Advice on ring size

BrieN

How loose can you wear a ring without it being at risk of falling off? Have you ever lost a ring while wearing it or had a close call?

I am not much of a jewelry person in general so haven't had to make many of these decisions before. I am purchasing a new wedding band and am unsure which size to choose. My original band is way too small - I guess that's what 30+ years of marriage gets you

I purchased a cheap ring in the same dimensions as the band I like to make sure I like how it feels on my finger. I *think* I have it right in that it won't budge when my hands are dry but it does slide off with some resistance in soapy water. It slides off very easily with just Dawn on it. Does that sound like it's tight enough?

Not sure if this is forum content or off-topic - lmk if I should move it.

1 month ago

General

11 replies

Latest reply was from BrieN

Jenni NZ

Veteran

I think that sounds right? I had mine made bigger a few years ago. It had to be cut off- I had injured a knuckle on that finger slightly which made the ring too hard to get off, and had earlier gained weight as well. I now can pull it off easily without soap but it still leaves a slight crease in my skin so it feels right.

1 month ago

Ket

Veteran

What you’re describing would be too loosely sized for me. My rings are sized so that I need to apply some Windex or Dawn then have to wiggle them off. They can move on my finger and feel comfortable, but they don’t slip off easily.

When I was being sized for my wedding ring, the jeweler said the ring should ideally fit snug, so it stays upright and doesn’t twirl around. However, I asked her to size it between 5.5 and 5.75–so 5.66. I found that doing a lot hiking and walking, my fingers and hands swell. A snug ring on a swollen finger is uncomfortable; I wanted some ease.

One other consideration is larger knuckles. If the joint is a good deal larger than the finger, sizing larger will be necessary for removal.

P. S. I usually always remove rings when swimming. Swimming pushes extra fluid out of the body and causes tissues to shrink a bit; this makes fingers temporarily smaller and rings can slip off easier.

1 month ago

Ket

Veteran

Happy 30 years of marriage <3 that’s just lovely! So glad you’re celebrating with a new band.

1 month ago

Lisa

Veteran

Congrats on 30 years of marriage!

I prefer my rings to be slightly lose, I can spin the ring on my finger, but it's tight enough that it can't slide past my knuckle.

1 month ago

RobinF

Veteran

I think a lot of it is personal preference. I like a looser ring.

I tend to move them and wiggle them and don't like feeling like I can't get it off.

I recently had to get mine resized after breaking my finger, and the jeweler thought I was getting it too loose but I think it's perfect.

1 month ago

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

I think it sounds like you have a good size picked out. I had my mother's wedding ring enlarged for me by a jeweler, and they had sizing rings to try on, which I found helpful and reassuring. The ring came out to be a good size. At first it felt a little more snug than I might have preferred, but now I feel it's about as right as it can get, given some fluctuations in my finger size based on water retention. (Which is much less of an issue for me, since I've started really focusing on hydrating during the day.)

If you are concerned about the ring slipping off when doing dishes, I'd make sure the drain is always closed, or the strainer is always in place, or use dish-washing gloves if immersing your hands in the water. Like Ket, I never wear rings when I'm swimming. And I also don't wear them while I'm doing any other kind of exercise, because my fingers tend to swell when I get too hot. There are days in the summer when I accept that it's just better not to wear them. If I do wear them and my fingers swell, I can still get them off with soap and water.

1 month ago

susanm

Active Member

It sounds tight enough. Remember the tightness will vary depending on conditions: my rings are looser in the winter when my hands tend to be cold and tighter in the summer, even though I don’t live in a hot climate. Tightness varies according to how much fluid you’re retaining too. A salty meal and I retain a bit of water.

1 month ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Congrats on 30 years of marriage! And also on the purchase of a new band. Others have given you great advice. I have lost my wedding band, and so has my husband. Mine was lost in a public pool (fell off while I was in the water) and my husband lost his in the washing machine. Ironically, I got mine back (some kind person found it and brought it to lost and found) whereas my husband's, which should have been easier to retrieve, was gone for good! All that to say, while I like a slightly looser fit, I am now a bit more careful to ensure it's not too loose.

1 month ago

Echo

Veteran

Hmm, a ring would be too tight for me if I needed soapy water to remove it. My rings go on before I leave the house and come off as soon as I enter. I don't wear them while cooking, washing, doing dishes or sleeping. I just need to push slightly upward and slide it off my finger, but it has never come loose, nor has it ever come off accidentally.

As others have mentioned, my fingers change size with the weather, so a ring that fit snugly in the winter would be positively strangling if I were to wear it while walking in the summer. Additionally, rings fit more snugly when the band is wider or when multiple rings are worn together, and I wear my engagement ring, a spacer and my wedding band. So while each is slightly loose on its own, together they fit just right.

We just celebrated 28 years, and I've never lost a ring yet.

1 month ago

Bijou

Veteran

I'm like Echo - I like my rings to be relatively loose and have had my wedding ring for 30 years without loss. I am quite careful though and don't tend to lose things easily (touching wood as I write that)!

1 month ago

BrieN

Veteran

Thank you all for sharing your wisdom and experiences. I've appreciate all your thoughts as I try to get this right. And you all have confirmed that maybe it's not as straightforward as I might have guessed.

Jenni NZ, RobinF, I have noted how you have had rings made larger - it's good to know you can do that - sorry about the injuries though!

Ket, Firecracker (Sharan), susanm
Your comments about hot weather/salt retention/athletic activity have me thinking about how very swollen my fingers get in the summer (hard to imagine right now with the snow-globe conditions my area has had for the last couple of months).

Echo This band is wider than my previous band - it's great to have your insight on the sizing for this.

Ket, Suz
I would never have thought about swimming "shrinking" my fingers but clearly it's something to think about and remove the ring for. Thank you all for mentioning this. Suz, I'm glad you were able to get your ring back but darn about your husband's.

Thank you all for the well wishes

1 month ago

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