THE RIGHT WATCH FOR EVERY WRIST
With the changing times of how people purchase luxury watches, especially now that people are buying more and more online, it’s even more important that you know your wrist size so you can navigate the watch buying process knowledgeably and efficiently.
Many things have to be considered when selecting the perfect watch. Not just the design and functioning, but size affect the way a watch looks on you. We´ll be pleased to help you select your favourite new watch in the size that suits you!
However: ultimately, your personal preferences and tastes determine the watch diameter that looks best on you.
The trick with having the perfect bracelet is its fit, making sure it’s loose enough to move and dangle nicely on top of your hand while tight enough for it not to fall off your hand. If you are buying a watch online from
www.elcol.com and you give us the size you want the watch bracelet to be, then we will be able to resize it for you, ready to be worn.
The below easy instructions on how to measure your wrist properly and ensure a great fitting bracelet will help you choose the right size.
How to Measure your wrist size
- You’ll need any of these three to measure your wrist. Prepare a flexible measuring tape, a string, or a strip of paper enough to go around your wrist.
- Using your measuring tool, measure just above your wrist bone by wrapping the measuring tape or paper around it. See image below:
- Mark or take note of the part where your measuring tool overlaps. If you’re using a measuring tape, simply add between ¼ inch and 1 inch depending on how tight you like your watch to be. Usually people add half an inch (½ inch) to their actual wrist size for a comfortable fit.
- To get your wrist measurement if you’re using a strip of paper or string, simply lay it flat on a surface and measure the length from your starting point to the end mark you’ve made, and then add to that measurement your desired inch allowance.
Further useful information
Use the diameter template to get an idea of how the watch will look when it´s actually on your wrist. The diameter is measured without the push piece and crown. These may differ in size according to the model and would not provide an accurate diameter size. Please note that your new watch will always appear slightly larger than the template due to the housing thickness.
WRIST CIRCUMFERENCE WATCH DIAMETER
15 cm / 5.9" 34 mm - 38 mm
16 cm / 6.3" 38 mm - 41 mm
17 cm / 6.7" 39 mm - 42 mm
18 cm / 7.1" 40 mm - 45 mm
19 cm / 7.5" 41 mm - 46 mm
20 cm / 7.9" 42 mm - 48 mm
21 cm / 8.3" 43 mm - 50 mm
23 cm / 9.1" 45 mm - 55 mm
Lugs
Watch lugs are the metal extensions where the bracelet or strap attaches to the watch case. Lugs are not included in case size measurements. So, when measuring your wrist for case diameter size, leave some room for the lugs. A good indication of whether a watch is too big is to look at the lugs. If they extend past the curve of your wrist, then the watch does not fit right and could be uncomfortable to wear.
Case Size
The watch case is the part of the watch that houses the dial, battery, movement, and other working parts. Watch case diameter is the most significant and noticeable element when it comes to selecting the right watch. So, it is good to buy the size that is right for you.
Tastes have changed over time and nowadays people are trending towards larger cases. Men’s watches usually range between 38mm to 46mm; although if you are looking at a vintage timepiece 34-36mm were common sizes for men and are still a classic size today. Anything smaller than 38mm today is typically seen on women’s watches.
Case Thickness
For many years, a thinner watch was considered higher quality and more refined. Now that watches are becoming larger and the case diameter increases so too does the case thickness. Many watches can be too bulky, heavy, and thick so you want to consider the thickness of the case when deciding on a watch. Watch thickness is important for practical purposes as well.
For example, If you wear a suit you’ll want to think about whether you need a watch to fit under your sleeve cuff. Factor in the clothes that you would most typically wear with your watch and decide if a bigger watch will look good.
Often times, 38 mm to 42 mm watch diameters will see thickness of around 7 mm and for watches over 44 mm, the thickness increases to around 9 mm. The thickness of the case will usually be a good fit if you choose the right case diameter.
Metal, Leather & Fabric Watch Bands
Metal watch bands always appear to be larger and heavier than leather or fabric band types so men with larger wrists tend to gravitate to the metal bracelets. A solid link bracelet will add some heft to the watch depending on the material but there are some hollow link bracelets available.
Leather straps provide a slimmer and more formal look while a woven or fabric strap will be more sporty. Depending on the style of a fabric strap, you can achieve different looks. A NATO style strap provides a sporty look but will add extra depth to the watch due to how the fabric slides under the case back.
Sizing a watch to fit appropriately is not much of a concern unless you have a very large wrist. Most women’s watches are between 6.75″-7″ and most men’s watches are 7.5″-8″. The length of the strap is based on wrist circumference and can be divided in two – the tail (long) end and the buckle (short) end.
Watch Components
Everything from the numbers, the hands, lug size, to the pusher and crown all play a factor in the look of a watch and whether it is in the right proportion. If these details are larger in size, the watch may appear larger as well. All of these components should compliment the other elements of the watch so that the overall watch appearance is balanced and pleasing to the eye.
Final Word
When buying a watch, the “correct” size really just comes down to personal preference and what you like best and feels most comfortable.
For Bangles
Bangles are rigid, don’t have openings and need to slip through or over the hand onto the wrist. Having bangles that are too large is very uncomfortable with the fear of the bangles falling off your hand while having it too small would be torture whenever you try to slip it on or off your wrist. But there are basically two kinds of bangles, an adjustable one and the fixed size bangle.
For adjustable bangles, you can simply do the regular bracelet measurement stated above. With adjustable bangles, you wouldn’t have to worry that they might slip off your hands so in general, it’s a good choice.
