A finger ring is a circular band worn as a type of ornamental jewelry around the finger; it is the most common current meaning of the word ring. Other types of metal bands worn as ornaments are also called rings, such as earrings arm rings, toe rings and neck rings.
Rings can be of almost any material: metal, plastic, wood, bone, glass, gemstone to name a few. They may be set with a stone of some sort, which is often a precious or semi-precious gemstone such as diamond, ruby, sapphire or emerald, but can also be of almost any material.
Contents |
The custom of giving and receiving rings dates back over approximately 6,000 years.[1]
The fourth digit or ring finger of the left hand has become the customary place to wear a wedding ring in much of the world, though in certain countries the right hand finger is used.[2] This custom was practically established as the norm during World War II.[3] The use of the fourth finger of the left hand is associated with an old belief that the left hand's ring finger is connected by a vein directly to the heart: the vena amoris or vein of love. This idea was known in 16th and 17th century England, when Henry Swinburne referred to it in his book about marriage.[4] It can be traced back to ancient Rome, when Aulus Gellius cited Appianus as saying the ancient Egyptians had found a fine nerve linking that particular finger to the heart.[5]
| Ring | Usage |
|---|---|
| Aqiq ring | A carnelian or agate ring worn by some Muslims, especially Shi'ah, in imitation of Muhammad. |
| Brass Rat | A unique class ring worn by graduates of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, bearing the image of a rat to signify "lab rat". |
| Cameo ring | A plain hoop mounted by a table setting, into which was affixed a carved cameo (in profile). This ring style is exceedingly ancient and was more commonly worn by men than by women. Most commonly, the cameos depicted pagan gods, Christian saints and even self-portraits. Multi-coloured stone and often marble or porphyry was most desirable, as it produced a striped, layered or three-dimensional effect. |
| Championship ring | A ring presented to members of winning teams in professional business leagues as well as college tournaments in America, Mexico and Canada. |
| Claddagh ring | An Irish friendship, courtship or engagement ring. It is traditionally used to indicate the state of romantic availability. In recent times it is commonly worn as a wedding ring. In centuries past, this ring was bequeathed from mother to daughter, though men also wore it. |
| Class ring | Worn by students and alumni in commemoration of their graduation. |
| Dinner ring | An oversized ring, set with non-precious or semiprecious stones. |
| Doctoral ring | A gold ring worn by a scholar who earns a doctoral degree at a Danish university or a Swedish university. |
| Ecclesiastical ring | A religious ring, either of authority for clerics or as some other special religious symbol. When worn by bishops or higher-ranking priests, it is called "Episcopal ring". |
| Engagement ring | A ring given to and worn by a woman signifying her engagement to be married. |
| Eternity ring | A ring symbolizing eternity with a partner. |
| Finger armor ring | Typically spans from the base of the finger to just below the nail or middle of the second joint and includes a bending joint. This is a very modern and restricted fashion statement. |
| Friendship ring | Friendship rings are used to symbolize a close relationship that has no romantic undertone. |
| Gay Pride ring (a.k.a. "Rainbow ring") | Representing gay pride, usually a band, either set with seven stones, inlaid with seven enameled lines, or set with seven larger stones each in a different colour; the colours representing the Rainbow flag (LGBT movement). In decades past, a stone-set ring worn on the right hand ring finger or the pinky of either hand represented a call for gay equality. |
| Gimmal ring | Ring made of 2 or 3 hoops that are hinged at the back and meant to interlock and open; popular for betrothals in 16th and 17th century Europe |
| Iron Ring, a.k.a. Engineer's Ring | Ring worn by American and Canadian engineers, after swearing the Engineer's Oath. This is often in the form of a crudely worked piece of iron; modern rings tend to be sleek steel, some with etched geometric designs. The ring is meant to be worn on the pinky (little) finger of the dominant hand at all times. This ring has been loosely associated with Rudyard Kipling. |
| Mood ring | A novelty ring which changes color in response to body temperature, using a thermochromic liquid crystal. |
| Mother's ring | A ring worn by a mother displaying the birthstone of each of her children, and sometimes including those of the mother and father. |
| Mourning ring | A ring worn in memory of someone who has died. Also commonly called a "memorial ring". |
| Multi-finger ring | Two or more laterally conjoined rings, designed to be worn on two, three, or four fingers; popularized by hip-hop culture. |
| Pinky ring | A ring worn on the 'pinky' ("little" or "fifth") finger. |
| Posie ring | A ring with a short inscription on its outer surface. These were commonly used as engagement and even wedding rings. |
| Pre-engagement ring | A small, inexpensive ring given to a partner, to promise not to court a rival. |
| Promise ring | A ring worn to remind a person of a promise. |
| Purity ring | A symbol of virginity in some religious cultures. |
| Puzzle ring | Interlocking rings forming a single band. A famous example is the classic Cartier "triple" wedding ring. |
| Poison ring | A ring consisting of a bezel with a secret compartment or made in the form of a container, used for keeping medication or poison (anachronistic use). |
| Regards ring | A Victorian engagement ring with an implicit acrostic: Ruby, Emerald, Garnet, Amethyst, Ruby, Diamond, Sapphire. |
| Rosary ring | Ring worn around the finger with 10 indentations (or protrusions) and a cross, representing one decade of a rosary. The rings are used to keep track of place in the prayer by rotating the ring on a finger and feeling the marks. |
| Signet ring | An emblematic ring, often bearing a family coat of arms, some of which are fit for use to imprint a wax seal. More commonly, the signet may bear anything from a custom-designed escutheon to simple initials. The latter is commonly known as an initial ring. |
| Sovereign ring | A typically large, gold ring, set with a gold sovereign as its decorative feature. |
| Thumb ring | This is worn on the thumb and is an extremely ancient custom. |
| Watch ring | A small watch meade to be worn as a ring. |
| Toe Ring | Toe rings have a peculiar function in India. They are considered a customary ornament to be worn by married women.[6] |
| Wedding ring | A ring presented in a marriage ceremony to signify marital commitment. Originally worn only by the woman, it is now common for both spouses to wear such a ring. |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||