A prayer ring is worn every day, so two things matter most: it must fit the finger and it must be easy to look after. Both are simpler than they seem. Below is how to find your size at home and how to care for 925 sterling silver.

How to find your ring size at home

The most reliable way is to measure a ring that already fits you on the same finger:

  1. Put the ring on a ruler and measure the inner diameter, from inner edge to inner edge, in millimetres.
  2. Measure twice in different directions and take the average.
  3. Find the nearest size in the size list of the ring you are choosing.

If you have no ring, wrap a strip of paper around the base of the finger, mark where it meets, measure the length in millimetres and divide it by 3.14. This gives the inner diameter, but less precisely, because paper is easy to pull too tight.

US sizes and millimetres in our shop

On the item page the sizes of our rings are given as a US size with the inner diameter next to it, for example US 7 3/4 (17.9 mm). In the shop the sizes range from US 5 1/2 (16.1 mm) to US 13 1/2 (22.6 mm); which of them are available depends on the ring.

In many European countries the size is simply the inner diameter in millimetres: 18 mm is size 18. Choose the US size whose diameter is closest to yours.

Between two sizes

Choose the larger size if you are between two, and also if the ring is wide: a band of 7-8 mm sits tighter than a thin one of the same diameter. Fingers are slightly thicker in the evening and in warm weather, so it is better to measure in the middle of the day. If in doubt, write to us before ordering, and the coordinator will help you choose.

Why silver darkens

925 sterling silver darkens over time. It is a property of the metal, not a defect: silver reacts with sulphur in the air, in cosmetics and in some foods. A ring that is worn every day usually darkens less than one lying in a box, because it is constantly polished by the skin.

On many prayer rings the letters of the prayer are blackened on purpose. That blackening is part of the design, not dirt, and it should not be polished off.

How to clean and store a silver ring

  • take the ring off before a shower, the pool, the sauna and cleaning with household chemicals;
  • clean it with a soft cloth or a special silver cleaning cloth, without toothpaste and abrasive powders;
  • do not heat blackened items and do not put them in an ultrasonic bath;
  • store the ring in a dry place, separately from other jewellery, so that it does not get scratched.

The full rules and the size table are on the silver care page.

Choosing a prayer ring

What the "Save and protect" ring means and on which finger it is worn is explained in the article the Orthodox prayer ring. Our rings are made of 925 sterling silver, the place of consecration is stated on the page of each ring, and all of them are collected in the rings section.