# How Do I Covertly Determine a Woman's Ring Size **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 19, 2008, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-covertly-determine-a-womans-ring-size/464251 "2008-09-19T02:15:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![maggenpye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@maggenpye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maggenpye)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2008, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-covertly-determine-a-womans-ring-size/464251/21 "2008-09-19T10:19:32Z")
Then stick it in a matchbox (or ring box!) to stop it from warping. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2008, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-covertly-determine-a-womans-ring-size/464251/22 "2008-09-19T12:40:20Z")
From _The Virginian_, by Owen Wister: \*"When the ring was achieved, it was an opal, but set with four small embracing diamonds. Thus was her month stone joined with his, that their luck and their love might be inseparably clasped. He found the size of her finger one day when winter had departed, and the early grass was green. He made a ring of twisted grass for her, while she held her hand for him to bind it. He made another for himself. Then, after each had worn their grass ring for a while, he begged her to exchange. He did not send his token away from him, but most carefully measured it. Thus the ring fitted her well, and the lustrous flame within the opal thrilled his heart each time he saw it. For now June was near its end; and that other plain gold ring, which, for safe keeping, he cherished suspended round his neck day and night, seemed to burn with an inward glow that was deeper than the opal’s."\* ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2008, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-covertly-determine-a-womans-ring-size/464251/23 "2008-09-19T12:49:20Z")
::swoon:: ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2008, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-covertly-determine-a-womans-ring-size/464251/24 "2008-09-19T13:12:23Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > 1. What’s your shoe size: > > 2. What’s your Ring size: > > 3. How many drinks does it take to get you drunk? > > 4. How many wisdom teeth do you still have? > > Now multiply the answers from 1 through 3, and add the result from number 4. This is your IQ. This test is great! I have zero wisdom teeth and I _still_ have an IQ of 480! 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2008, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-covertly-determine-a-womans-ring-size/464251/25 "2008-09-19T13:31:38Z")
Teach her to use your table saw. When the inevitable happens, BINGO! ---
**Author:** ![mr.jp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@mr.jp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr.jp)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2008, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-covertly-determine-a-womans-ring-size/464251/26 "2008-09-19T13:42:34Z")
Put her finger up your nose ---
**Author:** ![brewha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@brewha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brewha)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2008, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-covertly-determine-a-womans-ring-size/464251/27 "2008-09-19T14:31:50Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#): > > Ask one of your mutual female friends to find out for you. It’s suspicious if you ask her ring size, but if another woman does it, it’s just conversation. That’s what I did. She didn’t suspect a thing. > [@mr.jp](#): > > Put her finger up your nose 😃 You win! But doesn’t have to be your ring? ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2008, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-covertly-determine-a-womans-ring-size/464251/28 "2008-09-19T14:35:10Z")
Obtain a caliper, or even a decently accurate ruler. Next time she leaves it lying around, measure the inner diameter of the ring (heck, measure it a couple of times from different orientations and take an average). Bring that number to a jeweler, who will tell you what ring size it corresponds to, and then you can buy the ring. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2008, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-covertly-determine-a-womans-ring-size/464251/29 "2008-09-19T15:04:24Z")
> [@mr.jp](#): > > Put her finger up your nose No no no. Put **her ring** up your nose. Then you can go to the jewelry store and find a ring that feels the same. ---
