Choosing what size bracelet fits you best is essential when purchasing a piece of jewelry like this, especially if it’s something that you want to wear often or for a long time. Here we’re going to go through some tips and tricks about choosing the right size for yourself…what size bracelet should I get?
The most accurate way to measure your size for a bracelet is to take a piece of string or something similar and wrap it around your wrist where you want the bracelet to sit (you may need someone else’s help), then lay that out flat on a ruler or tape measure.
While measuring, you should have your hand open palm facing you as this is the stance in which the circumference of your wrist will be at its greatest. For non-expandable material such as gold or silver, you will want to add about 3/5 of an inch (1.5cm) to the length previously measured.
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Table of Contents
Where do you want to wear the bracelet?
As mentioned earlier, you need to measure the circumference where you wish the bracelet to sit. The traditional custom of the British Isles is to wear a bracelet about an inch above the wrist.
This tradition extends back to Celtic times but was adopted by Romans. Eventually, this extended into other parts of Europe so that every country had its size standard for bracelets. Well, almost every country. The French are famous for not having any standards for anything, so people wing it when buying bracelets there…
Even after it became more common in America to wear them much tighter on the upper arm (and even further up towards the shoulder), many European countries still retain their old customs and keep things traditional around Britain’s original one-inch measurement.
As with most things, the one-inch standard is middle class and regular, though it can be adjusted up to about an inch and a half without much notice. However, much higher than that would probably cause people to ask questions or give weird looks. The wrist itself has no bones so there are no problems with wearing bracelets tightly around it.
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How Do I Know My Bracelet Size?
The first step is to decide on the bracelet type. This is important because sizes vary depending on the different types of bracelets. For instance, the length of your beaded bracelet will be a few centimeters away from your designer chain bracelet. Fortunately, knowing your primary bracelet size is the same for all types. And with a bit of subtraction and addition, you can also determine the size of other bracelet types.
The materials you’ll need are measuring tape, string/paper strip, and marker/pen.
Measuring Tape Method
- Open and face up your palm
- Wrap the measuring tape around your wrist
- Write down the measurement of your wrist size either in inches or centimeters.
String Method
- Open and face up your palm
- Wrap the string around your wrist
- Use a marker or pen to note where the ends meet
- Place the string flat down and measure it with a ruler
- Note the measurement of your wrist size
Follow these easy steps to know your basic wrist size, and a pro-tip is to add about 1cm (3/5 of an inch) to the wrist measurement so there’s some flexibility while wearing the bracelet.
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What Is A Normal Bracelet Size?
Bracelet sizes are based on gender and age. Gender-wise, there are generic bracelet sizes for men and women. The known fact that men’s wrist sizes are generally larger than women’s also applies to bracelets. Men’s most common bracelet size is 8 inches, and 7 inches for women. The typical sizes do not indicate that the size of a woman’s wrist cannot be bigger than a man’s wrist, so be sure not to panic if this is your case.
Bracelet size charts can be found on the internet. If you don’t want to go through the measurement process, you can use a chart for the general bracelet size corresponding to your age.
In this case, a standard bracelet size is relative, meaning it varies depending on the individual.
What Is The Average Size Of A Woman’s Wrist?
There’s no one size fit for all women, but sizes can be grouped to fit a fraction of women. The typical size of a woman’s wrist is 6½ to 7½ inches. These sizes fall under distinct groups: petite, tall, slim, average, curvy, and plus-sized women. Petite, slim women have their average wrist size rounded off to 6. Average, slim women have theirs rounded off to 6½. Average, curvy women have theirs to 7½.
To surprise your girlfriend with a bracelet, you can use these average bracelet sizes or buy adjustable bracelets with extra lengths.
Is An 8-Inch Bracelet Big?
The wrist measurement is taken between the wrist bone and the palm. 8 inches (21cm) is the average bracelet size for men, so it’s not big. On the other hand, 8 inches is a large size for a woman’s wrist.
Due to the additional 1.5 cm to the bracelet lengths, an 8-inch bracelet is suited for people whose actual wrist size is 7 inches or less.
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Conclusion
Bracelet sizes are specific to people, and if you don’t want to do a measurement, there are other alternatives. Apart from buying adjustable bracelets, you can also purchase bracelet designs like elastic cords and memory wire which can comfortably suit many wrist sizes.
Don’t risk buying a bracelet that is too small or too large. With the guidelines in this article, you’re sure to get the right size bracelet for yourself or your loved one.
