where the end overlaps with your pen.
• Lay it flat against a ruler and measure the length up to your mark in millimetres.

That measurement is the circumference of your finger. Match it to a ring size chart and you've got your size. A quick reality check: most women's fingers land somewhere between roughly 50mm and 57mm around, which covers the bulk of common sizes.

One thing that catches people out

Measure over the knuckle if your knuckle is wider than the base of your finger. The ring has to slide past the knuckle to get on, so you want a size that clears it without being loose where it sits. If your knuckle and finger base are similar, just measure the base.

Method two: measure a ring you already own

If you've got a ring that already fits the finger you're buying for, this is the most accurate method going.

• Take a ring that fits that exact finger comfortably.
• Lay it flat and measure the inside diameter, edge to edge, straight across the inside in millimetres.
• Match that diameter to a sizing chart to find your size.

Be honest about which finger the ring fits, because your fingers are all slightly different sizes. A ring that fits your right middle finger won't necessarily tell you your left ring finger size.

Understanding NZ ring sizing

New Zealand uses the letter-based sizing system, the same one used in the UK and Australia. It runs through the alphabet from around A at the smallest up to Z, with half sizes in between for fine-tuning. So if you already know your UK or Aussie size, you're sorted, it's identical here.

As a rough guide, most women's rings sit between about K and Q, with the most common sizes clustering around the middle of that range. If you measure and land right between two sizes, go up rather than down. A fraction loose is comfortable, a fraction tight is not.

Little tips that make the difference

A few habits separate a guess from a true fit, and they cost you nothing.

• Measure warm. Cold fingers shrink. If your hands are chilly, warm them up first or the ring won't go on later in the day.
• Measure at the end of the day. Fingers are at their largest in the evening, so that's your honest everyday size.
• Skip pregnancy and salty days. Fingers swell with heat, salty meals and water retention, so avoid measuring on those days if you can.
• Measure twice. Do it a couple of times across the day and trust the larger reading.
• Stacking doesn't change your size. If you love the layered look, order each ring at your normal size. Our stacker rings are designed to sit together at your true fit, no sizing up required.

Ready when you are

Once you've got your number, the hard part is over. Our rings are made in 18k gold vermeil and 925 sterling silver, nickel-free and waterproof, so they're built to stay on through everyday life rather than live in a box. Every order arrives gift-boxed and is covered by our 90-day guarantee, and we ship across New Zealand and Australia.

Have a look through the rings collection when you've measured up, and if you do land between two sizes, remember to round up. Comfortable always beats tight.

Frequently asked questions

How do I measure my ring size at home without a sizer?

The easiest way is to wrap a strip of paper or a piece of string around the base of your finger, mark where it overlaps, then measure that length in millimetres. That number is your finger circumference, which you can match to a ring size chart. If you already own a ring that fits, measuring its inside diameter is even more accurate.

What is NZ ring sizing based on?

New Zealand uses the same letter-based system as the UK and Australia, running from about A up through Z with half sizes in between. So if you know your UK or Australian size, it's the same in NZ. Most women's rings land somewhere between about K and Q.

What time of day should I measure my ring size?

Measure at the end of the day when your hands are at their largest and warmest. Fingers shrink in the cold and in the morning, so an early or cold measurement can leave you with a ring that won't go on later. Warm hands give you the truest everyday fit.

Should I size up if I want to stack rings?

Not usually. Stacking rings on the same finger doesn't change the size you need for each one, so order each at your normal size. The only time to size up slightly is if you're putting a ring on a knuckle that's wider than the base of your finger.