How Should a Ring Fit?

It seems like such a simple thing, but fitting a ring isn’t always as easy as it sounds. Whether it’s a wedding ring, an engagement ring or just something you like to wear for style, the truth is that most rings are an investment or carry sentimental value, so knowing your ring size is crucial. 

If a ring is not properly fitted, you run the risk of either accidentally losing it because it’s too big or being forced to tuck it away in a drawer somewhere because it’s too small. Of course, you can always try resizing the ring later, but not all rings are a candidate for resizing. It is better to make sure your ring fits properly before you shell out a single penny on it. Since buying an engagement ring or wedding ring is typically expensive, it is recommended to choose a jeweler you trust. With Modern Gents, we offer hassle-free returns and exchanges, so if you do end up getting the wrong size by accident, you can easily switch it out!

No Perfect Fit

The first thing you should understand about ring fitting is that, although you may have found your perfect ring, there is no perfect fit for any ring. Even if it does fit perfectly, it, without a doubt, won’t stay that way for long. In other words, your “perfect fit” varies. Weight fluctuations, diet changes, weather, activities and environment all play a role in how well your ring fits your finger at any given moment. Sometimes your fingers swell, causing your ring to fit more snug than usual. And if you’re cold, your finger could shrink, allowing your ring to easily slip over your knuckle and off your finger. 

If you’re pregnant, a ring can have a comfortable fit one day and be super tight the next. If you suffer from arthritis, you can experience the same problem with size fluctuations. Your activity level affects finger size and ring fit, too. If you have a physically demanding job or active lifestyle, a tighter fit will minimize the risk of your ring spinning or catching. On the other hand (pun intended), a looser fit will be more comfortable if your fingers swell due to certain medical conditions or inactivity.

Basically, if someone says they’ve found a ring that fits well, that translates into they’ve found a ring that fits well “most” of the time. It’s just not possible for a ring to fit perfectly all of the time — even if you use a ring sizer to figure out what size you need. There are too many variables that impact it. And despite your best efforts, there is always a chance that you may need to have a jeweler resize your ring at some point. 

The ‘Almost’ Perfect Fit

So how should an engagement ring fit to acquire an “almost” perfect fit? Good question. For one thing, when you consider your engagement ring size, it shouldn’t feel so loose that you’re afraid it’s going to fall off your finger. That’s a big no-no since an engagement ring holds way too much sentimental value to risk losing it. It also shouldn’t be so tight it’s squeezing the base of your finger and creating what some call a “ring muffin top” in your skin surrounding the ring.

Make sure you can turn the ring on your finger without discomfort, slide it on and off without having to tug too forcefully and that it doesn’t tilt off-center while sitting on your finger. There should be a bit of resistance when passing the ring over your knuckle, but putting it on or taking it off shouldn’t be a struggle. It should sit straight, it shouldn’t cause you any pain or tingling and you should only see faint compression marks in your skin when you remove the ring. Also, if your ring is so tight that your finger is turning blue, Houston, that’s a problem. A well-fitting wedding ring or engagement ring should leave a minor indent when removed — not cut off your circulation. 

How Should a Wedding Ring Fit?

Your wedding ring shouldn’t fit differently than any other ring. Again, it’s vital it fits well because more than any other ring you wear, a wedding band is an investment for a lifetime and will be worn all of the time. You don’t want to lose it two weeks after your wedding day because it was too big and fell off while you were on your honeymoon somewhere in Tahiti. You also don’t want to end up having to have a too-tight ring cut off to restore circulation. 

Men’s wedding bands are often wider than women’s wedding bands, which means they need to be larger to fit properly because they take up more space on the ring finger. Slimmer wedding bands require less space and, therefore, might need to be smaller in size in order to fit well. Finger shape can factor into ring size and how well a ring fits, too. 

If you have fingers that are wide at the base but narrow and taper down to the tip, you will have to go with a tighter fit lest the ring works its way down your finger and slides off. The same is true for anyone who has small knuckles. However, if you have smaller fingers with larger knuckles, you’ll have to go with a slightly larger ring size to fit it over the knuckle comfortably. The downside is that the ring may spin a bit once it’s over your knuckle and on your finger, which can be maddening. A loose ring that spins or slides on your finger can also cause skin irritation. Depending on the shape of your ring finger, you can try sizing beads or a ring guard to help anchor it in place and stop the madness.

Ensuring Your Perfect Fit

Your finger size may fluctuate slightly throughout the day, especially if the temperature fluctuates. A good jeweler or ring size chart will take that into account to help you determine what size will fit most comfortably throughout the entire day. If you are shopping for an important piece of jewelry, like an engagement ring or wedding band, consider getting sized multiple times at different times of the day and during various weather conditions. You can use the average of multiple measurements to figure out what size will work best for long-term wear.

Closing Thoughts

Ultimately, figuring out how a ring should fit is less of an exact science and more about personal comfort. Determining your ring size with a ring size chart is a good place to start, but it’s only one piece of the puzzle. If the ring feels like a comfortable and good fit to you, if it doesn’t cause any pain by being too tight and if you’re not afraid you’re going to lose it because it’s too loose, you may very well have achieved that elusive “almost” perfect fit.