The tradition of wearing rings comes from very distant times. Wearing rings on fingers at different times had different, but always symbolic, interesting meanings. From an esoteric point of view, fingers have a name, characteristics, and a symbolic purpose - wearing jewelry on a certain finger also carries meaning.
Of course, the manner of wearing jewelry on fingers during the existence of the tradition has changed a lot, but some features have been preserved.
It is noteworthy that jewelry on men's and women's fingers does not have the same explanation. And for many centuries, the most significant for men continue to be the thumb and little finger. What does the signet on a man’s little finger mean?
Initially, rings were worn by men
From the very beginning, the accessory was functional: from poison hidden under the lid for a sworn enemy and a miniature sundial to a way to pay for goods received or services provided (therefore, the number of rings could be equal to the number of fingers).
Today, men rarely wear rings on all their fingers, but one or two is another matter. Moreover, if they are chosen with taste, they almost always look appropriate and complement the image well.
Men often wear rings and signets rather than thin rings. But what is their difference?
Jewelers' advice
Jewelry fashion allows wearing on the little finger either a ring 1 mm wide, very thin, barely noticeable, or 1 cm wide, covering the entire phalanx of the finger. Stereotypes are not in trend. It's a good idea to wear several rings at the same time. They can be decorated with stones, have a non-standard shape, be connected by a chain, or actually be not a ring, but a spring. The ring can cover neighboring fingers, and no one will know anything about its sacred meaning.
It is not necessary to decorate your little finger with a ring every day, but it is advisable to have such an accessory in stock. It is elegant, makes the image unique, and becomes the finishing touch when creating it.
How are rings different from signets?
The former are inlaid with precious stones, and the latter, the frontal part is a kind of platform on which stones, engraving, inscription, coat of arms, etc. may be present.
From the name you can already understand that signets were previously used as personal seals. In past centuries, rings were worn by rulers and persons close to them, representatives of guilds, and artisans (to determine their professional affiliation).
Today everyone can wear rings. The main thing is not to make a mistake with the finger and style.
Thumb
It is believed that rings on the thumb are worn by bright personalities with a twist, strong and self-confident men.
On the one hand, a thumbs up is an expression of approval. On the other hand, it was with this finger that emperors once gave the sign to execute or pardon, and it is not very convenient to wear rings on it.
Of course, the symbolic meaning of the thumb ring is not the last resort. But it is quite possible that a man subconsciously strives to show just such qualities. And of course, attract more female attention.
What does wearing a ring on different fingers mean?
As mentioned earlier, psychologists and esotericists can tell a lot about a man by which hand and finger they wear the signet on. And the person himself, on a subconscious level, determines where the ring should be worn individually. Worn on the ring finger by men who are engaged or betrothed to a woman to show that they are busy. If we talk about the little finger, creative individuals decorate it with a ring.
It doesn’t matter whether the ring is silver or gold, on the index finger it says about its owner that the man is by nature decisive, strong-willed, brave, proud. Also, such men often strive for power, and in the occult they even advise shy and insecure people to wear a signet on their index finger. The middle finger is a universal option, but esotericists advise wearing family heirlooms on it that protect the family.
Forefinger
A man's ring on the index finger clearly declares the ambition of its owner, his desire to rule.
Especially if it is a finger on the right hand. Such people prefer to give orders rather than carry them out; they strive to lead everywhere, even if it is a friendly company. It can be difficult to find compromise solutions with such people.
And sometimes a ring on this finger is worn simply because the shape of the hand does not allow rings on other fingers to look stylish. Or if the owner of the jewelry does not have very large hands. A ring on the index finger visually changes the impression.
Middle finger
Most often, men wear the ring on their middle finger. In principle, there is no special sacred meaning in this option, so we can say that it is completely safe. The main thing is that the ring is not decorated with a very large stone.
Family heirlooms are also worn on the middle finger - rings that are passed down in the family from generation to generation.
