How to get her ring size...

[yarm]

My girlfriend whom I've been with for a little over 1.5 years let me know in our last meeting over Christmas/New Year, that she's expecting me to propose and after I came back home and gave it some thought, I decided to go ahead with it and propose when we will be together again in 2-3 months.

I've started looking at rings, but I realized I have no idea what size to get. I know they can be resized and all, but this would be somewhat inconvenient, because we're meeting in a 3rd country, and I don't want to take the ring back with me to get it resized, right after I've given it to her, or tell her "go get it resized when you're back home".

I speak Russian, so I've thought about emailing or calling her mother, or maybe one of her friends to ask for their help, to see if they can find out her ring size for me, but I don't know if I can trust them to keep a secret... I don't want to spoil the surprise.

Anyone have any ideas?

[Faux Pas]

Estimate. What's the weight and height of your bride to be? You can get it relatively close and get it resized later if need be. Resizing really isn't that big of a deal

[yarm]

She's about 5"6-5"7, 110 and has long lean fingers. I have no idea what ring size to estimate with that information though...

[Faux Pas]

She's about 5"6-5"7, 110 and has long lean fingers. I have no idea what ring size to estimate with that information though...

She's skinny. I'm guessing 5-5.5 There are a couple of members here who are also proficient in the jeweler trade. Maybe one of them will chime in

[Jumper]

FP, that seems about right..


Yarm-  any jeweler you buy at,  should be able to get you close..




as far as asking friends, or mother,  why not!! ? you speak Russian , ask them!

You think its really going to be a *big* surpise either way?
afterall you are buying it after her prompting you the last visit.. and her expectation

nothing wrong with that!!!

i'm just pointing out she's made her expectation clear,
and odds are if you DINT propose , that would be the big surprise at the next visit!! =O


engagement rings while understood, and certainly known, are not a big part on engagement there, so i dont think a resize issue will be a huge hurdle , if its needed.


good luck!

[acctBill]

What surprise?  Your g/f has already stated that she expects you to propose. Don't bother with your future MIL or girlfriends, no Russian mother or girlfriend is going to keep a secret like that.  By now your g/f,  her mother and others have probably started planning your wedding.   

Next time you speak on the phone casually bring up the subject of a wedding.  If she knows you that well she will probably say something about the plans being made. At this point you can mention that proposing requires a ring and buying a ring is better done when you know the ring size. 

Удачи!   

[GQBlues]

What surprise?  Your g/f has already stated that she expects you to propose.

LOL. Good call as I was thinking the same when I first read the topic. Things the way they are, just ask her what her finger size is. She already told him she expected him to propose on his next visit, so....

[BC]

Has nothing at all to do with rings 'n things.. she's getting weary.

Put up or shut up time.  Just get on a plane and do the deed.  There are jewelery stores all over FSU and they will make it fit for a lot less.

IMHO

[viking]

Yarm

I stand to be corrected on this, but many RW dont expect the same type of engagement rings that an AW would. Some dont even expect a ring at all. In my wifes case, I bought a very nice but inexpensive pendant that I offered when I proposed. She wanted to pick out the ring herself. ( something to think about!!). A few days later, when we got back to her home city, we went to a jewelry store and she found a ring she absolutely loved. Cost me all of $78. I could not get her to spend more and I tried. So my questions to you are.. Does she expect a ring?....would the two of you like to select it in person?...is a diamond the preferred choice or does she prefer a different type of stone such as a birth stone?..whose decision is that?  Dont let the DeBeers marketing group sway you.

BTW. Some ladies will not wear a larger/expensive ring in public for safety reasons. And there is nothing stopping you from upgrading once she is here, and the marriage is a done deal.

[tfcrew]

The usual?... 6
That's what I found, and it still fits.
Believe me, if they really want that ring, they'll get it to fit.

Big name jewelers will offer free sizing esp if you get the wedding band combo.

Some shops will squawk about the price of gold and so on but really..com' on ...your talking milligrams.

Good luck that whatever you find ..she will cherish.


Karl

[Boethius]

Buy the ring together.  What if you choose a ring she hates?

[SMS60]

What happened to the man wanting to get engaged when he was "darn sure" to be "lock and loaded" ready? Not the women telling him

Size 5.5

[GQBlues]

Yeah...well, there goes the STRONG MAN concept out the window...pheeew

[GoodOlBoy]

There are jewelery stores all over FSU and they will make it fit for a lot less.

This is absolutely true!
Just don't be surprised by the "color" of their gold.

GOB

PS....added bonus, her friends and family will probably be impressed!

[mendeleyev]

I most definitely would ask the parents, no matter her age, as it's a sign of respect.

Ring? Most definitely less expensive and good quality there, but what does she do with it? As a rule there is no formal engagement period in a courtship and engagement rings, while not unknown, are not a common tradition. I asked my wife at the time and her exact words were "what would I do with it?"

Very few if any local guys buy one so why is it a requirement for the western man? As it might hold little meaning to her as an "engagement" symbol, why not offer something she's like from a local jeweler? Who knows, she might view a tennis bracelet or cocktail ring as more practical in her tradition.

