What are the most common ring sizes?

[Solunar Silver Studio]

I've just been making my first attempts at pmc rings - using my own handmade fine silver ring liners. It has all worked out surprisingly well! I am wearing 2 as I type this - one 'retro' geometric and one girlie flowery - and I have another two drying off prior to firing. I was just wondering what sizes of ring are most common in the big wide world so that I could make a few examples in sizes that might fit somebody!! I have the hands of a blacksmith:D and so wear an R on my 'thin' days and an S the rest of the time!! But I'm sure I'm not normal....in oh so many ways!!! So, what size are you?? And if you make rings what has been the most common size in your experience?

[AlexandraBuckle]

My wedding ring finger is a K.

I sell mostly small to medium sizes - from about H to O.

...what is normal anyway... :confused:

[MuranoSilver]

The most common sizes I sell are L,M,N,O&P
with N/O being the best sellers by far.

Nic x

[Solunar Silver Studio]

Thanks Nic and Alexandra, WHAT!!:eek: H???? Who ever has an H?? I've just tried my ring sizer and I can't even get it over my little finger knuckle!! It's really interesting though - it means I will use less silver per ring!!:D. I hope a few more people will join in this thread....2 statistics does not a thesis make!!...I could do with a bit more info before I decide just how freaky my hands really are!! I guess I'll have to find a 'hand model' to photograph these rings I'm making then!! Ha ha ha ha:D

[AlexandraBuckle]

The really small sizes are my small adjustable tiara rings. THey adjust from about H - K, so it could be that most people wear them on the larger side of small.
Also my tiara rings are quite dainty - they look best on dainty hands! I've not sold nearly as many large ones P - S.

[Solunar Silver Studio]

http://i558.photobucket.com/albums/ss23/solunarsilverstudio/rings4me.jpg
Sorry to go a bit off thread but I have done 15 posts now so think I am entitled to add stuff.:o (If I can work out how to do it!!) I have just got these 2 rings on the left - the knuckle duster-ette and the lunar craters - out of the kiln and given them a quick brush...I am so pleased with how they are shaping up!!...yes I know you can see a bit of a ding in the one on the left...I obviously rushed the filing of the naf fusing join...but they are only experiments - made to fit my FAT fingers!!...and I am just so happy!!:) The other 2 - the tiny flowers and the 'retro' - have been in the tumbler for a couple of hours but I couldn't wait to get them on after I made them and I have worn them since Sunday morning so they are not really shiny enough yet. I will wear them 24/7 for a couple of weeks to test the durability of the product and then I will make some (rather neater ones in sizes N and O!! - thanks Nic!) for my website...what do you think??
Barbara

[AlexandraBuckle]

I think they look lovely, how much will you charge do you think...?

[Solunar Silver Studio]

Thanks Alexandra! Hmmmmmm.....the age old question isn't it? I was thinking in the region of £35-£45 but I've not really done any research yet. (This is my very new project and I didn't expect them to work out so well at first attempt!!):) But that would certainly cover my overheads, materials and give me a good hourly rate...but how far can I go??? In the local area I think I would be pushing my luck to go over £35 so I would have to figure a discount deal for my parties (thanks for the idea Nic!)...as for the website....well, what do you think???:o

[AlexandraBuckle]

Hmmm, I think somewhere in the region of £35 - £40 is a fair price for them. I was secretly hoping you would say £5 so i could afford one :)
How long did they take you? I've not used PMC before so I have no idea how easy/difficult/time consuming it is.

[Solunar Silver Studio]

HA! That would be one hell of a discount, Alexandra ....Sorry!!...and that is just the sort of comment I get from people round here too!!
Well, it took me about 20 minutes to cut, shape and fuse 4 ring liners from a strip of fine silver metal....plus a bit of inefficient filing!!!:o...should have added another couple of minutes to that but I was just soooo keen to get started!! I then worked on 2 rings in tandem - working on one while the other was drying enough to go back to work on. I am still very much a novice with pmc as I got distracted with fusing siver chains about 18 months ago!! so I am rather 'fingers and thumbs' at the moment but it took about an hour to have them both done and drying ready to fire. That's what I love about fine silver work - and pmc - it is all so clean and quick!! I don't have horrible firescale to pickle off and I don't have to wait between opperations before I can move on...I love it...love it...LOVE IT!!!!!
By the way - add me to the ranks that are pressurising you to get your ears done!! It is a drag for the first few weeks but then you have a lifetime of wearing beautiful things to look forward to!
Barbara

[AlexandraBuckle]

Ha ha, I wasn't seriously thinking they would only be £5 btw, and yes my customers look at me aghast when I tell them how much my work is too :mad: - they just don't realise the time and effort involved!

