To determine your bracelet size, take a string (or piece of paper or ribbon) and wrap it around your wrist.
To determine your bracelet size, take a string (or piece of paper or ribbon) and wrap it around your wrist. Make sure that the string is neither too loose nor too tight but sits comfortably on your wrist. If you cannot find a string, you can cut a strip from a long piece of paper or ribbon and fold it in half to make a loop for measuring.
It’s best not to use a tape measure as this could lead to incorrect sizing as they are usually only marked with one number per inch/centimetre rather than being calibrated with millimetres which is what we need most often when ordering jewellery online!
Note where the string overlaps and make a crease with your finger.
Once you’ve made the string, lay it out on a flat surface. The string should be straight and not twisted in any way.
A good place to start measuring is where the string overlaps itself. Take a pen or pencil and make a crease where the two pieces of string meet on your wrist. This will make an indentation which will help keep track of that measurement later on. Now, use a ruler to measure how long this section of your arm is (or simply use your thumb as an estimate). If you need more accuracy than that, take out another ruler and make two marks at ¼” intervals along this section until you have reached ½”. Now take those measurements and add them all together! You’ll end up with something like 6½” for me personally—but remember: Hand sizes can vary drastically from person to person so don’t fret if yours doesn’t match mine exactly!
Take the string and hold it alongside a ruler.
This is the most important step: you must measure your wrist without the string being too tight. If it is, your bracelet will not fit correctly. You may need a friend or family member to help you with this.
Take the string and hold it alongside a ruler so that one end of the string crosses over at 2 inches from zero on the ruler. Then take the other end of your string (the loose end) and wrap it around your wrist where you want it to sit when wearing your bracelet, then mark where this intersects with zero on your ruler with a pen or pencil – this will be where to cut off extra length when attaching clasps later!
You now know the length of your wrist!
Congratulations! You now know the length of your wrist!
Make sure that the string is not twisted and use a ruler to measure the length of it. This value can be used later when choosing a bracelet that fits you.
For a form-fitting bracelet, add ¼” to ½” to that number.
If you want a form-fitting bracelet, add ¼” to ½” to that number. This is the smallest size of bracelet you should consider when measuring your wrist. For example, if your wrist measures 7 ¼” around, a 7 ½” (7 ¼ plus 1/2) bracelet will be more comfortable and less bulky than an 8″ (8 minus 1/4) bracelet. If you prefer something looser on your wrist, wear it larger than what you measure—if possible.
For a looser fitting bracelet, add up to 1” to that number.
If you’re looking for a looser fit, add 1″ to your wrist measurement (so if your wrist is 6″, add 6 + 1 = 7″) and that’s the size you should order. If you’d like it to be snug, add 1/2″ to your wrist measurement (so if your wrist is 6″, add 6 + 1/2 = 7″). Finally, if you’d rather have it fit tightly around the wrist, then subtract 1/4″ from the original number (so if your wrist is 6″, subtract 6 – 1/4 = 5 3/4″), and that’s what size bracelet will work best for you!
Do you now have the bracelet size for you?
If this is your first time shopping for a bracelet, we hope that you now have a better idea of what size bracelet you need. Not sure? Here are some other things to keep in mind:
- A general rule of thumb for choosing the right bracelet size is that the diameter of the wrist should be about half of the width of your hand (or slightly less). For example, if your wrist measures 6 inches around and 7 inches from top to bottom, an 8-inch bracelet should fit comfortably on it.
- If you’re buying a gift for someone else, measure their wrist with a flexible measuring tape (or piece of string) and use that measurement as your guide when selecting which size to buy.