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Size and Dimensions of Piercing Jewellery
In order to help you when purchasing your new body-piercing jewel, we decided to write this short guide that will help you see more clearly through the size and dimensions of piercing jewellery. This guide deals with the most common way to define jewellery sizes. It applies in any case to our shop.
After a general presentation about sizes, you will be able to see illustrated examples with different types of jewellery.
Body-Piercing Measurement Unit
All dimensions are expressed in millimeters or in gauge (american system).
What is gauge ? Gauge (American Wire Gauge) is a measurement unit mainly used in the US to measure the diameter (thickness) of electric cables! And this unit is also used to measure the thickness of the bar of a body-piercing jewel, generally on the US websites. This unit is noted "G" and increases while its equivalent in millimeters decreases. So beware, a jewel with a high gauge actually has a thin bar!
Table of Millimeter and Gauge Matches
| Gauge | Millimeter | Gauge | Millimeter | Gauge | Millimeter | Gauge | Millimeter |
| 0000 (4/0) | 11.7 | 8 | 3.26 | 19 | 0.912 | 30 | 0.255 |
| 000 (3/0) | 10.4 | 9 | 2.91 | 20 | 0.812 | 31 | 0.227 |
| 00 (2/0) | 9.27 | 10 | 2.59 | 21 | 0.723 | 32 | 0.202 |
| 0 (1/0) | 8.25 | 11 | 2.30 | 22 | 0.644 | 33 | 0.180 |
| 1 | 7.35 | 12 | 2.05 | 23 | 0.573 | 34 | 0.160 |
| 2 | 6.54 | 13 | 1.83 | 24 | 0.511 | 35 | 0.143 |
| 3 | 5.83 | 14 | 1.63 | 25 | 0.455 | 35 | 0.127 |
| 4 | 5.19 | 15 | 1.45 | 26 | 0.405 | 37 | 0.113 |
| 5 | 4.62 | 16 | 1.29 | 27 | 0.361 | 38 | 0.101 |
| 6 | 4.12 | 17 | 1.15 | 28 | 0.321 | 39 | 0.0897 |
| 7 | 3.66 | 18 | 1.02 | 29 | 0.286 | 40 | 0.0799 |
Important note: values are approximate, that's why as far as piercing is concerned, 16G exactly corresponds to 1.2mm, for example.
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Body-Piercing Vocabulary
Size: It usually refers to the diameter or the thickness of the bar of a body-piercing jewel.
Length: It refers to the length of the bar, screw thread excluded.
Diameter: It refers to several dimensions. It can either refer to the width of a screwable element (ball, cone, etc.) or to the dimension of the inner or the outer circle (details below) for a CBR/segment ring or an expander (plug, tunnel, etc.).
Size of Curved Barbells and Straight Barbells
Size: The size of the jewel refers here to the thickness of the bar (usually 1.2mm/16G or 1.6mm/14G for a curved barbell or a straight barbell).
Length: The length refers to the length of the bar itself, excluding the screw thread. That is to say, regardless screwable elements like cones or balls (usually 6mm, 8mm or 10mm for a curved barbell or a straight barbell).
Size of CBR/Segment Rings, Twisted Barbells and Circular Barbells
Size: The size of the jewel refers here to the thickness of the bar (usually 1.2mm/16G or 1.6mm/14G for a CBR/segment ring, a twisted or circular barbell).
Diameter: The diameter of the jewel is here the diameter of the inner circle of the CBR/segment ring, the twisted or circular barbell (usually 6mm, 8mm or 10mm for a jewel of this type).
Size of Stud Barbells and Labret Rings
Size: The size of the jewel refers here to the thickness of the bar (usually 1.2mm/16G or 1.6mm/14G for a stud barbell or a labret ring).
Length: The length refers to the length of the bar itself, excluding the screw thread. That is to say, regardless screwable elements like cones or balls (usually 6mm, 8mm or 10mm for a stud barbell or a labret ring).
Size of Nose Rings
Size: The size of the jewel refers here to the thickness of the bar (usually 1.0mm/18G or 0.8mm/20G for a stud barbell or a labret ring).
Length: The length refers to the length of the bar itself, excluding the ornament at the end. That is to say, regardless rhinestones, balls or spikes (usually 1.5mm, 2mm or 3mm for a stud ring).
Size of Expanders, Plugs and Tunnels
Length: The size of the jewel refers here to the depth, without counting the two edges which help keeping it in its place. (usually a standard size which is approximately 6mm for an expander, a plug or a tunnel ring). This depth actually refers to the average thickness of the skin.
Diameter: The diameter of the jewel refers here to the outer circle diameter of the expander, plug or tunnel piercing (usually 3mm, 4mm, 6mm, 8mm, or 10mm for this kind of jewel).
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