How to measure your wrist for a bracelet or watch
Bracelet and watch sizes are based on your wrist circumference. Measuring it takes a minute. The part people get wrong is the next step: a bracelet should be a bit bigger than your wrist, and how much bigger depends on how you like it to fit.
Measure your wrist
- Wrap a strip of paper or a piece of string around your wrist, just above the wrist bone, where a watch would sit.
- Pull it snug but not tight, and mark where it overlaps.
- Lay it flat and measure from the end to the mark with a ruler. Use millimeters or sixteenths of an inch for accuracy.
Most adult wrists measure somewhere between 14 and 19 cm (5½–7½ inches). Measure twice, and if you’re between two numbers, use the larger.
Bracelet size: add some ease
A bracelet is sized by its own inside length, so add a little to your wrist measurement:
| Fit | Add to your wrist |
|---|---|
| Snug | about 1 cm (⅜ in) |
| Comfortable | about 2 cm (¾ in) |
| Loose | about 2.5–3 cm (1–1¼ in) |
So a 16 cm wrist usually wears a 17 cm bracelet snug and an 18 cm bracelet comfortably. Thick or chunky bracelets take up more room on the inside, so add another half centimeter for those.
These are rules of thumb. Jewelers measure differently, so check the seller’s sizing notes too.
Watch straps
A watch strap is listed by the range of wrists it fits, for example “fits 150–200 mm wrists”. Check your measurement is comfortably inside that range rather than at the very end. You’ll want a free hole or two to loosen it on a hot day.
Strap width is a separate measurement: the gap between the watch case’s lugs, usually 18, 20 or 22 mm. If you’re buying a replacement strap, measure that gap with a caliper or ruler.
For a gift
If the bracelet is a surprise, measure a bracelet or watch the person already wears. Lay it flat and measure its inside length end to end, including the clasp.