Finger size is not fixed. A ring that fits perfectly in January can be tight in July and loose in January again. This is normal and it is one of the most common reasons a ring needs resizing, and one of the easiest to avoid.
The daily and seasonal cycle
Fingers change size over the course of a day, and larger in the evening and in warm weather. This is mostly fluid and swelling, and it is the reason a ring that fits at breakfast can feel tight at the end of a long day.
Which means: measure in the evening, never in the morning. A morning measurement is smaller than your true size and will produce a tight ring. Measuring in winter is worse, for the same reason. See the ring size guide for the full method and chart.
Pregnancy
Expect to change size, often by a full size or more, and expect it to change more than once. Fluid retention makes hands and fingers swell, commonly in the third trimester, and swelling can continue after delivery. A ring that fits perfectly at the start of pregnancy frequently does not by the end, and sometimes not for several months afterward.
If a proposal or ring purchase is likely to overlap with a pregnancy, size up, or ask for a ring that resizes easily. This is a genuinely common situation and it is not awkward to raise.
Weight change
Permanent size changes follow sustained weight change, in either direction. Most people lose a size or so before a significant weight loss and gain roughly a size per 10kg, though it varies. A ring bought at your highest or lowest stable weight is likely to need adjustment later.
Why sizing up is safer
A slightly loose ring is an easy problem. A slightly tight ring is an uncomfortable one, and resizing up or down both cost time, but a ring that is too tight has to be taken off, which is the thing people notice immediately and dislike most.
This is also why band width changes the answer. A 3mm band and a 6mm band at the same nominal size do not feel or fit the same, and a wide band needs more room. If you are near a boundary, tell us the band width and we will factor it in.
Which rings resize easily
Easy: plain solid bands, solitaires with simple shoulders, and most cathedral designs.
Moderate: rings with a tapered band, or with a bezel, because the metal has to be reworked carefully to avoid distorting the setting.
Hard: pavé, halo, and eternity designs, and anything modernist or geometric with tight tolerances. Small stones have to be removed and reset, which costs more and risks the accents.
We will tell you honestly if a design is difficult to resize before you order, not after.
When resizing is not the answer
If a ring needs frequent resizing, the underlying cause is worth addressing rather than repeatedly resizing. A band whose size fluctuates with daily temperature should be sized once to the larger of the two. A ring resized several times for swelling may be a symptom of something a jeweler cannot fix, and it is fair to say so.
Free resizing within the first year is included on standard rings under our warranty. Custom rings that have been resized become final sale under our returns policy, which is worth knowing before you plan a resize rather than after.
