Measure Your Wrist
When buying a bracelet online, it is important for your comfort to choose the length of your bracelet; so that it is not too tight around your wrist or too loose not to wander around your forearm.
Once you know your wrist size, you just need to add an extra 1 to 3 cm (depending on your comfort) to know the ideal size of your flexible bracelet.
This method works for both women's and men's bracelets.
How to measure easily your wrist ?
The first, easiest way to measure your wrist circumference is to use a tape measure, wrapped around your wrist, it gives you an exact measure of the size of it.
The other way is to cut a strip of paper or use a cord that wraps around your wrist, where you usually wear your bracelets.
Make a pencil line on the cord or on the paper ribbon, then measure with a flat ruler the line length to line.
However the tape measure method is easier to implement, it is the one that I advise you.
If these techniques help you choose the size of a flexible bracelet, you may need more details in the case of a purchase of rigid bracelet made of silver or gold that are undeformable.
For these types of bracelets, you will need to know your wrist width and also your hand size in order to pass it through the rigid bracelet ring.
Since it is not always easy to measure your wrist width with a ruler, a good method is to determine it using your wrist size.
For women, the most common is that the wrist height is 2/3 of its width.
So, all that remains is to do a little math to find out the formula that links your wrist width to the extent of its perimeter.
2x (width + height) = Perimeter (P)
2x (width + 2/3 width) = P
10 x width / 3 = P
So width = 10xP / 3
So if your wrist circumference is 17 cm, the width of it is about 51 mm. This formula helps you to quickly choose a rigid bracelet that suits you.
To measure the diameter of your hand to pass in the ring of the bangle or the rigid bracelet, it is necessary to repeat the same operation as for your wrist.
Fold your thumb inside your hand, then measure with a tape measure or a strip of paper around your hand. The diameter of this one is D = Perimeter main / 3,14.
So if the circumference of your hand thus measured is 19 cm, the acceptable diameter for a bangle is 60 mm.
I bought a bracelet that is too short or too big. What can I do ?
If you bought a bracelet online or if you were offered a bracelet whose dimensions do not suit your morphology, you can have it repaired by a craftsman jeweler.
This problem arises especially in the case of custom made bracelets that can not be returned or exchanged.
However, it's easy for a good craftsman to get you out of the rut.
If your soft bracelet is leather
and that it is too short. No doubts, it will redo the leather part to the right extent. If the clasp is silver or metal plated, it will be kept after separating the leather clasp.
It will be reused with the new leather strap at the right length.
If your leather strap is too long, then it will be easier. We will remove the metal clasp of the leather and it will be reinstalled following the lengthening of the leather part. The operation is then relatively simple.
Leather bracelet with clasp in sterling silver, made by Olivier, Breton craftsman working on the manufacture of leather bracelets for men (source photo: Made In Bretagne)
To choose the length of your leather bracelet, Olivier gives you here the necessary advice depending on whether you want a wide port or near the skin of your leather strap.
If your supple bracelet is silver or gold.
If it is too short, the jeweler retouching it will have to add a piece of chain or links to your bracelet.
This operation is the most delicate of all, because to add only one centimeter of chain, the jeweler will have to provide the same type of chain or to redo it himself with welded silver wire or redo the missing links are identical.
In the latter case, it is a tailor-made job whose cost will be prohibitive if you want to lengthen a fine silver bracelet (fr) trade.
If it is a gold bracelet, then the operation will be more justified and the price consistent with the cost of jewelry.
If your bracelet is too long, the operation is easy, the craftsman will remove the extra links to get the right length.
Although the operation seems simple, it will be necessary for you to go through a jeweler, because following the cut, it will be necessary to tie the ring of the clasp in place.
You probably do not have the skills and equipment to do it yourself.
It is easily understood that putting the length of such a silver bracelet by adding a link is more expensive than shortening it.
For rigid bracelets made of precious metals.
The length is made by cutting the bracelet and adding or removing metal. In the case of a decrease in size, the operation is the simplest.
The jeweler must focus especially on achieving an invisible weld cut areas.
In the case of an addition of metal, the operation can be more complex and expensive depending on whether one speaks of silver or gold and the complexity of the pattern of the bracelet to be reproduced by the craftsman.
The length of such a rigid bracelet will be much more complex for the jeweler to work on a simple bangle bracelet.
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