Bangles are measured or sized by their diameter in inches. If you have good fitting bangle already then you can simply measure the diameter of those to find your size, otherwise, especially for fixed size bangles, you’ll need a tape measure or a strip of paper for measuring and here’re what you’ll need to do:
- Squash or squeeze your fingers together towards the center and make it as narrow as possible. Another trick is to squash your fingers together and bring your thumb and your little/pinky finger together towards the center or simply pretend that you slipping a bangle.
- Wrap the measuring tape or strip of paper around the widest part of your squashed hand. As a tip, measure around the knuckles and use the knuckle of the thumb as a starting point, this area around the knuckles is the widest part. Pull the measuring tape or strip of paper just tight enough to pass around this widest part. See picture below for reference:
- If you’re using a strip of paper, mark the part where it overlaps with a pen. Lay down the paper on a flat surface and measure it with a ruler from the starting point to the point of overlap. If it’s a tape measure then simply take note of the measurement. This measurement is the circumference of your hand.
- Once you have the circumference, you have to get the diameter. Tape the ends together (starting point and the point of overlap) and measure across the widest point of the paper bracelet/circle making sure that you are not distorting the circle shape in any way and that is the diameter.
For those with thin wrists, you may want to try a different bangle sizing technique. This can be done by measuring the width of your closed fist from the top center of one knuckle to the other. And then, select the closest bangle size to your measurement. Example: Small- 2 ¼”, Medium- 2 ½”, Large- 2 ¾”. See picture below on how to measure thin wrists for bangles:
Try to slip the paper or the tape measure back and forth to make sure it will fit in through your knuckles to your wrist easily.
Here’s a chart for easier reference for circumference to diameter conversion:
| Equivalent bangle diameter, measured in inches |
Equivalent bangle diameter, measured in millimeters |
Equivalent bangle circumference, measured in inches |
Equivalent bangle circumference, measured in millimeters |
| 2.125 |
54 |
6.67 |
169.4 |
| 2.25 |
57.2 |
7.06 |
179.6 |
| 2.375 |
60.3 |
7.46 |
189.5 |
| 2.5 |
63.5 |
7.85 |
199.4 |
| 2.625 |
66.7 |
8.24 |
209.3 |
| 2.75 |
69.9 |
8.64 |
219.5 |
| 2.875 |
73 |
9.03 |
229.4 |
| 3 |
76.2 |
9.42 |
239.3 |
Bracelets certainly never go out of style so making sure that it fits just right and comfortably is essential.
For Rings
How To Measure Ring Size With String, Paper & Ruler
If you're shopping for someone else, the best way to find his or her ring size is to ask. If you're planning a surprise, get help from friends and family. They can ask without raising any eyebrows. The average ring size available for women ranges from size 3 to size 9. The most commonly purchased women's rings range between size 5 and size 7. Size 6 is the most popular. The average ring size available for men ranges from size 6 to size 13. The most commonly purchased men's rings range between size 8 to 10-½. Size 9 is the most popular. These standard ring sizes can help guide you in the right direction. If you do not see the size you need, contact our experts for help placing a special order. There are also a number of at-home methods to find your ring size.
The ring size chart above should tell you how many millimeters the matching circle is as well as what ring size that measurement correlates to.
There is one caveat with this method: String and floss can stretch, so try not to force your measuring tool too taut. If you do, your measured ring finger size may be larger than your finger actually is, and any rings you purchase may be too big.
Measure Your Ring Size With These Steps:
- Wrap string or paper around the base of your finger.
- Mark the point where the ends meet with a pen.
- Measure the string or paper with a ruler (mm).
- Pick the closest measurement on the ring size chart to find your ring size.
More Ring Sizing Tips:
- Measure the inside of another ring that fits using a tape measure and our printable ring sizer.
- The ring should fit your finger comfortably: snug enough so it won't fall off, but loose enough to slide over your knuckle with relative ease.
- When the knuckle is bigger than the base of the finger, measure both places and pick a size in between the two.
- Measure your ring size at the end of the day when your fingers are warm. Finger size changes depending on the time of day and the weather, and your fingers are actually smaller in the early morning and in cold weather. Also, keep in mind that fingers on your dominant hand are usually larger.
- Measure 3 to 4 times for more accuracy.
For Necklace
Necklace Size Chart - Choosing the Right Necklace Length
Buying a new necklace is exciting but before rushing into any purchase it is important to factor in not only the look of the pendant but the length of the chain. It is necessary to consider the chain length that fits factors beyond your outfit and personal style. Necklaces or chains come in industry standard lengths; five different lengths for women, and four for men. At Edwards Lowell, we only stock necklaces for women so this guide will focus on the female necklace size chart.
This handy guide will assist you selecting the right necklace length that will best showcase your jewelry, accentuate your best features, suit your body type, and frame your face. When worn correctly, jewelry can draw people to look at your best assets and focus away attention from the features you would rather not flaunt. Our chains do not include the size of the pendant, you need to take into consideration between 1-2 inches when selecting it.
Factors to Consider When Choosing Your Necklace Chain Length
The first step is it to learn where different necklace lengths fall on the body. This will assist you in choosing which chain length you desire.
Standard Necklace Lengths for Women
Women’s necklaces are standardly sold in even-inch lengths. Follow this chart to learn where each necklace length falls on the average woman’s body.
| Necklace Length |
Position on the Body |
| 14" Necklace |
Fits like a choker and wraps closely around the neck |
| 16" Necklace |
Falls perfectly around the base of the neck like a collar. On a petite woman it hangs loosely around the neck and falls just at the collarbone. On a plus size women it might sit more like a choker. |
| 18" Necklace |
A common choice for women that sits elegantly on the collarbone. |
| 20" Necklace |
Will fall just below the collarbone. |
| 22" Necklace |
Falls at or just above the top of the bust |
