Here's our handy conversion chart!!!
I noticed there were mostly inexact charts posted online with estimates and conflicting information,
so I've created this to end all confusion between different measuring systems. This is the conversion chart to end all conversion charts!
It works for converting fractional inches, decimal inches, gauges (ga), and millimeters (mm).
This chart assumes 25.4mm equals 1" exactly.
I've spent many, many hours creating this puppy and doing all the math myself (yes, I am a nerd!).
So please just link to it or print it for personal use only, no copying, reusing for your own page, etc.
I have strived to make this as accurate as possible.
Let me know if you have any suggestions. Thanks!
Click here to view or download our older, more simple chart
which goes up to one inch, with pretty dots in the correct sizes.
Gauges are in red.
Millimeters are in medium brown.
Gauge
or Fractional Inches
Decimal inches
Metric (mm)
Circumference (Radius x 2π) aka (Diameter x π)
1/64"
0.0156"
0.397 mm
.049"
26ga
0.0159"
0.404 mm
.04995"
25ga
0.0179"
0.4547 mm
.0562"
24ga
0.0201"
0.511 mm
.0631"
23ga
0.0226"
0.574 mm
.0710"
22ga
0.0253"
0.643 mm
.0795"
21ga
0.02846"
0.723 mm
.0894"
2/64" (1/32")
0.0313"
0.794 mm
.098"
20ga
0.0320"
0.812 mm
.101"
19ga
0.0359"
0.912 mm
.113"
0.039"
1.0 mm
.123"= 3.14mm
18ga
0.040"
1.02 mm
.126"
17ga
0.045"
1.14 mm
.141"
3/64"
0.047"
1.19 mm
.148"
16ga
0.051"
1.3 mm
.160"
15ga
0.057"
1.45 mm
.179"
4/64" (1/16")
0.0625"
1.59 mm
.19635"= 4.99mm
14ga
0.064"
1.6 mm
.201"
13ga
0.072"
1.8 mm
.226"
5/64"
0.078"
1.98 mm
.245"
0.079"
2.0 mm
.248"= 6.28mm
12ga
0.081"
2.06 mm
.254"
11ga
0.091"
2.3 mm
.286"
6/64" (3/32")
0.094"
2.38 mm
.295"
10ga
0.102"
2.6 mm
.320"
7/64"
0.109"
2.78 mm
.342"
9ga
0.114"
2.9 mm
.358"
0.118"
3.0 mm
.371"= 9.42mm
8/64" (1/8")
0.125"
3.18 mm
.393"
8ga
0.12849"
3.26 mm
.404"
9/64"
0.141"
3.57 mm
.443"
7ga
0.144"
3.66 mm
.452"
10/64" (5/32")
0.156"
3.97 mm
.490"
0.157"
4.0 mm
.493"= 12.57mm
6ga
0.162"
4.1 mm
.509"
11/64"
0.172"
4.37 mm
.540"
5ga
0.182"
4.6 mm
.572"
12/64" (3/16")
0.1875"
4.76 mm
.59"
0.197"
5.0 mm
.619"= 15.70mm
13/64"
0.203"
5.16 mm
.638"
4ga
0.204"
5.2 mm
.641"
14/64" (7/32")
0.219"
5.56 mm
.688"
3ga
0.229"
5.8 mm
.719"
15/64"
0.234"
5.95 mm
.735"
0.236"
6.0 mm
.741"= 18.85mm
16/64" (1/4")
0.250"
6.35 mm
.785"
2ga
0.2576"
6.54 mm
.809"
17/64"
0.266"
6.747 mm
.836"
0.276"
7.0 mm
.867"= 21.99mm
18/64" (9/32")
0.281"
7.14 mm
.883"
1ga
0.289"
7.3 mm
.908"
19/64"
0.297"
7.54 mm
.933"
20/64" (5/16")
0.3125"
7.94 mm
.98"
0.315"
8.0 mm
.9896"= 25.13mm
0ga
0.3249"
8.2525 mm
1.021"
21/64"
0.328"
8.33 mm
1.030"
22/64" (11/32")
0.344"
8.73 mm
1.081"
0.354"
9.0 mm
1.112"= 28.27mm
23/64"
0.359"
9.13 mm
1.128"
00ga
0.3648"
9.266 mm
1.146"
24/64" (3/8")
0.375"
9.53 mm
1.178"
25/64"
0.391"
9.92 mm
1.228"
0.394"
10.0 mm
1.238"= 31.42mm
26/64" (13/32")
0.406"
10.32 mm
1.275"
000ga
0.4096"
10.4 mm
1.287"
27/64"
0.422"
10.72 mm
1.326"
0.433"
11.0 mm
1.360"= 34.56mm
28/64" (7/16")
0.4375"
11.11 mm
1.374"
29/64"
0.453"
11.51 mm
1.423"
0000ga
0.460"
11.68 mm
1.445"
30/64" (15/32")
0.469"
11.91 mm
1.473"
0.472"
12.0 mm
1.483"= 37.70mm
31/64"
0.484"
12.30 mm
1.521"
Gauge
or Fractional Inches
Decimal inches
Metric (mm)
Circumference (Radius x 2π) aka (Diameter x π)
1/2" (32/64")