Two rings in a hour seems pretty good as a first attempt - you'll prob get quicker as you do more as well.

Good luck with them - I think they will sell well!

Yes - is now or never for my ears...

[MuranoSilver]

Love those rings of yours and how clever to make your own ring liners :D
I've just seen the circles ring with enamel in - it's gorgeous!!
Yep I think the £35 - £45 pricing would be about right (I've just checked and it's what my similar style fine silver band rings sell out at).

So if you now have midnight blue enamel in your "lunar craters" what are you calling your new range.....

Nic x

[Solunar Silver Studio]

I've no idea - I'm hopeless at catchy descriptions! Somehow I think anything with craters in the title will crash and burn!! Feel free to offer suggestions!!;):o

[MuranoSilver]

How about the "Eclipse" range?

[Solunar Silver Studio]

Me thinks you have done this sort of thing before!! That sounds really fitting as I think these rings will eclipse anything I have done before!! Thanks for that suggestion -....erm you are not wanting a cut of the profits are you??:eek:

[MuranoSilver]

ROFL - nope :D

[julie]

loving the rings ... very nice ;)

[Solunar Silver Studio]

Thanks Julie. I've nearly finished the piece of fine silver sheet I bought to 'play' with - and as it all seems to have gone so well I am trying to decide how much to buy for the next order. The fact that you all seem to like the finished rings has been very encouraging (and my daughter has just ordered one of the 'eclipse' rings (thank you Nic!!) so I think I can invest more than a fiver on it!!!:D

I am still interested to hear other people's ring size though.....so please keep adding to my Ring Size Database!!

[Charlotte]

My wedding ring finger is a 'K', I tend to make rings for men and women between k - R. I was wondering the very same thing the other day!

Lovely rings Solunar, I particularly like the flower one, I can't believe how quick you can make them, mine take forevvvvvvvvvvvvver. I must get a kiln;)

[MuranoSilver]

Hi Barbara (Solunar)
What thickness of fine silver sheet did you use for your ring liners?
I've tried the commercial ones but they're cost prohibitive to use for classes
(never thought of just fusing some, duh!)

Hope you're going to put some on your website for folks who are afraid of flames & have gas stoves ;)

Nic x

[AlexandraBuckle]

Ok, so i'm going to have to ask (was hoping I could fiigure it out for myself :o )

What is a ring liner?

I've never made 'traditional' rings before... wouldn't know where to start!

[MuranoSilver]

A ring liner is something that goes inside the main ring to either strengthen it or to avoid the main metal contacting your skin.
e.g. PMC & Silver Clay rings are strengthened by adding a fine silver ring liner
or folks might build a resin ring around a sterling or fine silver core.
Or Polymer clay around copper bangles (they completely cover the bangle both sides and use the copper core for strength).

Nic x

[Solunar Silver Studio]

Hi Nic and Alexandra...I'm just waiting for some pmc to dry a bit...honest!!

I have used .7 sheet...it is all guesswork really, but I use .7 wire in some of my chains and I feel it is about as thin as you can go before it really seems to lose some strength - so I figured it is a good place to start. I haven't set eyes on a commercial one so I can't say how thick they are! I was also a bit worried about going too thick because I didn't know how easily it would fuse. I only have a little torch - and I have only fused wire up to 1.5mm with it so I didn't even know if it would work. As it happens - it was really easy...in fact a little too easy as it 'goes' so quickly you tend to lose the corners of the join:eek:...if you see what I mean - and you have to try and rescue it with manic filing!!

I am planning to put some fine silver findings for pmc/acs users on my website as soon as I can get myself organised - I have only put chain on there so far. Since I am making all my own stuff it would be relatively easy to do a few more and pop them on for others but I am juggling so many balls at the moment...and the computer/website/blog aspect is really a trial for me.:eek: I am getting better at it the more I do it.

And Alexandra...blatent plug here...:o but you might get a better idea of the ring liners if you look at the blog on my website...(not the wordpress one as that is a bit more 'off the wall'). I don't really go into details but you should be able to see how it works with the pictures.

[Solunar Silver Studio]

My wedding ring finger is a 'K', I tend to make rings for men and women between k - R. I was wondering the very same thing the other day!