[Faux Pas]

Alas, chivalry is dead at RWD 

They are meeting in a 3rd country and dude want's to propose at least by Western standards. Obviously it's no secret as he is avoiding the ultimatum. He just asked help on ring size 

[yarm]

Thanks for all the comments.

What happened to the man wanting to get engaged when he was "darn sure" to be "lock and loaded" ready? Not the women telling him

Size 5.5

Our situation is a little different from most on this site, as neither of us was looking for a relationship, much less a long distance thing when we met. I certainly wasn't looking for a wife, and she knew this. But we love each other, and have been together for quite a while now, and have talked about joining our lives, I just didn't want to rush to a decision. Isn't that what you recommend everyone here?  

As for asking her parents, I actually did have a conversation with her about this, and she said there was no such tradition that she was aware of and she would find it strange and so would her parents. She has already told her parents about our intentions anyway, and says they approve.

[acctBill]

I most definitely would ask the parents, no matter her age, as it's a sign of respect.

Ring? Most definitely less expensive and good quality there, but what does she do with it? As a rule there is no formal engagement period in a courtship and engagement rings, while not unknown, are not a common tradition. I asked my wife at the time and her exact words were "what would I do with it?"

Very few if any local guys buy one so why is it a requirement for the western man? As it might hold little meaning to her as an "engagement" symbol, why not offer something she's like from a local jeweler? Who knows, she might view a tennis bracelet or cocktail ring as more practical in her tradition.

Mendeleyev I would agree with you if Yarm and his g/f were older and especially if Yarm didn't speak Russian.  However, Yarm says he speaks Russian well enough to speak with his future MIL and his g/f's friends so I assume he is familiar with Russian traditions.  

Also in my trips to Russia I've noticed that amongst the younger Russians, more women are getting engagement rings.  This seems to be especially true when a RW marries a western man who would normally buy an engagement ring if he was marrying a western woman.

[yarm]

Actually, I don't think she's expecting a ring from me, but that's why I kind of want to surprise her with it a little bit. 

I've thought about buying the ring together, but that would also ruin the surprise. I do know her tastes though, so one thing I'm considering now, is maybe buying a not too expensive ring that I know she might like style-wise, which would be a good gift regardless, and then if she wants maybe we can pick something together.

Again, thanks for all the comments, they're helpful.

[erudite]

In my case her sister let her try on some of her rings and the one that fit the best had the size in it stamped, 15.5 which is Russian sizing. Must be converted to Western sizing.  I went to a Jewelry Exposition in Kharkiv with my fiancee and her uncle and there was an immense amount of beautiful jewelry to see with decent pricing.  There is some very fine jewelry in Ukraine most definitely and I would agree to let her pick the ring herself. 

One thing to consider about the color of the gold in Ukraine and FSU, it is "rose" colored with a reddish copper tone and if you buy her wedding ring(s) there it will always be a reminder of the mother country and where you found her, maybe a little sentimental for a good reason.

My fiancee has not found anything to object about over the nice "yellow" gold jewelry I have given her from the States, she likes it very much and wears her cross necklace each day.

[Blues Fairy]

She's about 5"6-5"7, 110 and has long lean fingers. I have no idea what ring size to estimate with that information though...

I'd play it safe and get a 6 or even a 6.5 if I were you; it's easy to shrink if necessary.  It's better if the ring is a tad too big rather than too small when she tries it. 

[I/O]

Skip the ring and buy a pendant. Engagement rings mean jack in Russia.

[Turboguy]

I guess Google is pretty smart.  The google ad I see at the bottom of the page is for a free "Find her ring size offer"

I have to agree with I/O that engagement rings are not part of the Russian culture.

I will through out one other thing.  You might make her happier by letting her pick out her own ring.  My wife is probably a little more particular than the average gal but she does have very strong likes and dislikes.  What she likes for a ring is very different than what I would have picked and in our case she picked out her own ring.  She is much happier with it than had I picked it out and actually the ring she liked was not as expensive as what I would have picked. 

[Daveman]

...
I speak Russian, so I've thought about emailing or calling her mother, or maybe one of her friends to ask for their help, to see if they can find out her ring size for me, but I don't know if I can trust them to keep a secret... I don't want to spoil the surprise.

Anyone have any ideas?

Well that's easy, just use your fluency in Russian to make some contacts on the dark side, have them snag the finger on a dark back alley and send it to be measured!

Then you'll know the exact size AND have a valid reason to buy a pendant instead!   Plus they can add the finger to the De Beers Collection of Arms.  :evil:

I agree with the others who have told you - let the woman pick out her own jewelry -- if you want to surprise her... then just be out walking somewhere and "happen" across a jewelry store with a wide selection to just "check out the jewelry" because you are interested in an Onyx ring for yourself (whatever).. look at jewelry for both of you so it seems you are really just checking things out... you can either buy hers there together with a sudden "We'll take it" or play it sly and let her indicate what she really likes, kinda shake your head and lead her out of the store,.. then sneak back later to buy it.

Either way, she should pick out exactly what she really likes. 

Personally, I despise diamonds with a sincere passion (but I will refrain from my De Beers rant this time)

[Doll]

My husband-to-be took me to the store and let me pick and try the ring. I don't see anything wrong in it.
Yes, he set "the limit"