Square Rings Sizes

Jewelry Discussion
1

Dear Orchids,

I am trying to get my head around sizes of square rings. What is
rather simple for round rings gets difficult for square ones - well,
difficult for me.

Anybody has a translation-table or something to go from round size
to square size. Or any other trick to arrive at the same ?

Thanks a lot !
Ted

2

I think if you take a round ring and square it, it ends up being
about a size and a half different. I would whip up a round one, size
it, and square it and see what you get. I think that’s about the
difference, but I can’t remember. I’ve done it a couple of times.
Square rings are great! They fit so much better if you have larger
knuckles.

Veronica

3

There is available a hollow rubber ring stake that might help you
out. By jamming the square ring on the stake, the rubber deforms into
the corners. It may not be precise in relation to round sizes but it
can give you some consistency at least. I used that for a number of
years with decent results. Come to think of it I haven’t had a square
ring cross my bench in quite a while.

I’ve seen metal square stakes but all square rings are not created
equal so I would wonder about accuracy from one design to another.

4 
I am trying to get my head around sizes of square rings. What is
rather simple for round rings gets difficult for square ones -
well, difficult for me.

If you are talking about the finger size of a square ring then the
best tip I have is directly from Orchid. I tried to find the original
post but I seem to be search challenged this morning. But here is how
I remember it:

Make a paper ring mandrill. Take a piece of copier paper (about 20
lb should be good) and wrap it around the ring mandrill a few times.
Tape it in a couple places so it holds together. Now take your ring
sizers and slide them on one at a time and mark the sizes on your
paper mandrill. Your paper mandrill can now be slid into almost any
shape ring to determine what size it is.

Rick Copeland
Silversmith and Lapidary Artisan
Rocky Mountain Wonders
Colorado Springs, Colorado
http://rockymountainwonders.com

5

Hi Ted,

To my knowledge there is no standard for square ring sizes.

Why wouldn’t we use the same dimensions? The ID remains the same,
right? We could use the same diameter as a round ring but build a
square around it - technically its the circle inscribed in the
square.

Finelt Casting of NYC offered a line of ‘Anatomical Rings’ in the
late 1960’s. The key issue we faced was how the corner radius would
‘grow’ as the finger size (ID) increased. We didn’t attack the
problem and dropped the project because everyone questioned how we
would offer sizing after sale - there was no ring stick. My Dad,
Aron, didn’t want to invest in a product retailers / contractors
couldn’t support.

But… I’ll provide to anyone what I think is a reasonable standard.
All you need is Adobe Acrobat to read the file!

Best regards,

Paul Finelt
PF Associates,LLC
Manufacturing Consultants
www.finelt.com

6

First measure the finger using a flexible gage made from a strip of
paper then read the finger size from a standard round ring mandrel
by slipping the flexible band over it. That is your size next slip
the flexible paper band over the square mandrel and mark the leading
edge of the band on the square mandrel, this is your working
dimension. Anything else will lead to sorrow as there are no
standardized sizes or mandrels for square rings.

James Binnion
@James_Binnion
James Binnion Metal Arts

360-756-6550

7

Hi, Ted.

I’m a big fan of square and finger-shaped rings. More metal is
required in the ring blank to create the same size in square as
would be required in round. Honestly, I don’t know of a conversion
table, but trial-and-error has worked for me to create my own sizing
mandrel. Using my own fingers and those of the staff in the studio,
I have been able to mark my mandrel with sizes. Make a ring, try it
on - fits my ring finger which I know is an 8, ring goes on the
mandrel, mark the mandrel - 8. Tada! (Of course, you’d have to adjust
for wide shanks as well.)

Finally cooling off here in the South!
Ginger

8

Seems just about everyone has touched on this subject so one more
won’t hurt. I keep a few silver square and modified square bands in
my shop for average finger sizes. Inexpensive investment and very
helpful. Typically, I seem to find 1/2 size discrepancy from round
to square but I would imagine this varies from one client to another.

Also, by making a few blanks or creating them as needed for customer
models, your creating your own sizing guide little by little. It’s
also a great selling point as more of my clients are going for the
square rings for comfort.

9 
I am trying to get my head around sizes of square rings. What is
rather simple for round rings gets difficult for square ones -
well, difficult for me.

Thanks to all who have replied. I will play around with your ideas
and input, unfortunately, I am not convinced yet. The idea with using
the inner area seems promising: Sqrt( (Diameter / 2) ^ 2 * pi) as
inner side length, unfortunately, this does not fit my empirical
results. Direct translations from diameter to sides fails because the
diagonal is significantly longer, yielding a much looser ring.

