How should a man's wedding ring fit? So, you've taken the plunge and asked the love of your life to marry you- congratulations!
You likely spent weeks or months designing every detail of the perfect ring, and now it's time to design yours.
This article will offer you five simple tips to choose a wedding ring that will fit for life.

Location, Location, Location
You can buy almost anything online these days, including a man's wedding ring and a ring sizer. Most men seeking even an engagement ring will have encountered something like this:
A ring sizer via Etsy

It may be tempting to order one of these from Amazon and get sized in the comfort of your own home. Such a tactic is to be discouraged, for two reasons:
First, it is difficult to know your own size and how something *should* fit.
Second, and more importantly, the size on the device may be different than the make of ring you end up selecting.
There are some guidelines from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) on jewelry ring sizes, but not all manufacturers may comply with them.
The best option here is to go into a physical location and speak with an expert. They will be able to advise you and properly size you.

Timing is Everything
The time of day at which you get sized for a wedding ring is also very important.
Consider shoes, for example. It's generally advised you shop for shoes in the late afternoon/early evening. You've been standing for a number of hours, and your feet have swollen.
The same principle applies to your hands and fingers.
In the late afternoon, you've likely spent the day working with your hands in some capacity- typing at keyboards, shaking hands, or using tools. Your hands have expanded significantly.
The weather also plays a significant role in determining ultimate fit.
Fingers sized at 4pm on a warm August day will be much larger than ones sized at 10am in the middle of February. Sizing in the temperate weather of spring and early fall should offer a good medium for fit.
Sizing in the afternoon, in a physical shop, and in temperate weather, are ways to control for a good fit.

Width Matters for a Man's Wedding Ring
Men's wedding rings are measured in millimeters. They come in a range of widths, from a thin 2m all the way up a very wide 12mm+! Historically, thinner rings have were fashionable. However, they have been trending much wider in recent years.
Ring width chart: Rings come in many sizes

Rings come in a wide range of widths​
Taller and broader men, with longer and thicker fingers, will do well to consider rings in the 8-10mm range. Smaller men should consider elegant bands in 3mm to 5mm range. The "average" man does well to consider a 6mm band for a timeless and refined look.
A wider ring will fit more snugly than a thinner ring, so do take that into consideration.

Do The Twist
After considering the time, the weather, and the width of the wedding ring you'd like, let's try some on!
Have the jeweler use the ring sizing device in the shop to determine your approximate size. You can then try one on in that size.
The ring should slip on over your knuckle with some resistance, but you shouldn't have to force it. Ideally, you should give it a slight 'twist' to get it over the knuckle.
Give your finger 15-30 seconds to conform to the metal around it. If you see a gap larger than width of a toothpick between the ring and your finger, it is likely too big. Try the next quarter-size down.
Taking the ring off is equally important. Stretch your fingers out straight. If you can pull it straight off, the ring is likely too big. You should opt for the next quarter-size down.
You can use two tests to check if the ring fits well:
(a) wiggle it back and forth
(b) give it a twist and meeting slight resistance before coming off.
Men may also consider a ring one-quarter to one-half size smaller or larger than the ring size given, as you're sizing to the ring itself and not the device.
Ideally, you should continue sizing down until it becomes difficult to take off, and then go one quarter size up from that.

Materials and Resizing for a Man's Wedding Ring
Finally, a note on materials. Gold and silver are the most traditional for a man's wedding ring, but newer players have entered the marketplace in recent years.
We've also covered this over on our forums-check it out here!

Traditional Metals
Gold in 14 and 18k is a classic for a reason. It holds its luster and has inherent value. Importantly for our purposes, they are re-sizable.
A looser ring is made smaller by soldering two small balls on the inside. A highly skilled jeweler is also able to cut the ring and re-attach the ends.
Gold rings can also be stretched to fit an expanding finger.
A soldered wedding band

Soldering balls can make a ring fit more snugly​
Higher-priced metals like platinum are also re-sizable, but it is expensive to do it.

Tungsten and Titanium
"Alternative" metals like tungsten and titanium are gaining traction. These metals are among the hardest on earth, significantly harder than gold or silver.
Tungsten is even used on commercial snowplow blades and missile nose cones! They are also significantly more economical than gold or silver.
Tungsten carbide men's wedding ring

They have some drawbacks, however. You cannot reshape or resize these materials.
Instead, they must be 'cracked.' If a ring is too tight to take off, this can cause serious problems for the wearer! Additionally, many major producers only offer in half sizes- not quarter sizes.
As we've established, that can make it difficult get a truly good fit.

Silicone and rubber
Silicone and rubber bands are also becoming quite popular for a man's wedding ring.
Professional athletes, active people, and those working with their hands use these. They also come in a host of colors and patterns. They're also quite economical- you can get them in multi packs.
Silicone wedding band

These have some downsides as well. First, they tend to be quite thick. That can make dexterity difficult. Second, rubber and silicone are not porous materials- which can trap moisture around your fingers.
This can lead to sweating, and the inevitable stink that goes along with it. For more, please check out an in-depth article here. Of course, these rings are not re-sizable either.
Silicone and rubber are options if you lead an active lifestyle, but are best as a backup so you don't lose your metal one.

Conclusion
To sum up, let's review our points.
Walk into a shop to size for a man's wedding ring. Go in the middle of the afternoon, and in in moderate weather if possible.
Remember that a wider ring (8-10mm) will fit more snugly than a thinner (3-5mm) ring.
Your ring should slip over with some resistance, and you should have to twist or wiggle it to remove.
Finally, materials also matter.
Traditional gold and silver rings can be made larger or smaller, but they are significantly more expensive. Tungsten, titanium, and other contemporary metals are significantly less costly, but they cannot be resized.
Thanks for reading, and congratulations on your upcoming big day!

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