0.500"
12.70 mm
1.571"
0.512"
13.0 mm
40.84mm
00000ga
0.517"
13.12 mm
1.623"
0.551"
14.0 mm
43.98mm
9/16" (36/64")
0.5625"
14.28 mm
1.767"
000000ga
0.580"
14.73 mm
1.822"
0.591"
15.0 mm
47.12mm
5/8" (40/64")
0.625"
15.87 mm
1.963"
0.630"
16.0 mm
50.27mm
0.669"
17.0 mm
53.41mm
11/16" (44/64")
0.6875"
17.46 mm
2.160"
0.709"
18.0 mm
56.55mm
0.748"
19.0 mm
59.69mm
3/4" (48/64")
0.750"
19.05 mm
2.356"
0.787"
20.0 mm
62.83mm
13/16" (52/64")
0.8125"
20.64mm
2.553"
0.827"
21.0 mm
65.97mm
0.866"
22.0 mm
69.12mm
7/8" (56/64")
0.875"
22.22 mm
2.749"
0.906"
23.0 mm
72.26mm
15/16" (60/64")
0.9375"
23.81 mm
2.945"
0.945"
24.0 mm
75.40mm
0.984"
25.0 mm
78.54mm
Gauge
or Fractional Inches
Decimal inches
Metric (mm)
Circumference (Radius x 2π) aka (Diameter x π)
1" (64/64")
1.000"
25.40 mm
3.142" (think π)
1.024"
26.0 mm
81.68mm
1-1/16"
1.0625"
27.0 mm
3.338"= 84.82mm
1.102"
28.0 mm
87.96mm
1-1/8"
1.125"
28.6 mm
3.534"
1.142"
29.0 mm
91.11mm
1.181"
30.0 mm
94.25mm
1-3/16"
1.1875"
30.16 mm
3.731"
1.220"
31.0 mm
97.39mm
1-1/4"
1.250"
31.75 mm
3.927"
1.2598"
32.0 mm
100.53mm
1.299"
33.0 mm
103.67mm
1-5/16"
1.3125"
33.3 mm
4.123"
1.339"
34.0 mm
106.81mm
1-3/8"
1.375"
34.9 mm
4.3197"
1.378"
35.0 mm
109.96mm
1.417"
36.0 mm
113.10mm
1-7/16"
1.4375"
36.5 mm
4.516"
1.467"
37.0 mm
116.24mm
1.496"
38.0 mm
119.38mm
1-1/2"
1.500"
38.1 mm
4.712"
1.535"
39.0 mm
122.52mm
1-9/16"
1.5625"
39.7 mm
4.909"
1.575"
40.0 mm
125.66mm
1.614"
41.0 mm
128.81mm
1-5/8"
1.625"
41.3 mm
5.105"
1.654"
42.0 mm
131.95mm
1-11/16"
1.6875"
42.86 mm
5.301"
1.693"
43.0 mm
135.09mm
1.732"
44.0 mm
138.23mm
1-3/4"
1.750"
44.45 mm
5.498"
1.772"
45.0 mm
141.37mm
1.811"
46.0 mm
144.51mm
1-13/16"
1.8125"
46.04 mm
5.694"
1.850"
47.0 mm
147.66mm
1-7/8"
1.875"
47.6 mm
5.890"
1.8898"
48.0 mm
150.80mm
1.929"
49.0 mm
153.94mm
1-15/16"
1.9375"
49.2 mm
6.087"
1.969"
50.0 mm
157.08mm
Gauge
or Fractional Inches
Decimal inches
Metric (mm)
Circumference (Radius x 2π) aka (Diameter x π)
2"
2.000"
50.8 mm
6.283" (2π)
2.008"
51.0 mm
160.22mm
2.047"
52.0 mm
163.36mm
2-1/16"
2.0625"
52.39 mm
6.480"
2.087"
53.0 mm
166.50mm
2-1/8"
2.125"
53.98 mm
6.676"
2.126"
54.0 mm
169.65mm
2.165"
55.0 mm
172.79mm
2-3/16"
2.1875"
55.6 mm
6.872"
2.205"
56.0 mm
175.93mm
2.244"
57.0 mm
179.07mm
2-1/4"
2.250"
57.15 mm
7.069"
2.283"
58.0 mm
182.21mm
2-5/16"
2.3125"
58.74 mm
7.265"
2.323"
59.0 mm
185.35mm
2.362"
60.0 mm
188.50mm
2-3/8"
2.375"
60.33 mm
7.461"
2.402"
61.0 mm
191.64mm
2-7/16"
2.4375"
61.91 mm
7.658"
2.441"
62.0 mm
194.78mm
2.480"
63.0 mm
197.92mm
2-1/2"
2.500"
63.5 mm
7.854"
2.520"
64.0 mm
201.06mm
2.559"
65.0 mm
204.20mm
2-9/16"
2.5625"
65.09 mm
8.050"
2.598"
66.0 mm
207.35mm
2-5/8"
2.625"
66.68 mm
8.247"
2.638"
67.0 mm
210.49mm
2.677"
68.0 mm
213.63mm
2-11/16"
2.6875"
68.26 mm
8.443"
2.717"
69.0 mm
216.77mm
2-3/4"
2.750"
69.85 mm
8.639"
2.756"
70.0 mm
219.91mm
2.795"
71.0 mm
223.05mm
2-13/16"
2.8125"
71.44 mm
8.836"
2.835"
72.0 mm
226.19mm
2.874"
73.0 mm
229.34mm
2-7/8"
2.875"
73.03 mm
9.032"
2.913"
74.0 mm
232.48mm
2-15/16"
2.9375"
74.61 mm
9.228"
2.953"
75.0 mm
235.62mm
2.992"
76.0 mm
238.76mm
3"
3.000"
76.2 mm
9.425" (3π)
Gauge
or Fractional Inches
Decimal inches
Metric (mm)
Circumference (Radius x 2π) aka (Diameter x π)
Body jewelry in the US is made using the Brown and Sharp Wire Gauge system.
