How to Secretly Size a Ring for Your loved one!

It’s a question we are regularly asked, ‘How can I find out my loved one’s ring size without them finding out?’

What to do if you want to surprise your loved one by presenting them with an engagement ring or ring to mark a special occasion? What way can you go about sizing a ring on the sly? Never fear, help is at hand!

Ring Sizing Experts

We are experts at ring sizing with over 50 years of experience. We have worked with all manner of ring sizes and would always recommend getting a persons finger properly sized, especially for an important piece of jewelry. We even provide our customers with free ring sizers. But we appreciate that sometimes only a surprise will do! So we have pulled together seven covert ring sizing options below:

1) The Sleeping Beauty Method

Only recommended for a person with nerves of steel and a loved one who is a deep sleeper! While they are asleep, gently take one of our ring sizers and carefully fit it around the finger they would wear their ring on making sure to read off the correct size. This method is not for the faint hearted and you will have some explaining to do if your loved one wakes up and catches you in the act!

2) The Sculptor Method

Get your hands on one of your loved one’s rings that s/he wears on the intended finger. Maybe while s/he is in the shower, snoozing, or at work? Lay the ring down flat on a bar of soap and press it down to make an imprint. Do this several times to make sure that your ring imprints look consistent. Carefully rinse the ring when you are finished with your imprints but do make sure you plug the drain first! Return the ring where you found it and then use our ring sizer, laying it over the imprint to determine the correct size. It may not give you a perfect measurement but even if you do get it a little wrong we can resize the ring if it is not a perfect fit within +/- one ring size. That gives you a bit of wriggle room!

3) The Aspiring Artist Method

As for the sculptor method, get your hands on one of your loved one’s rings that s/he wears on the intended finger to be sized. Lay the ring down flat on a piece of paper and carefully trace a circle on the inside and outside of ring. Do this several times to make sure that your ring traces look consistent. You can then use our ring sizer over the trace and match up sizes.

4) Test a Ring Size Myth

If you can’t sneak away one of your loved one’s rings tell him/her that you just heard a theory - ‘If you take your shoe size and divide by two and then add three, it will add up to your ring finger size’. Have your loved one do the calculations to see if it ‘works’ and as a result s/he will give you their ring size (and their shoe size!). But be warned - if your loved one has a suspicious mind they may twig that you are up to something. Particularly if your acting skills are not top notch! But it does give you a clever way to the conversation started on ring sizes.

4) Tell a Small White Lie

If you are absolutely set on a surprise reveal for a ring, another idea is to pretend that you are going to buy a ring for a relative or friend. Make sure that this pretend recipient is someone whose hands are similar in size to your loved one and casually ask their opinion on what size ring you should buy. You could get them to try on a ring, and ask them what their ring size is for reference. With this information you could then buy an affordably priced (and returnable) ring in the correct size for the pretend recipient. Then your loved one could even try it on to see if it’s the correct size! It is only a small white lie and you have a fantastic story for them once you've given them the real ring - they are sure to get a kick out of the lengths you went to for that surprise!

5) Get your Loved One’s Friends and Family in on the Act

A great way to find out your loved one’s ring size is to enlist the help of one of their friends or family members that you trust to keep your secret safe! Your loved one may have mentioned their ring size before and friends often try on each other’s rings to see how they look and fit on their own finger. It may be the case that your loved one has tried on one of their friends or family member’s rings previously only to find it was the perfect fit. If the friend doesn’t know right away, s/he could be the one to ask your loved one for their ring size casually. Another option would be to ask the friend to take your loved one ring shopping “for fun.” This is a good way to get your loved one’s ring finger professionally sized with the friend acting as your secret agent! A note of caution for this method, you’ll need to have confidence in the chosen friends acting abilities to pull this one off!

7) Size with Your Eyes

When you are holding your loved one's hand, see if one of his/her fingers is similar in size to a finger of yours. For example, their ring finger might be as big as your pinky. If you can get your hands on one of your loved one’s rings from the intended finger you could also try it on your own finger and take a note of where it sits. You can then use one of our ring sizers to get a measure of that size. This method isn’t amazingly accurate so we would only recommended it for those with good eyesight and perception skills! But even if you do get it a little wrong we can resize the ring if it is not a perfect fit within +/- one ring size.

The Direct Method

This is not a covert option but it may be worth considering if you could just ask them what his/her ring size is! You can keep the element of surprise for what the ring looks like!