Should I measure my wrist or my existing bracelet?

Measure your wrist. Then tell the maker what finished length you would like, or describe the fit. An existing bracelet's length tells you nothing about the wrist underneath it, because different styles add different amounts of slack.

How much bigger should a bracelet be than my wrist?

Typically 1 to 1.5 cm for a fine chain, and 1.5 to 2.5 cm for heavier or beaded styles. Wide cuffs sit high on the wrist and need only about 0.5 cm.

What size is an average wrist?

Around 16 to 17 cm for many women and 18 to 19 cm for many men, but the spread is wide. This is precisely why a made-to-measure bracelet is worth doing.

Can a handmade bracelet be resized later?

Usually yes, for chain and link styles where the clasp can be moved. Beaded and wrapped designs are harder. Ask before ordering if you expect to need an adjustment.

Which is more accurate, centimetres or inches?

Centimetres, because the scale is finer. Half a centimetre is roughly a fifth of an inch, which is easy to write down as a clear number rather than a fraction.

How to Measure Your Wrist for a Handmade Bracelet

Wrist measurement is the single most common reason a bracelet gets returned or goes unworn. It is also the easiest thing to get right, if you measure the way a maker actually needs.

There are two numbers involved, and people confuse them constantly: your wrist circumference and the finished bracelet length. They are not the same, and the second one depends on the style of the bracelet.

Measure your wrist: two methods

Method 1 — tape measure

Wrap a flexible tape measure around your wrist, just below the wrist bone.
Keep it snug but not tight. You should be able to slide a fingertip underneath.
Note the measurement in centimetres, to the nearest half centimetre.
Measure twice. The first attempt is usually a little loose.

Method 2 — string and ruler

If you do not have a tape measure, wrap a strip of paper or a piece of string around your wrist, mark where it overlaps, then lay it flat against a ruler. It is just as accurate.

Measure the wrist, not an existing braceletLying a bracelet flat and measuring it gives you that bracelet's length, not your wrist. The two differ by anywhere from 0.5 cm to 3 cm depending on style and how it closes. Measure your wrist, and describe the fit you want.

How much to add for the finished length

A bracelet needs to be longer than your wrist, or it will not fasten comfortably and will press on the wrist bone. How much longer depends on the design.

Bracelet style	Add to wrist	Why
Fine chain with small clasp	+1.0 to 1.5 cm	Needs a little slack to hang and not dig in
Beaded / strung bracelet	+1.0 to 2.0 cm	Cord does not flex the way a chain does
Cuff or bangle (open at the back)	Width of the opening accounts for it	Measured by the gap, not the length
Wide band or solid cuff	+0.5 cm only	Sits high on the wrist, so it can be closer
Charm or heavy-link bracelet	+1.5 to 2.5 cm	Weight needs room to move without pulling

If you are between sizes, go up. A bracelet can usually be worn slightly loose; one that is too tight is unwearable.

The fit test before you order

Rather than guessing, do this: cut a strip of paper to the finished length you are considering, wrap it around your wrist, and check three things.

It should fasten without the ends having to be forced together.
You should be able to slide one finger between the strip and your wrist, but not two.
When you let your arm hang, the strip should sit about 1 cm below the wrist bone, not on top of it.

That is the fit most people end up happiest with.

Why handmade changes the calculation

Mass-produced bracelets come in fixed lengths — 16, 18 and 20 cm and so on. If none of those fits, you are out of luck. The industry quietly assumes an average wrist that does not exist.

A handmade bracelet is made to your measurement. That is the entire point. But it also means we can only work from the number you give us, so accuracy matters more, not less.

Two practical consequences:

Give the measurement in centimetres, not as “small, medium, large” — Sizes are not standardised between brands. A number is unambiguous.
Tell us the fit you want in words too — Snug against the wrist, or loose and hanging? That single sentence prevents most sizing problems. Our custom enquiry page takes both.

Measurements for necklaces and rings

The same principle applies, with different landmarks.

Piece	How to measure	Add
Necklace	Circumference of your neck, plus your preferred drop	Depends on where the piece should sit
Ring	Internal diameter of a ring that already fits, in mm	Nothing — send the diameter, not the circumference
Earring drop	From the piercing to where you want the piece to end	Nothing

For rings, use internal diameter in millimetres. Ring sizing sticks vary between countries and a 0.3 mm error is a full size. A diameter measurement is far more reliable than a letter or a number.

Five mistakes to avoid

Measuring over a sleeve or a watch. Measure bare skin.
Measuring in the morning, when wrists are slightly swollen. Measure in the afternoon.
Measuring in cold weather. Wrists are measurably smaller when cold.
Using a stiff ruler against the wrist. It will not follow the curve, so it reads short.
Sending a bracelet length instead of a wrist circumference, without saying which it is.

Any of these can put the result out by enough to matter. None of them take more than a few seconds to avoid.