HelloHello!
Happy Friday all! That is unless you are in the UAE... then happy mid-weekend!
Spring is starting to touch our little life in Bradford on Avon and I imagine we're not alone... as the sun decides to make more of an appearance and natural beauty literally starts blossoming all around, perhaps you are thinking about making a huge gesture with a little ring? If that is indeed so, then look no further! Today we have the lovely Olivia from LIV, an engagement ring specialist who knows all too well about the occasional struggle behind finding a ring and ensuring it fits! And so without further ado, I shall let Olivia give us her pearls of wisdom on the matter...
The wrong ring size can make you look incompetent
For a bespoke diamond engagement ring, you are investing anything up to £30,000. So, getting the size wrong is not just a black mark on your relationship but a potential financial hit as well.
Now, I’m absolutely not saying that the money is more important than the feelings. Far from it, but you have to look at the situation from your partners' point of view. You are sowing some seeds of doubt in their mind about your judgement and your competence.
And, you must admit, they may have a point. If you commission a ring it should actually FIT, shouldn’t it?
A complete no-brainer really.
It’s time to get your thinking cap on and look at how we can discover your partners' ring size and turn your marriage proposal into a complete success.
by We are Bubblerock Photography
Tricks of the trade you need to know before measuring
But, before we do that there are a few tricks of the trade you need to know to make sure you measure the third finger correctly:
- Fingers come in all shapes and sizes and not everybody’s left and right ring fingers are the same sizes. Make sure you measure the left hand.
- Don’t use string or any other material that can stretch. Use a ring sizing gauge (you can buy one from Amazon or eBay).
- If you really must estimate, go bigger. At least then you can get the ring on and you can sort it out later. Plus, you can cover it up by flattering your partner – “Oh, you’ve lost weight since I gave your size to the ring-making company. Well done!”
- Measure at the end of the day when the finger is bigger. Also, measure when their hand is warm – if they’ve just got home after walking through a snowstorm their fingers will be cold and smaller.
- Remember, it’s not just about where the ring sits, it also must get comfortably past the knuckle.
- UK ring sizes are measured using letters of the alphabet which correspond to a certain number of millimetres. So a size ‘G’ has a circumference of 45.5 millimetres, ‘H’ is 46.8 mm and ‘I’ is 48.0 mm. Don’t worry too much about numbers versus letters – the ring sizing gauge will take care of that.
Now, with all that background info in mind, let’s look at 7 ways you can sneakily find out their ring size, starting with the simplest. If you really suck at sneaking, you can always consider vintage engagement rings as an option since they already have a variety of designs and sizes. Otherwise, here goes;
- Ask family and/or any friends who may have already been jewellery shopping with your partner. Confirm with them that they haven’t gained or lost much weight since that last purchase. Plus, of course, swear them to secrecy before you broach the topic – you don’t want them letting the cat out of the bag.
Bonus benefit: You get brownie points from family and friends
- Get a friend or family member to go jewellery shopping with your partner. This is a variation on tip number 1 and has the advantage of yielding their current measurement. Brief the friend/relative beforehand to allay any suspicions by not focusing specifically on the ring finger. They should try out rings for their other fingers, as well as bracelets and pendants.
Bonus benefit: Covering a wide range of jewellery can have a big spin-off because you can get some ideas for a Christmas, Valentine’s or birthday gift as well.
The one possible downside to this approach could be if you feel family or friends might be a little bit indiscreet or bad at keeping secrets. If that is the case, then maybe you should skip the first 2 ideas and consider number 3.
- Use the ring sizing gauge and measure their finger while sleeping. Make sure they are in a deep sleep before you do this. This can be a bit tricky if they are a light or restless sleeper. You also don’t want to wait too long as their finger will be gradually getting smaller. You can use this guide from WebMD to help you.
- Ask your partner directly about all her measurements, favourite styles and colours. You have to phrase this carefully because you don’t want to come over as obsessive or a bit anal. Tell them that you think the best gifts are always personal. When you know all this information, you can feel sure that your partner will love any present you get them.
Bonus benefit: If you pitch it right it will also make them feel very valued and special to you.
- Browse a jewellery shop together and when you see a ring size chart have an “inspired idea”. This one needs some planning. If this is your first visit to a jewellery shop together they are going to be suspicious if you flat out ask to measure their fingers.
I suggest you do this in 3 steps.
Step one: find a couple of good jewellery shops that sell a wide range of watches.
Step two: tell her that you are thinking about buying a new watch and would like some help.
Step three: while you are browsing for a watch ‘notice’ a ring size chart or a ring sizing gauge. Make a comment along the lines of “Wow, it’s just like measuring a shoe size. I’ve never thought about my ring size. You know, I was thinking about getting a signet ring, too. Shall we find out my size?”
Develop it from there until you end up getting measurements for all their fingers as well as yours.
Bonus benefits: Your partner sees you as a fun, spontaneous person who will make future life interesting. Plus, by involving your partner in buying the watch you are showing you value their opinion.
- Get a plaster cast of your two hands together. On sites like Etsy you can find a couples hand casting kit. You can say you saw this and thought it would be really romantic to have a cast of you holding hands. Be careful when you do this – you can’t measure their finger properly if your hands are wrapped tightly together.
Bonus benefit: She gets a romantic, personalized present.
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In the end, whichever strategy you choose, she will probably guess what you are doing.
The good news is, it doesn’t matter.
It’s just like the game older kids play at Christmas. They know there’s no Santa but, if they let on, they will spoil the “surprise” (and maybe get fewer presents).
So, whatever point in time your partner twigs what’s going on, they will be very happy to keep playing the game.
And your partner will appreciate you even more for all your efforts to make your marriage proposal extra special. If you require any further advice on engagement rings feel free to make an appointment at our Hatton Garden office.
Got all that? Good! Thank you to the wonderful Olivia for these tips on how to be sneaky to make your proposal truly incredible! And if you need any help after that, well just give us a shout! If you would like to learn a little more about LIV, you can follow them here on Facebook and Instagram.
Have a wonderful weekend, with whatever you are doing, I myself am off to a friend's Hen Party in Dorset, which I am very much looking forward to! If you do end up getting engaged, let us know as we love hearing everyone's stories!
Speak soon!
Love Bertie Xx
(Featured image by Ben Yew Photography)