Again, thanks all !
Ted

10

Hi Gang,

When it comes to square rings, there are really two different types.
There are the absolutely square with straight sides & the type used
for finger rings. These generally have 4 approximately 90 deg corners
but the sides are bowed out a little to make the ring slide over sort
of round fingers.

If you go to pages 94 & 95 in Rio Grande’s 2006-2007 tool catalog
you can see a picture of each along with a silhouette of ring shape
it’s made to measure/form.

Dave

11

I have a rubber ring mandrel that I use for all out-of-round rings.
I love it. Unfortunately, I haven’t found a supplier for an
additional one. If anyone knows where to get them, let us know!

Pam

12

A square ring is going to go on tighter because of a larger knuckle,
but it will fit nicer because of the straight sides between the
fingers. They will, because of the knuckle factor, not fit all
customers the same. You put them on by turning them “sideways” or on
a diagonal with the corners between the fingers and on top and
bottom, then straighten it after it is on.

Try the size and a half bigger round and make it square and see what
you get.

Veronica

13

Ted,

I have in my hand a rubbery plastic ring mandrel that I’ve had for
some years. I’ve never made a truly square ring but quite a number
of what I call tailored rings, round on the top and square on the
bottom. They are really stable on the finger. I’ve had this mandrel
for about 20 years and it does work; if you really jam on a tailored
ring it will read the equivalent of its round ring size. I think it
originally came from one of the independent tool folks who have
simply disappeared. The mandrel is marked in mm, # and
(unidentified) US sizes. It also carries the following “FLEXI-STICK
KEENER ENTERPRISES PAT 4,964,222 MADE IN U.S.A.”

Maybe one of our tool gurus can give you further info.

“Round Is Not Necessarily Best-- Another Case Of Good Crowding Out
Perfect!”

Dr. Mac

14 
Make a paper ring mandrill. Take a piece of copier paper (about 20
lb should be good) and wrap it around the ring mandrill a few
times. Tape it in a couple places so it holds together. Now take
your ring sizers and slide them on one at a time and mark the sizes
on your paper mandrill. Your paper mandrill can now be slid into
almost any shape ring to determine what size it is.

Sounds like a post I wrote a number of years ago, though others may
also have describe this. Works about as well as anything, and paper
mandrels are easy to make up as needed. The one addition to this is
the caution that while this translates the inside circumference well,
and for many modified shapes this suffices, often a non round ring
will just feel a bit different even when matched in theoretical size.
So after using the paper mandrel to ESTIMATE the needed
use your ultimate ring mandrels and sizing tools. Your own fingers.
You’ve got ten of them, each with two knuckles, so you’ve an
assortment of spots to test a ring size. Try the desired size with a
standard round sizer to determine what the customer would like the
right size to feel like. Then check to see if your estimated non
round size feels the same. It’s quite hard to be more accurate than
that, ie a chart of adjustments, since different degrees of “square”
feel different. But you’ll have come close with the paper mandrel,
so adjustments after that are likely to be small.

Peter Rowe

15

Dear Friends,

I have had numerous requests for this Please look for
the latest version (version 1.1) on the web at

http://www.finelt.com/squarerings/square_ring_sizes.pdf

I have updated the document from earlier versions.

Best Regards,
Paul Finelt, CIRM
PF Associates, LL.C.
http://www.finelt.com

1 Like
16

I could be way off base here, since I’ve never tried on a square
ring… but I saw a website that had an online ring size conversion
gadget, and it shows the diameter as well as the circumference of
rings based on the ring size.

http://www.onlineconversion.com/ring_size.htm

Wouldn’t the circumference of the round ring be the same as the
length of each side of a square ring for the same finger size?

Lauren

17 
I have had numerous requests for this ..

Paul, thank you for this list. Maybe you can add some info about you
arrived at the values. While I can follow you on the last three
columns, it would be nice to understand how you arrived there.

Thank you !
Ted

18 
I have had numerous requests for this Please look for
the latest version (version 1.1) on the web at

Paul, can you please explain to us how you arrived at the corner
radius numbers given in your sheet. What is your reasoning, and why
did you chose exactly these corner radius, and not any other possible
radius ? Also: You vary this number with the ring size, wouldn’t it
be much more reasonable to adjust with material thickness ?

Thanks,
Ted