Rings are not only beautiful pieces of jewellery; they also have a symbolic meaning. An engagement ring, like a wedding ring, indicates the relationship status and commitment. The tradition of wearing a wedding ring dates back to ancient history but varies from region to region.

That's why arises the question – on which hand to wear a ring?

Wearing as kings

It was the pharaohs of ancient Egypt, who began to wear rings as a symbol of infinity. The circle has neither a beginning nor an end, and it reflected the shape of the sun and the moon, which Egyptians worshipped. They believed that a vein of love stretches from the heart to the ring finger of the left hand. Later, the Greeks, conquering Egypt, and the Romans, conquering Greece, adopted this tradition and wore a wedding ring on the left-hand ring finger as a symbol of love.

Only for ladies

While it may seem that the ancient Egyptians had a well-established tradition, the choice of hand is still confusing to many. Even more so because there are two rings – marriage and engagement ring. Historically, during a wedding ceremony, a man gave a ring to a woman, and, upon her acceptance, marriage was contracted. It is not known exactly when the engagement rings appeared, but it most likely happened after the 12th century, when the church declared marriage to be a sacred union. The engagement ring gained personal significance for the couple's union, while the marriage ring symbolized the church's approval.

Rings for both

Until the beginning of the 20th century, wedding rings were mostly worn by women. However, the church insisted that exchanging rings could prevent men's disloyalty. Wedding rings, worn by both men and women, became especially popular during World War II when soldiers wore them to remember their wives.

Following the traditions

In the Western world, everything is still simple – an engagement and marriage ring is worn on the left-hand ring finger. Before the wedding ceremony, the engagement ring is placed on the right hand to free a finger for the wedding ring. After the ceremony, the ring is placed on its original finger, now together with the wedding ring.

The unfortunate hand

It is believed that the left hand is closer to the heart, but not all cultures have positive associations with it. In Germany, Norway, India, Russia, and the countries of the former Soviet Union, engagement and marriage rings are worn on the right-hand ring finger. This is probably because the left hand was considered a failure. Often, a wedding ring placed on the left hand indicated widowhood.

To be comfortable

Sometimes, the choice of hand is solely determined by practical considerations. Individuals who do manual work daily prefer to wear their rings on the non-dominant hand. Hence, left-handed people wear their rings on the right hand, while right-handed individuals wear them on the left hand. This practice helps prevent the ring from interfering, causing scratches or getting caught in something. Furthermore, some married people opt not to wear rings at all due to safety concerns.

On both hands

While some follow traditions, others don't care about them. Some ladies choose to wear gold rings on both hands, putting the wedding ring on one and the engagement ring on the other. If rings are one of your favourite jewellery, there are probably several on each finger. With changing and mixing traditions, there is no single answer to which hand to put a marriage or engagement ring on. The main thing is the meaning of these rings, not so much the hand on which they are worn. This allows each couple to choose the most comfortable way to wear the rings.

Author: ELISA RUDZITE

Foto: MARU PHOTOGRAPHY, LAURENCE PHILOMENE