Recommended Ring Sizes for Sterling Silver - Millimeter
Here are some recommendations on ring sizes for chains based on my experience or that of fellow maillers. All rings mentioned are inside diameter measurements. Gauges are AWG. All recommendations given below are for Precious Maille's half hard sterling silver rings. Recommendations are listed in rings per inch (rpi). Recommendations that do not have rings per inch listed have not been personally tested by me but rather fellow chainmail artists so I cannot attest to their accuracy. To figure out how many rings to order you need to determine how long of a chain you want to make in a given weave and size. You would then multiply the rings per inch (rpi) by the length you want your finished chain to be. I'll add more weaves as I test them.
Byzantine (aka Birdcage, Bird's Nest, Idiot's Box, Idiot's Delight, Fool's Dilemma): 14 gauge 5.5mm. Heavy weight design. Well suited for men. 16 rpi.
Byzantine: 15 gauge 5mm. Heavier design that is well suited for men. Perfect size if you feel 16 gauge is too light but 14 gauge is too heavy. 14 rpi.
Byzantine: 16 gauge 4.5mm. Somewhat heavy design but not overly large. 20 rpi.
Byzantine: 17 gauge 4mm. Mid weight design. Good overall size. 20 rpi.
Byzantine: 18 gauge 3.5mm. Mid weight design. Good overall size. 26 rpi.
Byzantine: 20 gauge 2.75mm. Light weight. Good size for necklaces. 32 rpi.
Byzantine: 22 gauge 2.5mm. Delicate and light weight. Good size for necklaces. 36 rpi
Byzantine (Square Wire): 18 gauge 4mm. Mid weight design. Lots of dazzle. 23 rpi.
Olivia Chain (Byzantine Variant): 16 gauge 5mm and 16 gauge 6mm for the larger center rings.
Olivia Chain: 18 gauge 3.5mm and 18 gauge 5mm for the larger center rings. 40 rpi for the small rings and 5 rpi for the large rings.
Byzantine Flower Bracelet: 16 gauge 4.5 mm for the byzantine sections (15 rpi) and 16 gauge 7mm for the flowers (3.2 rpi). Can also be made using 18 gauge 3.5mm for the byzantine sections and 18 gauge 6mm for the flower sections.
Romanov (Byzantine Variant) With Bead: 18 gauge 3.5mm for the smaller rings and 16 gauge 5.0 or 5.5mm for the larger rings. The larger ring used depends on the consistency in size of the beads used. We suggest using 6mm Swarovski crystals as they are very consistent in size. You'll need to attach them with a wire using wire loops.
Byzantine Filigree (Byzantine Variant, aka Bastardized Weave): 18 gauge 3.5 for the Byzantine segments and 16 gauge 7mm for the attachment rings.
Trizantine (Byzantine Variant): 16 gauge 6.5mm. Heavy design. Well suited for men. 20 rpi.
Trizantine: 18 gauge 5mm. Mid weight. 20 rpi.
Box Chain (aka Queen's Link): 16 gauge 5mm. Heavy, substantial and tight. 28 rpi. Non-traditional box chain. Looks like a rattle snake tail in appearance. For traditional looking box chain try using 13/64" rings.
Box Chain: 18 gauge 4.25mm. Mid weight and flexible. 26 rpi. This is a more traditional looking box chain but it is not so loose that it is floppy or loses shape. *Preferred size*
Full Persian (aka Fox Tail): 16 gauge 7.00mm A little on the loose side. The perfect size is 16ga-17/64". 16 rpi.
Full Persian: 18 gauge 5mm. 24 rpi.
Full Persian (Square Wire): 18 gauge 6mm. 20 rpi.
Full Persian Float: 16 gauge 9.5mm with 6mm beads in center. 12 rpi.
Full Persian Float: 18 gauge 6.5mm with 4mm beads in center. 18 rpi.
Turkish Round: 16 gauge 4.5mm. 31 rpi.
Turkish Round: 18 gauge 3.5mm. 35 rpi.
Open Round: 18 gauge 4mm. 24 rpi.
Open Round Float: 18 gauge 5.5mm with 4mm beads in center.
European 4 in 1: 14 gauge 5.5mm.
European 4 in 1: 16 gauge 4.5mm. About 30 rpi (5 rows wide).
European 4 in 1: 18 gauge 3.5mm.
Half Persian 4 in 1: 14 gauge 7.5mm. Heavy and substantial. 12 rpi.
Half Persian 4 in 1: 16 gauge 6mm. 15 rpi. Mid weight.
Half Persian 4 in 1: 18 gauge 5mm.
Half Persian 4 in 1: 20 gauge 3.75mm. Light weight and delicate. 22 rpi.
Parallel Chain (aka Helm Chain): 16 gauge 7mm (7 rpi) for the large rings and 16 gauge 4.5mm (5 rpi) for the small rings.
Parallel Chain (aka Helm Chain): 18 gauge 6mm (8.5 rpi) for the large rings and 18 gauge 3.5mm (6.5 rpi) for the small rings.
Parallel Chain (Square Wire): 18 gauge 6.5mm (8.5 rpi) for the large rings and 18 gauge 3.5mm (6.5 rpi) for the small rings.
Parallel Flower (Precious Maille Logo): 18 gauge 6mm for the large rings and 18 gauge 3.25mm for the small rings. You'll need 15 of the large and 10 of the small to make one flower.
Dragonscale: 18 gauge 6mm for the large rings (34 rpi), 18 gauge 4mm for the small rings (28 rpi). Rings per inch based on 5 rows of rings used to make approximately 1 inch wide weave.
Double Spiral (aka Rope): 16 gauge 6.0mm Heavy. 14 rpi.
Double Spiral (aka Rope): 18 gauge 4.5mm. 22 rpi.
Jens Pind: 14 gauge 4.75mm. 11 rpi
Jens Pind: 16 gauge 3.75mm. 15 rpi.
Jens Pind: 20 gauge 2.50mm. 21 rpi.
Japanese 12 in 2 (aka Doubled Japanese 6 in 1): 18 gauge 4mm for the larger rings, 20 gauge 3mm for the small rings.
Japanese 12 in 2 (aka Doubled Japanese 6 in 1): 19 gauge 4mm for the large rings, (26 rpi), 21 gauge 2.5mm for the small rings (60 rpi).
Flower Chain: 18 gauge 5mm for the flowers, 18 gauge 4mm for the connections. This design uses 3 rings for the flowers and 2 connector rings.
Flower Chain Necklace: 14 gauge 10 mm for the flowers (4.8 rpi), 14 gauge 7mm for the connections (3.2 rpi). This design uses 4 rings for the flowers and 2 connector rings.
Centipede: 16 gauge 8mm for the large rings and 18 gauge 3.0mm for the small rings. Embellished with 5mm beads with holes at least 1.5mm so that they will fit onto the 16 gauge rings.
2-in-2: 16 gauge 3.5mm. (15 rpi)
2-in-2: 18 gauge 3.0mm. (18 rpi)
2 in 2: 20 gauge 2.5mm. (22 rpi)
3-in-3: 16 gauge 5mm. (18 rpi)
3-in-3: 20 gauge 3.0mm. (27 rpi)