Finding the right ring size — even in secret.

The ring is chosen, the location is set, the moment is ready. Just one question remains: what size? This is exactly where most people who want to keep everything a surprise get stuck. But there are a few reliable ways that work without giving anything away.

The simplest: an existing ring from your partner's jewellery box. Place it on a piece of white paper and trace the inside circle. Bring the paper to us — we'll take it from there. Important: it must be a ring worn on the ring finger of the right hand, not the little finger, not the middle finger.

If no ring is to hand, a narrow strip of paper or a piece of string works too. Wrap it loosely around the ring finger, mark the point, measure the length. A small margin of error is fine, because adjustment is normal. Almost every ring is resized once after the proposal.

Two things affect size more than most people realise: temperature and time of day. On a cold winter morning a finger can be half to a full size smaller than on a warm summer evening. When in doubt, go slightly larger — enlarging is technically easier than reducing.

Do you have a close friend or sibling in on the secret? Even better. They can ask casually about the size or bring a ring along to measure. The secret doesn't have to slip out.

And if the size turns out to be wrong — no drama. We adjust it. It's part of the process; no proposal has ever fallen apart because of it. Bring the ring, come by — and tell us how the moment went.