Ok, Ok... another skinny finger...(sigh!). And not only that but my fingers are bigger than the average man!!! Oh well, I get a chance to show off larger areas of silver on mine... nah nah nana nah!!

I'm currently wearing all 4 rings that I have made so far on my 2 ring fingers - (well - I have to test run them!) - as well as my wedding ring - so I can barely bend my fingers!! ...Oh! it's all such a trial!!:D

Thanks for the compliment Charlotte - and these rings are proving to be so easy I could weep for joy!!:D

[AlexandraBuckle]

Ah thanks Nic and Solunar - I get it now - the blog helped too :)

[MuranoSilver]

Hi Nic and Alexandra...I'm just waiting for some pmc to dry a bit...honest!!

I have used .7 sheet...it is all guesswork really, but I use .7 wire in some of my chains and I feel it is about as thin as you can go before it really seems to lose some strength - so I figured it is a good place to start.

The ring liners are quite solid so I'll give .8 and 1mm a try so we can compare notes :)
Have you invested in a mains mug warmer yet Barbara? I wouldn't be without mine as it's a life saver for drying PMC!

Nic x

[julie]

i got a mug warmer half price a while back when i started "PMC" they still reduced i'm not sure if i'm allowed to add the link being new i don't want to get in trouble ?? ... USB Stainless Steel Coffee Warmer with Cup with Lid... ((bargain)) :rolleyes:

[julie]

sorry would help if i said it was from argos £4.89 .. D'oh

[MuranoSilver]

The USB ones are fine but the mains ones are better (if you can get one)
mines a Simpsons one (Doh!) but I've also seen En-ger-land ones
Nic x

[Solunar Silver Studio]

Hi Nic - No I haven't got a mug warmer...I improvised!:o I have a mini, adjustable clip on spotlight dangling from my shelf - below this I have a metal mesh letter rack turned on it's side - thus providing me with 3 'shelves' bathed in heat on which I can slide my work ...each piece on a small section of non-stick baking sheet (not the paper type) that I have cut up, allowing me to remove individual pieces without disturbing the others. This arrangement also gives me a bit more extra light in addition to my working light - since my pmc work space is in a cupboard and it can be a bit gloomy!!:D

My only reservation with thicker ring liners is that it might add to the overall thickness of the finished ring. I know it is only an extra .3mm but it all adds up!!

[ben b]

..............................

[Solunar Silver Studio]

Wow, thanks ben b...that was really interesting - and useful. I'll get all that information stored away somewhere for future reference. I am concentrating on women's jewellery for starters - but there is no reason why I shouldn't move on to men later..The thought of a man's ring potentially being made on a bangle mandrel is a little scary though...note to self - don't attend any Midlands Night Clubs!!=:-O Mind you - if any Midlands lasses are reading this I don't fancy your chances either:-D!!
Barbara

[caroleallen]

I really like those rings, well done. I find the most popular sizes are M to Q. I've made loads of adjustable coloured aluminium and silver rings which should make life easier when it comes to sizing.

[Solunar Silver Studio]

Thanks for your nice comment on my rings! It was my first foray into pmc rings with ring liners and so I was pretty happy with it as a starting point!.. This can only improve the more I make. It would be perfect if I could make adjustable ones - but with them being made from fine silver they are not strong enough to maintain their shape without being made from a complete circle. Making a liner from pure silver sheet metal also helps to make them a bit stronger than if they were made from pmc alone. I have been wearing 3 of these rings now (24/7) since I made them...that includes digging up the raspberry patch in my garden and sawing and planing a coulple of bits of wood (I don't respect my jewellery much...but it sure gives my pratice pieces a hell of a test drive!!). Surprisingly they hardly have a mark on them and have maintained their circular shape so I am really pleased....not that I would suggest to a customer that fine silver jewellery should be treated in such a way!! =:-O. [-X

As experiments go I think it has been very successful...and I have got so much information from everybody!...thanks!...you are a wonderful lot!! [[]]

Barbara

[Sheltie]

Firstly really nice rings, I have only tried using PMC twice to make rings.

My ring size is Z (but I am a man :">) However most of my rings sell from K upward to V, We have some very chunky Crofter lasses up here. The good thing is they are happy to wear the rings whilst working with the animals and have never had a problem with them

[bustagasket]

Thanks Nic and Alexandra, WHAT!!:eek: H???? Who ever has an H??

When we first bought my engagement rin (nearly 30 years ago) my wedding ring finge was a size G, but then before i had kids i was under 7 stone lol i have since had to had it enlarged as my fingers have thickend along with the rest of me lmao