Complete step-by-step UK guide to measuring ring size using a paper strip โ the easiest, most accurate free at-home method. Includes paper ring sizer instructions, common mistakes to avoid, and a full UK ring size chart in mm
Cut a thin strip of non-stretchy paper about 10 cm long and 0.5 cm wide. Wrap it snugly around the base of the finger. Mark with a pen exactly where the paper overlaps to form a complete circle. Lay flat on a ruler and measure in millimetres (mm) from the end to your mark. That number is your finger circumference โ look it up in the UK chart below. Free, fast and accurate to ยฑ0.5 mm.
Cut a thin strip of paper (~10 cm ร 0.5 cm). Wrap around the finger base, mark the overlap, measure the marked length in mm. The fastest, most reliable paper method โ recommended for everyone.
Cut a longer strip (~15 cm ร 0.6 cm). Fold one end back 1 cm. Wrap the strip around the finger with the folded end overlapping. Slide to a snug fit, mark, then measure. Mimics a professional plastic ring sizer.
Print a free UK ring sizer chart at 100% scale (no "fit to page"). Cut out the paper strip provided, wrap around the finger, and read the size directly. Available free on most UK jeweller websites.
Print a sheet of UK ring size circles at 100% scale. Place an existing well-fitting ring over the printed circles until the inner edge lines up exactly with one circle. Read the UK size marked beneath it.
Place your finger flat on paper and trace lightly around it. Measure the widest part of the traced oval in mm โ this approximates the inner diameter. Multiply by ฯ (3.14159) for an estimated circumference.
If paper is unavailable, use a thin non-stretchy piece of cotton thread or dental floss. The string method works identically to the paper strip โ wrap, mark, lay flat and measure in mm. Avoid stretchy threads.
Use plain printer or A4 paper. The strip should be long enough to comfortably wrap around your finger with some overlap. A width of about 5 mm (0.5 cm) is ideal โ narrow enough to wrap flat without creasing, but wide enough to mark accurately. Do not use tissue paper, greaseproof paper, or any stretchy material โ these expand when wrapped and will give a reading that is too small.
Cold fingers are smaller than warm fingers โ measuring in cold conditions can give a reading up to one full UK letter size too small. Warm your hands by running them under lukewarm water or rubbing them together for 30 seconds before measuring. Measure in the evening at room temperature for the most accurate result, as fingers are at their largest then.
Wrap the strip around the base of the finger โ just above where the finger meets the palm, not at the knuckle. Use the exact finger and hand you will wear the ring on. The strip should sit snug but not tight โ you should be able to slide it very slightly. If it leaves an indentation on your skin, it is too tight and will give an artificially small reading.
Hold the paper strip in position with the overlap visible. Using a fine-tipped pen or sharp pencil, mark a clear, precise line on the strip at the exact point where it overlaps to form a complete circle around your finger. The mark should be a thin line โ not a thick blob โ for maximum accuracy.
Carefully remove the strip from your finger without stretching or creasing it. Lay it flat on a table, book, or any hard smooth surface. Make sure the strip is not bent, curled or twisted before measuring โ any distortion will cause an inaccurate reading.
Place your mm ruler at the very end (edge) of the paper strip. Read the measurement in millimetres at the point where your pen mark is. Read to the nearest 0.5 mm for best accuracy. This number is your finger circumference in mm โ the key value for finding your UK ring size.
Re-wrap the strip from scratch and re-measure at least 2 more times. Add all three readings together and divide by 3 to get the average. This removes single-measurement errors and gives a far more reliable final circumference reading in mm.
Take your average mm measurement and find it in the Circ. (MM) column of the chart in the next section. The UK letter size in the first column is your ring size. If your reading falls between two rows, always choose the larger UK letter for a comfortable, safe fit.
This method requires a slightly longer and slightly wider strip than the basic paper strip method. Cut it from plain printer paper using scissors for a clean, straight edge. A clean straight edge is important for this technique to work accurately.
Use scissors to cut a small horizontal slit about 1 cm from one end of the strip โ wide enough for the other end of the strip to thread through. This creates the locking mechanism that allows you to tighten the paper ring to a snug fit.
Thread the other (uncut) end of the strip through the slit you created, forming a loop. Slip the paper loop over the finger you want to measure. The loop should sit at the base of the finger.
Pull the strip through the slit until the loop is snug but comfortable around the base of the finger. Mark the strip with a pen at the point where it exits the slit. Remove from finger.
