"How do I know her ring size??" is probably the most common question that I receive.  

When you found the perfect girl, the perfect ring and even planned the perfect proposal, selecting the right ring size is such a tiny left over detail, but I know, it can feel daunting.  It's not as simple as checking the tags in her drawers, and also unlike clothing size, it's not a number that most people are familiar with.

I do have a few tried and true tips that can at least get you in the ballpark... 

1.  Get professionally sized.  This is a fail-proof method, but only works if both partners are in on the ring selection.  Or at least if she has some inkling that a proposal might be on the horizon and you don't mind asking for her ring size directly.  Head over to your local jewelry store and ask them to size you.  It only takes about a minute and most stores will provide this service free of charge.   Or if you're in the area, email me and stop by my studio for a complementary sizing!

*hint* Don't forget, a lot of jewelers will give you half sizes only, but all of my rings are made to order, so I can absolutely do quarter- or even eighth- sizes!  So if you feel in between, just opt for the quarter.

2.  As with all things, her mother knows best.  Chances are, her mother knows her ring size.  And even if she doesn't, find out her mother's ring size.  If they have the same build, it's a good place to start.  Our hands generally get larger as we age, so your bride-to-be's hand may be about a half size smaller.  This is far from an exact science, but it's a good jumping off point nonetheless.

3. Ask her best friend.  No luck with the mother?  Even if the proposal is planned as a total surprise, she's probably been talking about her dreams of a proposal with her bff for quite a while now.  If her best friend doesn't know her ring size already, she can find a sneaky way to get the info for you without being too obvious.

4.  Steal one of her rings!  Does your girlfriend have a favorite ring that she already wears?  Assuming it's not attached to her hand at all times, 'borrow' it at a time she won't notice, and download my free ring sizer cheat sheet below.  Print it out to scale and match up her ring with the sizing circles.

*hint* Most Americans (as, I believe, with most of the world) wear engagement rings on the left ring finger and Europeans usually wear their rings on the right ring finger.  So when you're taking her ring to measure, make sure she wears it on the correct hand!  If she doesn't, again this is a generalization, but it will get you in the ballpark, the more dominant hand tends to be roughly quarter a size larger.  So, if she's righty and you take a ring she wears on her right ring finger and it measures 6 1/2, opt for a 6 1/4 for her left hand.

5. Budget for resizing.  None of these methods- including a professional sizing- are a guarantee.  Every ring fits slightly differently depending of the width and roundness of the style.  A lot of my rings are more delicate and can easily slip on a finger, even at a smaller size.  The wider bands, however, tend to fit more snuggly and sometimes require a larger size.   In my opinion, the most important part of choosing a size is the effort.  No lady expects you to magically know her rings size (unless she already told you a dozen times), but the fact that you really tried hard to get it right will mean the world to her.  Plus, with these tips you should get pretty darn close, and that means she'll at least be able to wear the ring long enough to take a #ringselfie and show it off to all of her friends ;)

*hint* When in doubt, opt for the larger size.  It's always easier to make a ring smaller than it is to make it larger). 

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Meet the Author: Olivia Ewing