Ring finger
It is this finger that girls look at first when meeting a man. This is an unconscious action to determine the marital status of a new acquaintance - married or not.
Of course, the absence of a ring does not guarantee that a man is single, just as the presence of a ring does not mean that a man is married.
But if you are single and actively searching for your soulmate, just in case, do not put rings of any design on your ring finger. Otherwise, this sign of a stamp in the passport will simply scare off most ladies.
It is interesting that before the advent of medicine as a science, people thought that a straight vein led from the ring finger to the heart; it was called the vein of amoris or the vein of love. Because of this, it was customary to wear a wedding ring on this finger.
But on which hand to wear a wedding ring is a matter of country and culture. For example, in the USA and some European countries it is worn on the left ring finger. On the other hand, in many southern and eastern European countries and Central America, the wedding ring is worn on the right hand.
For example, in Germany, men put a wedding ring on their left hand while they were engaged, and after marriage - on their right hand. This was the traditional rule and was probably followed in the 1950s. But today everyone is relaxed and wears a “wedding ring” on their left hand.
Of course, if you're not married and not actively looking, you can wear rings on your ring finger - this could be something like a signet ring, although they are traditionally worn on the pinky finger.
Three main types of men's rings
Wedding ring
This is a common phenomenon today; before World War II, only wives wore wedding rings. This was connected not so much with romance as with patriarchy; it proved that her children were legitimate and that she had a man who could take care of her. During the war, they began to be made for men from base metals as a reminder of who they were fighting for overseas. But they began to be used as jewelry only in the 1960s.
This shift was facilitated not only by the development of European style - Italian men have never been so scrupulous about jewelry - but also by second wave feminism, which tries to put both partners in marriage on an equal footing.
The engagement ring is typically a clean, simple band. It is an expression of commitment. The design tends to be inward rather than outward: the engraving on the inside is always more personal than a huge gemstone.
Signet
Men's signet rings first appeared among the ancient Egyptians, who used them as a seal on official documents. In Great Britain they were engraved with the family coat of arms; sealing the letter with sealing wax, the man stamped it as proof that it was really from him. Traditionally they were family heirlooms and evidence of wealthy roots - you had to own a coat of arms to have a coat of arms engraved on your signet - but by the 19th century all wealthy people could purchase their own heraldry. The signet has lost some of its prestige.
These days, they are still passed down through families and come in a wide variety of designs; Gianni Versace wore a similar one with the head of Medusa from his label.
They usually have a flat surface designed to be engraved and also to be more bulky and eye-catching than wedding rings.
Fashion rings
There are other rings that men wear out of tradition rather than for aesthetic reasons, but they are rare. This means that all others can be classified as "fashion" - rings that you wear simply because you like the look of them, and not because tradition tells you to do so. These can range from designer trinkets to a collectible with a history that you picked up at a junk sale. They are a reflection of your character and can be worn on any finger, one at a time or several at a time.
This approach gives more freedom for esoteric choice. Ask yourself if it's for a lifetime or just for a moment. The answer, as with any clothing, will determine how much to invest. Take advice (on style) if you like, but follow your gut first. If you instinctively like it, you will wear it without hesitation.
Little finger
The pinky ring for men has a long history of symbolism. For example, in Victorian times, men, including Prince Albert, wore their wedding rings on their little finger. Sometimes paired with a ring or signet.
On the other hand, in the USA (and not only) pinky rings were associated with the criminal world. For example, in the film “The Godfather” almost every hero has such a ring.
Johnny Depp, Prince Charles, Elvis Presley and many other famous and influential personalities prefer to wear rings and large signets on their right little finger.
Such people show their fortitude, sophistication of mind and desire to go ahead to achieve their goal. If we go back a few centuries, men's signets on the little finger of the right hand were worn only by the rich nobility, who emphasized their wealth with such decoration.
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They also wear rings on the little finger as a sign of belonging to a certain community or club. For example, this is common among bikers. Members of one club wear signets with the coat of arms or symbol of their small society.