**Author:** ![Dilton\_Doiley\_Philosopher\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f1d935/32.png) [@Dilton\_Doiley\_Philosopher\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dilton_Doiley_Philosopher_King)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2008, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-covertly-determine-a-womans-ring-size/464251/30 "2008-09-19T15:08:15Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > Don’t be disappointed however, it probably won’t cause a “sunrise”. Only nature or ultimate Disney love can do that. What’s a “sunrise”? The best I could find on googling is the name of jewelry companies, but then the above quote wouldn’t make any sense. In case I’m being wooshed (and it really is a company)… is a “sunrise” anything like “morningwood”? If so, good luck! 😉 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2008, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-covertly-determine-a-womans-ring-size/464251/31 "2008-09-19T15:12:23Z")
They’re messing around with the OP’s having mistyped “surprise” in his question. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2008, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-covertly-determine-a-womans-ring-size/464251/32 "2008-09-19T15:13:29Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > No no no. Put **her ring** up your nose. Then you can go to the jewelry store and find a ring that feels the same. No, no, no. Put the ring up your hooter then tell her it’s stuck. Go to jewellers and when he/she ferrets it out just ask 'em to size it when they’ve scraped all the boogers off it. Easy peasy man ---
**Author:** ![Busy\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@Busy\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Busy_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2008, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-covertly-determine-a-womans-ring-size/464251/33 "2008-09-19T15:14:31Z")
Can you not just borrow the ring-measuring device from the jeweller? It’s like a pointy, graduated spike that you drop the ring down and note the measurement. Would be 20 seconds of surreptitious work at her desk. The jeweller won’t mind lending you the tool if you’re going to spend some money. I did this for my wife’s wedding ring. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2008, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-covertly-determine-a-womans-ring-size/464251/34 "2008-09-19T15:51:25Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > This test is great! I have zero wisdom teeth and I _still_ have an IQ of 480! 🆒 Dear god, man! How big are your feet?! (and you might want to lay off the sauce) ---
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2008, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-covertly-determine-a-womans-ring-size/464251/35 "2008-09-19T15:52:54Z")
> [@chowder](#): > > Put the ring up your hooter then tell her it’s stuck. For those of you who don’t remember this thread, let me present, my all time favorite and the reason I joined here. [I stuck my wedding ring up my nose.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=209087&highlight=wedding+and+ring+and+nose) ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2008, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-covertly-determine-a-womans-ring-size/464251/36 "2008-09-19T15:58:29Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > Dear god, man! How big are your feet?! (and you might want to lay off the sauce) Size 10 feet, size 8 fingers and a six pack to get me drunk. 😉 Maybe my tolerance is a little high… ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2008, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-covertly-determine-a-womans-ring-size/464251/37 "2008-09-19T16:05:44Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > Size 10 feet, size 8 fingers and a six pack to get me drunk. 😉 > > Maybe my tolerance is a little high… Yeh, maybe the test is a little geared toward typical women. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2008, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-covertly-determine-a-womans-ring-size/464251/38 "2008-09-19T16:12:38Z")
> [@mnemosyne](#): > > Obtain a caliper, or even a decently accurate ruler. Next time she leaves it lying around, measure the inner diameter of the ring If your friend frequently leaves her finger lying around, I would be checking the basement for pods before I bothered buying her a ring. ---
**Author:** ![Ceejaytee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ceejaytee/32/2956_2.png) [@Ceejaytee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ceejaytee)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2008, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-covertly-determine-a-womans-ring-size/464251/39 "2008-09-19T19:02:04Z")
My husband found my ring size (for a surprise engagement ring) this way: S: Hey Ceejaytee, come put your hand on this piece of paper! C: Why? S: My niece is doing a project for school where she has to get the handprints of several people to compare. I want to draw the outline of your left hand. C: Okay. S: Now, you do mine. Couple of months later, a new ring in just the right size. 🙂 I totally fell for it. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2008, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-covertly-determine-a-womans-ring-size/464251/40 "2008-09-19T19:13:38Z")
> [@glee](#): > > Oh for goodness sake! > > Blindfold her, drive her to the store and get the jeweller to measure her. 🆒 She won’t suspect a thing. :smack: > > (Why yes, I don’t understand women. How did you know? 😕) Using a chloroform-soaked hanky on her first will keep the elememt of surprise. I also recomend kidnapping the jeweler’s family to use as insurance to make sure he keeps his trap shut too. Dynamiting you office as soon as you leave should provide ample distraction. Good luck! In my own case it was easy, I just called her twin sister and said “What’s your ring size? Keep your mouth shut!” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-covertly-determine-a-womans-ring-size/464251.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-covertly-determine-a-womans-ring-size/464251.md?page=3)