How to Measure Your Wrist
Use a flexible tailor’s tape, or a strip of paper or string and a ruler. Wrap it snugly around your wrist just above the wrist bone, where a watch sits. Do not pull tight and do not leave it loose. If using string, mark the overlap and measure it flat against a ruler. Read the length in centimeters or inches, then match it to the table below.
Wrist Circumference to Bracelet Inner Diameter
| Wrist circumference (cm) | Wrist circumference (in) | Recommended inner diameter (cm) | Recommended inner diameter (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 cm | 5.5 in | 15.5 cm | 6.1 in |
| 15 cm | 5.9 in | 16.5 cm | 6.5 in |
| 16 cm | 6.3 in | 17.5 cm | 6.9 in |
| 17 cm | 6.7 in | 18.5 cm | 7.3 in |
| 18 cm | 7.1 in | 19.5 cm | 7.7 in |
| 19 cm | 7.5 in | 20.5 cm | 8.1 in |
| 20 cm | 7.9 in | 21.5 cm | 8.5 in |
| 21 cm | 8.3 in | 22.5 cm | 8.9 in |
About Bead Counts
Traditional bead bracelets are strung in fixed counts. A single-wrap wrist bracelet typically uses 14 to 21 beads depending on bead diameter; 18-bead and 21-bead formats are the most common wrist malas. A full 108-bead mala is a long strand worn wrapped around the wrist several times or as a necklace, and is sized by total length, not wrist circumference. If your measurement falls between sizes, choose the larger inner diameter for comfort.