Why getting the size right matters
A well-fitting ring slides over the knuckle with a gentle push and sits snugly at the base of the finger without pinching. Too loose, and it twists or slips off unnoticed. Too tight, and it turns uncomfortable by evening, when fingers swell slightly in the warmth.
In store, we measure your finger in seconds. At home, two careful minutes with a strip of paper gets you very close.
Method 1: the paper strip method
You need a thin strip of paper (about 1 cm wide), a pen, and a ruler marked in millimetres. Paper beats string, which stretches and reads falsely large.
- Wrap the strip snugly around the base of the finger. Not digging in, not loose. It should feel like a comfortable ring.
- Mark the exact overlap point with your pen.
- Lay the strip flat and measure from its end to the mark in millimetres. That is your finger’s inner circumference.
- Repeat two or three times, in the evening. Fingers run slightly larger at day’s end, and you want the fit for their largest.
- Match the reading to the chart below.
Measure the actual finger, since hands differ. Between two sizes, take the larger. A slightly roomy ring can be adjusted; a tight one cannot be wished larger.
Method 2: measure a ring you already own
A well-fitting ring you own is the best measuring tool there is.
- Measure the inside distance from one inner edge to the other, in millimetres. That is the inner diameter.
- Multiply by 3.14 to get the inner circumference.
- Match it to the chart below.
An inner diameter of 17.3 mm gives about 54.3 mm, Pakistani size 14. Measure straight across the centre; half a millimetre of sloppiness moves you between sizes.
Pakistani ring size chart
Pakistani jewellers use a numeric scale tied to the ring’s inner circumference in millimetres. Charts vary slightly, so treat this widely used scale as a strong guide.
| Pakistani size | Inner circumference (mm) | Approx. US size |
|---|---|---|
| 12 | 51.9 | 6 |
| 13 | 53.1 | 6.5 |
| 14 | 54.4 | 7 |
| 16 | 55.7 | 7.5 |
| 17 | 57.0 | 8 |
| 19 | 58.3 | 8.5 |
| 20 | 59.5 | 9 |
| 21 | 60.8 | 9.5 |
| 22 | 62.1 | 10 |
| 24 | 63.4 | 10.5 |
| 25 | 64.6 | 11 |
| 26 | 65.9 | 11.5 |
| 27 | 67.2 | 12 |
| 29 | 68.5 | 12.5 |
| 30 | 69.7 | 13 |
Sizes 15, 18, 23, and 28 sit between the rows; jewellers treat them as the nearest listed size. Roughly, women’s rings run 12 to 20 and men’s 20 to 28. Ordering from abroad with only a US or UK size? Send it on WhatsApp and we will convert it.
Wide bands fit tighter than slim ones
A wide band, say 6 mm or more, covers more finger and feels tighter than a slim 2 mm band of the same size. Between sizes on a wide band, go up a full size, and mention the band width when you order so we can advise.
Knuckle versus finger base
For many people the knuckle is larger than the finger base. A ring must clear the knuckle but live at the base, so measure both. If the knuckle is meaningfully larger, size for the knuckle; a slightly loose fit at the base beats a ring that will not come off. If the gap is large, tell us. There are discreet sizing aids fitted inside the band that keep a ring secure on a slimmer base.
When a ring can be resized, and when it cannot
Plain gold bands resize easily. A skilled karigar can move a simple band a size or two either way and you would never know. Most men’s rings and simple women’s bands qualify.
Stone-set and fully patterned rings are another story. Eternity bands, full-circle engraving, and tension settings generally cannot be resized without disturbing the design. Half-eternity and cluster settings can often move a little, but every stone adds risk.
Two honest notes: resizing slightly changes the ring’s weight, and a ring resized more than once starts to show it. Measure carefully now rather than resizing twice later.
When to visit the store instead
Home measuring is good; a professional measure is better, and it costs nothing. Come in when the ring is a surprise and you are guessing, when the design is a wide band or eternity style that cannot be resized, when knuckle and base disagree sharply, or when you are between sizes and want a second opinion before we work in gold. We have measured hundreds of fingers at Suha Bazar since 1993. It takes moments.
Ready when you are
Send your millimetre measurement on WhatsApp and we will take it from there, or come by the store in the Walled City of Lahore and we will size you properly before you choose. Either way, the ring will fit.