Measuring your wrist circumference for a leather bracelet

Choose the spot on your wrist where you normally would put your jewellery so you can take an accurate measurement, which tends to be around the widest part of your wrist or just below the bone next to your hand. Then follow the steps below:

Animated images showing how to measure the wrist circumference

1. Wrap a string around your wrist . Use a piece of string that’s about 1 foot (30 cm) long so there’s enough excess to wrap around your wrist. Lay the string on a flat surface so it’s straight and set your wrist on top of it so your palm is face up. Wrap the ends over your wrist so it’s snug against your skin and so it overlaps in the middle.

You can also use a flexible measuring tape to find your wrist size if you have one.

Tip: If you don’t have a string, you can also cut a 1⁄2 in (1.3 cm) wide strip of paper to wrap around your wrist instead. Some websites offer printable rulers so you can see the measurement when you wrap it around your wrist.

 2. Mark a point on the string where it overlaps on your wrist. 

Make sure the string fits snugly against your skin before you make your mark. Use a marker to draw dots on the string where it overlaps itself. Make sure to mark both ends of the string so you can take an accurate measurement.

  • If you’re using a flexible measuring tape, look what number lines up with the 0 end.
  • If you’re measuring wrist width, mark the string where it touches the knobby bone on the inside of your arm.

3. Hold the string against a ruler to find the measurement. 

Stretch out the string so it’s straight again and place it next to a ruler. Line up one of the marks you made on the string with the end of the ruler, and find the distance to your second mark. Write down your measurement so you don’t forget it.

  • You can also use a tape measure if you don’t have a ruler.

 4. Add 1⁄2 in (1.3 cm) to the length so your jewellery isn’t too tight.

 Bracelets  can get uncomfortable when you wear them if they’re too tight. Put an additional 1⁄2 in (1.3 cm) to the measurement you found so the bracelet fits looser.

For example, if your wrist circumference was 5 1⁄2 inches (14 cm), then the final measurement will be 6 inches (15 cm).

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