Short answer: a cigar's size is written as length in inches by ring gauge, and ring gauge is the diameter in 64ths of an inch. A 5 x 50 Robusto is five inches long and 50/64 of an inch across. Straight-sided cigars are parejos; anything tapered or bulged is a figurado. Size sets how long the cigar lasts and how it burns. It does not set how strong it is.
Cigar sizes chart
These are the standard straight-sided shapes and the measurements Cigar Aficionado gives for each. Makers are free to vary them, so treat the figures as typical and read the band or box for the exact size.
| Shape | Typical length (inches) | Typical ring gauge | Smoking time |
| Petit Corona | About 4½ | 40 to 42 | Not stated |
| Corona | 5½ to 6 | 42 to 44 | Not stated |
| Lonsdale | 6½ | 42 | Not stated |
| Panetela | 5 to 7½ | 34 to 38 | Not stated |
| Robusto | 4¾ to 5½ | 48 to 52 | 20 to 30 minutes for a 5 x 50 |
| Corona Gorda | 5⅝ | 46 | Not stated |
| Toro | 6 | 50 | Not stated |
| Churchill | 7 | 47 | Not stated |
| Double Corona | 7½ to 8½ | 49 to 52 | Over an hour for a 7½ x 50 |
| Grande (Gordo) | 4¾ and up | 60 and up | Not stated |
The two smoking times come from Cigar Aficionado's glossary, which gives them as examples only. We have left the other rows blank instead of estimating. How long any cigar lasts depends on the smoker's pace as much as the size.
What ring gauge means
Ring gauge is the diameter of a cigar measured in 64ths of an inch. A 42 ring gauge cigar is 42/64 of an inch across. A 64 ring gauge cigar would be exactly one inch.
Makers write the size in either order. Padrón lists ring gauge first, so its 1964 Anniversary Torpedo appears as 52 x 6. Drew Estate lists length first, so the Liga Privada No. 9 Robusto appears as 5 x 54. The larger number is always the ring gauge.
Parejo and figurado
Parejos
A parejo is a straight-sided cigar with an open foot and a closed head that you cut before lighting. It can be round or box-pressed. Every shape in the chart above is a parejo.
Browse them by shape: Corona, Robusto, Toro, Churchill and Gordo. The squared-off versions are gathered under box-pressed cigars.
The Lancero sits at the slim end. Cigar Aficionado describes it as a long, thin cigar in the gran panetela family, first made at the El Laguito factory in the 1960s for Cohiba.
Figurados
A figurado is any cigar that is not straight-sided. Cigar Aficionado groups them this way:
| Figurado | What defines it | Typical size |
| Pyramid | Tapered head that widens to an open foot | 6 to 7 inches; about 40 ring at the head, 52 to 54 at the foot |
| Belicoso | Tapered head on a shorter cigar; newer versions are coronas or corona gordas with a tapered head | 5 to 5½ inches; about 50 ring |
| Torpedo | A pyramid with a sharper point; the two names overlap in practice | Varies by maker |
| Perfecto | Tapered at both head and foot, usually with a bulge in the middle | Varies widely |
| Culebra | Three panetelas braided together and smoked one at a time | 5 to 6 inches; 38 ring |
| Diadema | Large cigar tapered at head and foot | Often 8 inches or more |
Our torpedo and figurado collection holds all of these. The best-known perfectos in the humidor are the Arturo Fuente Hemingway line, which Arturo Fuente describes as its line of perfecto cigars, in eight sizes from 4 to 9 inches and ring gauges from 42 to 54. Our guide to every Hemingway size goes through them one by one.
The same names, different numbers
Shape names are conventions, not rules. Three lines we carry show how makers set their own numbers:
- Padrón 1964 Anniversary Series. Padrón lists the Exclusivo at 50 x 5½ and the Torpedo at 52 x 6. See the 1964 Anniversary Series.
- Padrón Series. The Padrón Churchill is 46 x 6⅞, a little slimmer and shorter than the standard 7 x 47. See the Padrón Series.
- Liga Privada No. 9. Drew Estate lists the Robusto at 5 x 54, the Toro and Belicoso at 6 x 52 and the Corona Doble at 7 x 54. See Liga Privada No. 9.
How size affects the smoke
Two points come straight from Cigar Aficionado. First, there is no correlation between the size of a cigar and its strength. Strength comes from the tobacco in the blend, and it is not consistent from one brand to the next. Second, thin cigars burn hotter than fat ones.
Length and ring gauge together decide how long a cigar lasts. A thinner cigar takes less time than a 50 ring gauge cigar of similar length.
House suggestions. The notes below are our own view from the lounge floor, not sourced facts.
- With a slim cigar, such as a Lancero or Corona, slow your pace. We find an unhurried draw keeps the smoke cooler.
- If you have about half an hour, start with a Robusto. If you have the evening, a Churchill or Double Corona is the better fit.
- To compare two blends fairly, smoke them in the same shape. A Robusto of each is the simplest test.
- A tapered head lets you choose how much to cut. Start small; you can always take more. Our cigar cutter guide covers the options.
Choosing a size at our humidor
Tell us how much time you have and what you smoked last, and we will narrow it down. You can see every shape side by side in the walk-in humidor at our Yuma lounge, 1651 S Arizona Ave.
Frequently asked questions
What does ring gauge mean on a cigar?
Ring gauge is the diameter of the cigar in 64ths of an inch. A 50 ring gauge cigar is 50/64 of an inch across, and a 64 ring gauge would be one full inch.
What size is a Robusto?
Cigar Aficionado gives the Robusto as 4¾ to 5½ inches long with a ring gauge of 48 to 52. The 5 x 50 is the reference size, though makers vary it.
Is a bigger cigar stronger?
No. Cigar Aficionado states there is no correlation between a cigar's size and its strength. The blend decides strength; the size decides how long the cigar lasts and how it burns.
What is the difference between a torpedo and a pyramid?
Both have a tapered head and an open foot. Cigar Aficionado treats the torpedo as a pyramid with a sharper point and notes that the two names overlap.
Sources: Cigar Aficionado (Cigar Shapes, Sizes and Colors; glossary entries for smoking time and lancero), padron.com, drewestate.com and arturofuente.com. Last updated September 29, 2026.
