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The standard gauge was invented in the 1930’s, and it ensures that every railroad across the U.S., the U.K., and many other parts of the world is exactly the same size. So if you happen to be on a train in Indiana, you can rest assured that your train will still fit on the rails when you get to Los Angeles. 

In the jewelry world, sizing isn’t quite so standard across the board. A size six in the store you’re in now can be more like a seven in the one you were in yesterday. The markings on a particular shop’s mandrels are totally different than the markings on the mandrel that their different jewelers used, so the sizes on their labels are totally inconsistent. 

The closest thing that jewelers have to a standard gauge is the International Standard ISO 8653. To carry out this standard, a jeweler can use the Durston PrecisionFit™  set, which provides mandrels and gauges made to fit the International Standard. Crafted from precision-engineered steel and aluminum, the PrecisionFit™ is machined, hardened, ground & engraved with 100% accuracy at Durston’s UK factory. 

The set contains ring sizes 1-16, and since using the PrecisionFit™ allows you to craft jewelry to an international standard, you’re more likely to send your jewelry to a shop anywhere and have it labeled to the size that you crafted it for. This makes life so much easier on the customer, who can go to a shop, tell them their size, and not worry about whether half of them will fit perfectly but the other half will get stuck on their finger or slip right off. 

Other Tools to Keep Your Jewelry Standard

If you’re really serious about keeping your sizing consistent, there are a few other tools out there that will help you master the art of standardization. A Ring Stretcher,  Reducer, and Bender will allow you to smoothly form jewelry to a specific size with absolute precision. Durston’s model is made with heavy-duty cast iron for exceptional strength and durability as well as a six spline mandrel with 16 polished countersunk dies so that you can reduce bands up to 12mm wide.

Durston offers a ton of options for your sizing needs. You can simply purchase a single 1-16 steel or aluminum mandrel engraved or go for the whole box set. You can also accompany your mandrels with a 32-piece ring set to completely eliminate the need for cross-referencing. No matter what sizing products you choose, you’ll be up to international standards.