When it comes to finding the perfect ring, width sizing is a very important aspect to be aware of. The thickness of a ring can affect how it fits, its durability and longevity, and especially your comfort. So let’s find out how wide or thick your ring should be!
Typically, a ring should be between 1.5 mm and 8 mm wide. Men’s rings are typically wider than women’s; however, widths of all styles are widely available depending on your personal preference. It’s vital to understand that the ring’s width is important as, in addition to changing the style, it will also change the size you need.
In this article, we will find out how to choose the right ring width for you, including a sizing guide, as well as the differences between men’s and women’s rings. Everything you need to know about deciding on ring width is right here.
Ring Width Sizing Guide
First things first, it’s vital to understand the different ring width options and how thick they actually are.
Essentially, rings can be anywhere from 1.5 mm to 8 mm wide, which is an extremely large range! However, it can be quite challenging to understand these measurements and how they look on your finger without trying them on.
But just to give you a glimpse into the most available ring widths, we created a sizing guide breakdown that might make it a little easier to understand:
| MM | Inches | Appearance |
| 1.5 | 0.059 | Extremely Thin |
| 2.0 | 0.078 | Thin |
| 3.0 | 0.11 | Normal |
| 4.0 | 0.15 | Normal-Thick |
| 5.0 | 0.19 | Thick |
| 6.0 | 0.23 | Extra Thick |
| 7.0 | 0.27 | Very Thick |
| 8.0 | 0.31 | Extremely Thick |
As you can see, ring widths can go from the size of a shoe string to the thickness of a tip of a finger! So choosing the right size definitely makes a big difference for how it will look on your hand.
Therefore, deciding on the width size really has less to do with the numbers and more about your personal preference.
However, there are certainly more common sizes for both men and women’s rings that are popular due to style and comfortability that you should be aware of.
How Wide Should Women’s Rings Be?
In general, rings marketed to women are usually much thinner than those made with men in mind. Not only are thinner styles more in vogue at the moment, but they also tend to suit women’s smaller hands better. That being said, there are certainly thicker styles available if that is your preference.
The most common women’s rings on the market today are between 1.5 mm and 4 mm. Where 1.5 mm rings will be extremely thin and dainty, 4 mm rings are much thicker but they still look natural on a smaller or thinner hand.
It is extremely important to understand that the width of a ring will affect its durability over time. Therefore, when choosing the thickness of a wedding band, most women opt for a slightly thicker width such as 2 mm or 3 mm.
As well, the type of metal you choose will affect the longevity of the ring. So if you decide you want a thin band, such as the 1.5 mm option, you should absolutely opt for a durable material, such as high-carat golds and platinum.
Realistically, women’s rings can be as wide or thin as the customer prefers! But jewelers usually provide options from 1.5 mm to 4 mm.
How Wide Should Men’s Rings Be?
Now, let’s talk about men’s rings! Typically, men’s rings are thicker than women’s rings, and there are a few reasons for this occurrence.
- The thicker rings look more natural on a larger hand.
- Wider rings are more durable and, therefore, do not need to be removed as often.
- Thicker rings are considered more masculine looking than thin rings.
While there is no reason that a man must wear a thicker ring, because of the current popular style preferences, most men’s rings available today are between 6mm and 8 mm wide.
When deciding how thick you want your men’s ring to be, one of the most important aspects you should pay attention to is how large the hand is. And this is simply because thinner rings don’t usually look as aesthetically pleasing on large rings as thick rings do!
Also, as you now know, thick rings are more durable and last longer than thin rings. Therefore, if you work with your hands or are not particularly careful, you should certainly opt for at least an 8 mm ring.
How Does Ring Width Affect Ring Size?
In addition to style and durability, the width of a ring also affects the actual size or diameter of the ring.
Essentially, the thicker rings need to be larger in diameter than thin rings to fit comfortably. Wider rings fit more snuggly than narrow rings, and they can be less comfortable if you don’t opt for the correct size for your finger.
So, how much larger does your ring need to be if you choose a wide ring? Let’s find out.
- 1.5 mm – 4 mm Ring: Use your standard ring size.
- 4 mm – 6 mm Ring: ¼ size increase from your normal size.
- 7 mm -8 mm Ring: ½ size increase from your normal size.
Although these measurement suggestions are supported by most jewelers, it’s important to note that not all rings nor all fingers are the same!
Therefore, if you are purchasing a very expensive or even important ring, you should head to the jeweler personally. There, you can try on the ring, allow them to measure your finger, and recommend the correct one based on the thickness of the ring.
How Much Room Should You Have in a Ring?
On the other hand, if you do not have the ability to visit the jeweler to consult on the size of the ring based on thickness, you can still use at-home tactics to figure out what size will fit you best.
What you should do first is size your finger using these simple instructions:
- Take a string and wrap it around the base of your finger where the ring will sit.
- Mark the end of the string with a marker.
- Unravel the string and measure it with a measuring tape.
- Take the mm measurement and divide it by 3.14 (or Pi).
- The remaining number is the diameter of your perfect ring size.
Now, your normal ring size can be anywhere from 5 to 13, and most rings size up in increments of .5.
However, as you recently learned, if you have chosen a thicker ring, the ring size needs to increase from the size you measured.
Just remember, any ring with a thickness of 4 mm – 6 mm will increase your ring size by .25, whereas a ring 7 mm – 8 mm will expand the size by .5.
How Do I Choose a Ring Width?
Finally, although you now have quite a lot of information regarding ring width and sizing, you may still be wondering how to choose the right ring width!
The truth is that consumers often find it difficult to decide which width is best for their style and comfort without being able to try them all on.
If you have the opportunity to head into a jewelry store and experiment with different thicknesses, it’s always the best option.
But if you can’t try them on, you should spend some time looking at ring thickness charts online to get a better idea of how the various sizes look on hands of different shapes and sizes.
The bottom line is that in order to choose the right ring width, there are 3 things to be aware of:
- Aesthetics
- Comfort
- Durability
Aesthetics
Arguably, the most important part of choosing the thickness of a ring is simply which one you like the best!
While typically, thinner rings look more natural on smaller or narrower hands, and wider rings are more suited for larger hands, it’s completely up to you what you think looks good.
Comfort
Comfort is important, especially when it comes to a ring you’re planning to wear every day such as a wedding band.
For many people, a thicker band can feel more cozy and wearable, while others find them too constricting.
Durability
Thinner rings, such as those 2 mm or less, are less durable than thicker rings. However, that doesn’t mean that narrow rings can’t last a lifetime!
But you do need to ensure that thinner rings are made of a durable material such as high-carat gold or platinum to keep them lasting a lifetime.
You now have all the information you need to decide how wide or thick your ring should be!
So you can feel confident purchasing the ring of your dreams in the right size, thickness, and style according to your personal preferences.
Our Team of 10 includes jewelry experts, antique Buyers & Sellers, baseball card collectors, and other appraisal experts.