Lay the strip flat and measure from the cut end to your pen mark in mm. This is your finger circumference. Look up the value in the Circ. (MM) column of the UK ring size chart below.
| UK Size | Circ. (MM) โ Paper Strip | Diam. (MM) | Circ. (CM) | ๐บ๐ธ US | ๐ช๐บ EU | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F | 43.7 mm | 13.9 mm | 4.37 cm | 3 | 44 | XS Women |
| G | 44.9 mm | 14.3 mm | 4.49 cm | 3.5 | 45 | Small Women |
| H | 46.2 mm | 14.7 mm | 4.62 cm | 4 | 46 | Small Women |
| I | 47.1 mm | 15.0 mm | 4.71 cm | 4.5 | 47 | Small Women |
| J | 48.0 mm | 15.3 mm | 4.80 cm | 5 | 48 | Women |
| Jยฝ | 48.7 mm | 15.5 mm | 4.87 cm | 5.25 | 49 | Women |
| K | 49.3 mm | 15.7 mm | 4.93 cm | 5.5 | 49 | Women |
| Kยฝ | 49.9 mm | 15.9 mm | 4.99 cm | 5.75 | 50 | Women |
| L โญ | 50.6 mm | 16.1 mm | 5.06 cm | 6 | 51 | Women Popular |
| Lยฝ | 51.2 mm | 16.3 mm | 5.12 cm | 6.25 | 51 | Women Popular |
| M โญ | 51.9 mm | 16.5 mm | 5.19 cm | 6.5 | 52 | Most Common โญ |
| Mยฝ | 52.5 mm | 16.7 mm | 5.25 cm | 6.75 | 53 | Women Popular |
| N โญ | 53.1 mm | 16.9 mm | 5.31 cm | 7 | 53 | Most Common โญ |
| Nยฝ | 53.8 mm | 17.1 mm | 5.38 cm | 7.25 | 54 | Women |
| O | 54.4 mm | 17.3 mm | 5.44 cm | 7.5 | 54 | Unisex |
| Oยฝ | 55.0 mm | 17.5 mm | 5.50 cm | 7.75 | 55 | Unisex |
| P | 55.9 mm | 17.8 mm | 5.59 cm | 8 | 56 | Unisex |
| Q | 57.2 mm | 18.2 mm | 5.72 cm | 8.5 | 57 | Slim Men |
| R | 58.5 mm | 18.6 mm | 5.85 cm | 9 | 59 | Men |
| S | 59.7 mm | 19.0 mm | 5.97 cm | 9.5 | 60 | Men |
| T โญ | 61.4 mm | 19.56 mm | 6.14 cm | 10 | 61 | Men Most Common โญ |
| Tยฝ | 62.1 mm | 19.76 mm | 6.21 cm | 10.25 | 62 | Men Popular |
| U โญ | 62.7 mm | 19.96 mm | 6.27 cm | 10.5 | 63 | Men Popular |
| V โญ | 64.0 mm | 20.37 mm | 6.40 cm | 11 | 64 | Men Popular |
| W | 65.3 mm | 20.78 mm | 6.53 cm | 11.5 | 65 | Men |
| X | 66.6 mm | 21.18 mm | 6.66 cm | 12 | 67 | Large Men |
| Y | 67.8 mm | 21.59 mm | 6.78 cm | 12.5 | 68 | Large Men |
| Z | 69.1 mm | 21.99 mm | 6.91 cm | 13 | 69 | XL Men |
| Z+1 | 69.7 mm | 22.20 mm | 6.97 cm | 13.5 | 70 | XL / Custom |
| Z+2 | 72.3 mm | 23.01 mm | 7.23 cm | 14 | 72 | Custom |
1. Using stretchy paper or tissue paper โ stretches when wrapped, giving a smaller reading than your actual size. Always use plain printer paper.
2. Wrapping too tight โ if the paper leaves a mark on your skin, it is too tight. Snug means you can slide it very slightly.
3. Measuring at the knuckle instead of the base โ ring size is measured at the base of the finger unless your knuckle is significantly wider, in which case measure both and average.
4. Measuring in the morning or in cold weather โ fingers are smallest in the morning and in cold conditions. Always measure in the evening at room temperature.
5. Measuring only once โ a single measurement can be off by 1โ2 mm. Always measure at least 3 times and take the average for a reliable result.