If you, like most of our customers, are pretty set on a surprise proposal… it can be really tricky to get that ring size right! It’s almost tempting to just venture a guess and hope you’re in the ballpark. We suggest asking her in a very subtle way. You can pretend, for example, that you’re going to buy a ring for your sister or someone like that. Maybe ask her to try on a ring as a reference to help you choose a size for your “sister”. This is a perfect way of getting her to get sized without getting suspicious! 

Another great way of finding out her ring size is to ask one of her close friends. Friends occasionally have good insight with this type of thing. Even if the friend isn’t 100% sure, she can take her shopping or ask in a nonchalant way that doesn’t cause any suspicion. You’ll have to make sure her friend is trustworthy… wouldn’t want her to spill the beans!

Take one of her rings and place it on a blank piece of paper. Draw a circle around the inside and the outside of the ring. Do this several times to make sure that your circles look to be similar in size and consistent. We can usually figure out the diameter and size of her ring from your traces. 

Another, more direct method, is to swipe one of her old rings for a day. You’ll need to be extra careful with this method because if she notices a ring is missing, you’re in trouble! Make sure that you grab a ring that you’re sure she wears on a similarly sized finger, the ring finger of her right hand would be the best choice. 

This method is a little more of a shot in the dark, but better than nothing! When you’re holding her hand, see if one of her fingers is similar in size to one of your fingers. For example. Her ring finger and your pinky may be similar in size. Again, this isn’t going to be a super accurate method, but may get us a little closer to her ring size than nothing!

It’s often said that sometimes the simplest option is the best. This is definitely that! If you and your partner have been discussing marriage for some time now, don’t be afraid to just straight up ask her what her ring size is. This doesn’t mean you lose the element of surprise! Just say you want to know her size for when the time comes, and once she tells you, just don’t talk about anything engagement related for a little while. Ask her a few months before you plan on proposing, she’ll still have no idea that it’s coming. This is a way of making sure you’re 100% accurate. 

Other than just asking, or her going to get sized in person… the majority of these methods will result in an excellent approximation, but there’s a risk that it could be slightly off. Also, if you’re going to make an educated guess, in our opinion it’s always better to go slightly larger (it’s easier to take out gold than to add it!). 

-Our dominant hands tend to be just slightly bigger (so keep that in mind when you’re measuring that you’re measuring for her left).

-The average women’s ring size is 6 or 6.5.

-Wider rings have a tighter fit than thinner bands, so if you borrow a ring to get measured, try and find one that’s a similar width as the ring you plan on proposing with. 

If you really just can’t find out the size or you don’t want to risk it, you can always propose with a temporary setting (like a band). This is a wonderful way of proposing and not losing the element of surprise, and allowing her to be a part of the process of selecting and trying on her own engagement ring!

Good luck, and as always… reach out to us for any questions or help!