Most ring widths are measured in millimeters or “mm” for short, even in countries that use inches, such as the USA. Most people already have a hard enough time trying to imagine how wide a quarter inch or a half inch is. So, it is much more difficult to imagine how wide 6 mm is when you don’t even think in terms of the metric system to begin with. Customers frequently struggle with how wide they want their ring or wedding band to be. Below is a chart that shows common ring widths in millimeters converted to inches. If you have a ruler handy, you could reference it to easily visualize how wide the ring you are about to order will be.
Ring Band Chart - mm to inch conversion
Converting millimeters to inches
| Conversions | See Selections! | |
|---|---|---|
| mm | inches | |
| 2 | 0.07 | 2mm Width Rings |
| 4 | 0.15 | 4mm Width Rings |
| 6 | 0.23 | 6mm Width Rings |
| 8 | 0.31 | 8mm Width Rings |
| 10 | 0.39 | 10mm Width Rings |
| 12 | 0.47 | 12mm Width Rings |
| 20 | 0.78 | 20mm Width Rings |
If you don’t happen to have a ruler nearby, an everyday object we have found that gives an accurate representation of the width of a ring is a 5¢ US nickel. The thickness of a nickel is basically 2 mm thick.
How wide is a 2mm ring?
A 2mm ring is as about the width of a nickle. A standard U.S uses nickle measures 1/16 of an inch, which is almost 2mm wide.
How wide is an 8mm ring?
An 8mm ring is as about the width of four nickles stacked together. A standard U.S uses nickle measures 1/16 of an inch, which is almost 2mm wide. Four nickles, or 8mm, would measure 1/4 inch.
How wide is a 6mm ring?
An 6mm ring is as about the width of three nickles stacked together. A standard U.S uses nickle measures 1/16 of an inch, which is almost 2mm wide. Three nickles, or 6mm, would measure 6/16 inch.
If you stack three nickels it would be 6mm thick, 4 would be 8mm thick, and so on and so forth. So, simply find some loose change in your pocket, and stack nickels together to visualize how wide your ring will be. See below for a chart that gives equivalent numbers of nickels for common rings widths.
Ring Band Chart - mm to nickels conversion
Converting millimeters to stacked nickels
How wide should a mans ring be?
The most common ring width for men is 8mm wide. However, many men choose to get a 6mm or 10mm ring. Men with larger finger sizes tend to prefer wider rings. A majority of men that have a finger size under 9.0 prefer a 6 mm wide ring. This is because they do not want the ring to look too big in comparison to their hand. Men with finger sizes above 9.0 tend to prefer an 8 mm wide ring, or even a 10 mm wide ring. We do offer rings above 12 mm wide, and men who prefer those rings really just like wider rings. It has nothing to do with their finger size. In the end it all comes down to personal preference. There are no hard rules about how wide your wedding band should be. There are even men who prefer 4 mm wide rings because they are not used to wearing a ring, and that is perfectly fine. Rings are made to be unisex. All our styles can be worn by a man or a woman.
For women, the most common width to get is 4 mm. Women with smaller finger sizes, for example, under size 6.0 tend to go for a 2 mm wide wedding ring. However, because certain wedding ring styles are only available in 6 mm or wider, it is common for women to use a 6 mm ring. Of course, the width of the ring for a woman also depends on personal preference, just like it does for men. We have frequently seen women go for 10 mm or 12 mm wide rings. This is because some women do not wear an engagement ring and a wedding ring. They only wear a wedding ring, so they use a wider ring to take the place of two rings.
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