((Gauge is sometimes spelled gage, or misspelled guage, and is abbreviated as ga))
This system is based on two assumptions, that 36ga is .005" and that 0000ga is 0.4600" in diameter.
The diameter of each gauge is 0.890525 times the diameter of the previous size,
if counting backwards from 0000ga,
or 1.1229331 times the previous size, if counting forwards from 36ga.
00ga is the most misunderstood, misinterpreted, and badly converted of all of the measurements frequently used to measure body piercing jewelry. The proper conversion for 00ga is 9.266mm.
It is bigger than 9mm, but less than both 9.5mm and 10mm, and it is not quite 3/8".
Also, most vendors only manufacture jewelry in, and thus most people tend to stretch their body piercings by, only the even-sized gauge increments.
Thus, most people jump up two gauge sizes per stretch, for example, from 8ga to 6ga, skipping 7ga.
However, 00ga in not a jump of two gauge size increments, it is only one, like an odd-sized gauge wood be.
Therefore, the jump from 0ga to 00ga is only half the 'normal' sized jump when stretching, and the most mellow increment in normal use.
We frequently get asked the question: what size comes after 00ga?
Gauge sizes are not normally used beyond 00ga for measuring body piercing jewelry,
thus, the next size jump up past 00ga is generally agreed to be 7/16".
Those stretching beyond that usually use fractional inches to describe the size of their body piercings.
Remember, the body does not stretch in gauges, only the mind does!
Circumference increases proportionately in relationship to the diameter (or radius). Shown.
Circumference is the measurement that would result from taking a string and wrapping it around the wearing surface of a plug or the hole of a piercing and then measuring this string when it is then opened flat and straight, or for example by using a flexible measuring tape around a plug.
You may not care about circumference, so you can choose to ignore that whole right-hand column.
However, it may help you to understand why certain stretches seem like bigger jumps than others,
and also may be a starting point in determining surface area
(for example: how much of a piercing is contacting the wearing surface of an earplug, or
the length of metal needed to making the wearing surface of a plug with sheet metal),
and by helping you to visualize how different gauges or other measurements compare.
Each 1/16" jump in diameter results in a .196" to .197" (.19635" to be exact)
jump in (aka added onto) the circumference.
Example: a plug 4X as big as another plug has a circumference 4X bigger.
Area increases as the square of the radius. Not shown.
Example: if a radius is 4X as big as another, it's area is 16X bigger (4²).
Example: a 7/8" plug has 4X more area than a 7/16" plug.
Example: if a plug is 2X as big in diameter, it has 4X the area (2²).
Example: a plug that is 1/2" has 4X less area than something that is 1".
Almost all of our images are scanned and shown at 100percent on this website and in the catalog; exceptions will be noted in the accompanying text. Monitors may alter sizes slightly. All of our images are posted at 72dpi (so monitors should assume this scale in order to display at proper size). Images should print at correct size as long as an 'enlarge' or a 'reduce to fit' setting has not been selected.
For a comparison check to see if your monitor is reducing or blowing up image sizes,
hold your own ruler up to the image above, centering it on the 3" or 23cm mark.
Alternatively, click here and match up a coin from your collection; these are uploaded at 100percent exactly like all the others (hint to those in my country of birth: spot the Oregon quarter on the 2nd row, 5th over).
Thumbnails may be shown for larger items; the border around the scan will be a different color and the text will mention to click the scan to view one at full size. Likewise, in a few cases blown-up images are posted to show detail. T-shirt designs, o-ring kits, Dayak patch and wallhangings, photographs of people, posters, book and magazine covers, as well as square thumbnail-sized icons to aid in navigating around pages on this site are shown at a reduced size only.
:: All prices listed are wholesale to shops :: Retail prices to individuals are twice those listed ::
