For Women's bracelets, the standard length is 6.5 - 7.5 inches, the most common length being 7 inches. For Men's bracelets, sizes range from 7.5 - 9 inches, with 8 inches being the most common size. Use the following guide to find out the size of your wrist so you can select the best bracelet size for you.
For women:
A bracelet of 7 inches is the most common in women's jewelry. Women's bangle and cuff bracelets usually are 7 inches in length with a 2 ½ inch diameter.
Measuring Your Bracelet Size
With your flexible measuring tape, measure just above (towards your elbow) the wrist bone, then make sure to add approximately ¼ inch to 1 inch (a ½ inch is average) depending how fitted you want your bracelet to be. That is then the size of the bracelet you would wear.
It's important that a bracelet fits comfortably or you won't want to wear it at all. This is why it's critical to purchase a bracelet at least a quarter-inch, but ideally a half-inch, larger than your actual wrist size.
That being said, your bracelets should strike a balance between moving around a little and still being tight enough so they don't slide off your hand. One way to find out whether your bracelets are the right fit is to slip one or two fingers between your wrist and your bracelet.
You should be able to fit two fingers comfortably between the bracelet and your wrist. Depending on your personal preference whether you like a snug fit, comfort fit or a loose fit, you may need to move up or down a size accordingly to suit your preference.
A good fitting bracelet has a bit of extra space between itself and your wrist... but not so much that it slides up and down your forearm/hand. You should be able to slide 1 or 2 fingers under the bracelet and your wrist. A good tip is to treat bracelets like you would your watch – keep it under your sleeve.
Generally the optimal length of a bracelet will fall about a half an inch (10.5cm) longer than your wrist circumference.
There is another option: If the bracelet is overly large, wear it over a sleeve or a glove. A layer of leather or the textured fabric of a sleeve will give the bracelet something to which it might cling, and the resultant closer fit will be much more flattering.
Wrap the measuring tape snugly around the widest part of your wrist. Note the number on the measuring tape, and add a half inch to determine the right bracelet size. For example: Wrist measurement is 5 inches: Your bracelet size is 5.5 inches.
Classic bracelets look best when worn loosely on the wrist, i.e. about 1-2cm longer than the circumference of the wrist. They should loosely encircle the wrist without being so wide that they can be pushed over the whole forearm.
The industry standard bracelet size for women is generally between 7 inches and 7.5 inches (18 to 19 cm), with 7 inches being the most common in women's jewelry. This bracelet size will sit nicely between the wrist bone and the base of the hand.
The most common size worn is a 19cm bracelet.
This allows room to fit charms on your bracelet and remain comfortable. If in doubt, order a size up or two. Remember, even if your bracelet fits well on your wrist, you must allow room for all of your charms to fit when you complete your bracelet.
It's essential to mix weights and bracelet widths for dimension as well as for settling sizes. Don't be scared. You'll want at least 2 bracelets on both wrists, but no more than 7 – anything over 7 typically becomes uncomfortable and overwhelming.
If you wear a tight bracelet, it may cause your wrist to feel numb or tingling. The numbing sensation is caused by the pressure of the bracelet cutting off circulation to your hand. Tingling is caused by the nerves in your hand being compressed. Wearing a tight bracelet can also cause your skin to break out in a rash.
The simplest technique to figure out if your chain bracelet is properly fitted is to see if just one of your fingers can fit between the bracelet and your wrist. The idea is for the chain to fall smoothly across your hand. Still, it shouldn't be so loose that it obstructs everyday activities.
Adjustable Chain Bracelets
Adjustable bracelets are a smart compromise for women with small wrists. If you know the overall length of the bracelet, you can usually assume that the chain will shorten it by at least half a size.
Unlike the adjustable bracelet and the bangle, the bracelets with clasps are not expandable. As default our bracelets for women are 18 cm, which is the most common size. For men we use a default of 21 cm. Some of those bracelets come in different sizes and to help out a bit we made you a bracelet size guide.
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.
Your bracelet should not be loose enough to fall off or so tight it cuts off circulation. Always select or adjust the size of your bracelet to your own personal comfort level.
Most right-handers opt to wear their wrist watch on the left side, and so prefer to wear a bracelet on their right wrist. Then again, if you're a lefty, you'll probably head the other way. Ultimately, these are just conventions, so go with whatever feels right to you.
You don't want to be disappointed when your bracelet arrives only to find it is too small or too big. For the majority of women, a bracelet size that is between 7 to 7.5 inches is considered standard.
If you are buying a delicate bracelet with a thin chain, we suggest doing a snug fit. Most other bracelets should have a comfort fit except when buying large or thick cuffs or bangles. It's best to buy large bracelets with a loose fit so you don't feel like you are suffocating your wrist.
Style with up to 7-10 charms, but if you plan on wearing more than 5 charms, choose the next size up to make sure there's enough room between the charms and your wrist. Slide the large metal bead up or down to make the bracelet tighter or looser, to suit you and your different looks. The bead stays where you slide it.