In prestigious European educational institutions, pinky rings were worn by students belonging to closed elite clubs. This is how they showed others their exclusivity.
Representatives of mafia organizations often show off rings on their little fingers in movies. And if a man has several tattoos in addition to his ring...
The history of the sign
In pre-revolutionary times, decorating the little finger with a ring was treated with caution, believing that it was a sign of belonging to thieves, gangsters, feminists or homosexuals.
The ancient Egyptians did not wear jewelry on their little fingers because they believed that this was the prerogative of liars and traitors. But the priests, on the contrary, decorated the small finger, thus demonstrating their connection with the gods. Knights in old Germany wore rings exclusively on the little finger. Usually these were signets that were given to them by their ladies. Muslims believed that only a prophet has the right to decorate the smaller finger.
The ancient Greeks saw the decoration of the little finger as a privilege exclusively for temple servants. It was believed that this arrangement of the ring indicates the ability to establish contact with the gods.
How should men wear rings correctly?
There really are no universal rules. First of all, focus on your taste and personality. However, you can try to take into account the situation and surroundings, we will help you with this.
Business meeting or office
Probably, a designer signet on your finger or a ring with a precious stone will make a double impression if your office has a strict dress code. However, if you have a creative profession, then why not?
Social evening, friendly party, date
At a social evening or party, as well as in a company of friends or on a date, original rings will be more than appropriate.
Among the informals
In an informal environment, rings and signets with certain symbols are in use. They are worth wearing to a themed meeting or event.
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Elegant rings VS simple rings
Elegant rings will be appropriate under a business or formal suit, but will look a little strange with summer shorts and a racer T-shirt. But simple rings with an unobtrusive pattern are suitable for every day.
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Number of rings
As with everything else, the key to rings is quality, not quantity. The only question is their combination with each other and with the chosen toilet. It happens that on a certain hand (or a particular finger) rings do not look very interesting and elegant due to their anatomical structure or lifestyle. However, multiple rings can also look cool if they complement each other well.
Safety precautions
It is better not to wear rings at all during physical work or sports. This meets safety requirements. The ring can injure others or injure yourself. In addition, there is a risk of ruining the decoration itself.
Don't forget about manicure
Please note: Since rings immediately draw attention to the fingers, it is important that the nails are clean and neatly trimmed.
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Metal colors
Previously, it was believed that rings and other metal accessories should be made in the same color, and combining gold and silver jewelry was bad form. Recent fashion has proven that rules are made to be broken. The main thing is to trust your sense of style and catch the wave of creative inspiration while it lasts.
Men's pinky ring - how to choose it correctly?
First of all, the product must be liked by its owner, but if the goal is to attract certain benefits, the purchase must be made in accordance with the general rules. So, if you want balance, a silver product with a small stone is ideal. If you lack dedication and responsibility, you need to pay attention to a gold ring with red decoration, preferably in the form of a natural stone. When you want to win people over, a ring with a non-standard design made of expensive material is suitable.
To develop determination and responsibility, you need to pay attention to a gold ring with red decoration, preferably in the form of a natural stone.
Conclusions: the most important thing in three sentences
Which hand to wear the ring on only matters in the case of an engagement ring. In other situations, the choice remains with the owner of the jewelry. There is symbolism of wearing it on one finger or another, but most often we are guided by where the ring looks best. As in all areas, it is important to maintain moderation in the amount of jewelry and combine it harmoniously with the chosen image.
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A ring with a mirror is a source of troubles and misfortunes
Mirrors, like rings, are used in rituals and have a mystical and practical meaning. When going into the jungle, a traveler would not mind wearing a ring with a lens or a match, certainly not with a mirror. The glare of the sun's rays will certainly attract the attention of birds and animals, including predators.
In urban areas, such an accessory is also inappropriate. It is better to give preference to the shine of precious and semi-precious stones, or a glass analogue.
