Rings are not only beautiful jewelry, they also have a symbolic meaning. An engagement ring, like a wedding ring, indicates status and seriousness of commitment. The tradition of wearing a wedding ring dates back to ancient history, but it varies in different regions of the world. That's why we also sometimes wonder - on which hand would it be more appropriate to wear a ring?

Find your right ring here: WEDDING RINGS

Right finger

About on which finger to wear an engagement or marriage ring there is usually no question. We Latvians also call the fourth finger of the hand ring finger , which indicates its importance when wearing one of these rings. So the ring is worn on the fourth finger.

As rulers

It was the pharaohs of ancient Egypt who started wearing rings as a symbol of infinity. The circle has no beginning and no end, and it represented the shape of the sun and moon, and the Egyptians worshiped them. They believed that a vein of love runs from the heart to the ring finger of the left hand. Later, the Greeks, when they conquered Egypt, and the Romans, when they conquered Greece, adopted this tradition and wore the wedding ring on the ring finger of the left hand as a symbol of love.

At first only for ladies

Although it might seem that the ancient Egyptians have established a fairly stable tradition, the choice of hand still causes confusion for many. All the more so because there are two whole rings - marriage and engagement. Historically, during the wedding ceremony, the man presented the woman with a ring, and when she accepted it, the marriage was consummated. It is not known exactly when engagement rings appeared, but most likely it happened after the 12th century, when the church declared that marriage is a holy union. The engagement ring took on personal significance in the couple's union, while the wedding ring symbolized church approval.

Rings for both

Until the beginning of the last century, wedding rings were mostly worn only by women. The church, however, insisted that exchanging rings could prevent male infidelity. Wedding rings, worn by both men and women, gained particular popularity during World War II, when soldiers wore them to remember their wives.

Following tradition

In the Western world, everything is still simple - engagement and wedding rings are worn on the ring finger of the left hand. Before the marriage ceremony, the engagement ring is transferred to the right hand to free the finger for the wedding ring. After the engagement ceremony, the ring returns to its original finger, now together with the wedding ring.

The Unlucky Hand

It has been said 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, including Latvia, engagement and wedding rings are worn on the ring finger of the right hand. Perhaps this is because the left hand used to be considered unlucky. Often, a wedding ring placed on the left hand indicated the status of a widower. However, even in Latvia, there are still couples who choose to put their wedding ring on their left hand.

So as not to disturb

Sometimes hand selection is based solely on practical considerations. Those who work with their hands every day choose to put the ring on the non-leading hand, so left-handed and right-handed, right-handed on the left. This is to prevent the ring from getting in the way, scratching and snagging. Some choose not to wear the ring at all for safety reasons.

On both

While some follow traditions carefully, others do not pay attention to them. Some ladies choose to wear ring rings on both hands, putting the wedding ring on one and the engagement ring on the other. If rings are one of your favorite pieces of jewelry, you may even have several on each finger.

As traditions change and mix, there is no single right answer on which hand it would be more appropriate to put a marriage or engagement ring. The important thing is the meaning of these rings, not so much the hand on which they are worn. This gives each couple the opportunity to choose the most comfortable way to wear their rings.

Find your right ring here: WEDDING RINGS

Author of the article: ELISA RUDZİTE

Photo: Peyton Curry, Erin Wise Photo, Marcella Laine