Not sure how to wear your engagement ring? We know, engagement ring traditions can get a bit confusing, considering that most customs differ from one country to another. In fact, there are at least 7 different engagement ring customs from all around the globe! That is why we’ve prepared this useful engagement ring etiquette guide to help clear away the confusion.As the provider of the finest engagement rings of San Diego, Leo Hamel Fine Jewelers loves sharing interesting engagement ring facts with you. Keep reading to learn more!
Can you wear your engagement ring on the right hand?
The history of engagement rings is long and rich. From Ancient Rome to the 21st century, we’ve worn our wedding and engagement rings on the fourth finger of the left hand, because it was once believed that this finger had a vein that ran straight to the heart, the Vein of Love. While we now know that that isn’t true, the practice still persists.
Nowadays, ladies tend to wear their engagement rings on the left hand and move the ring to the right on their wedding day so that their fiancé can place the wedding ring closest to their heart. Then, they typically move the engagement ring back to the left hand, on top of the wedding ring. But can you wear the engagement ring on the right hand all the time?
Believe it or not, wearing the engagement ring on the right hand is actually a popular choice in many countries, including Russia and Greece and a number of other Orthodox Christian communities. So, if you feel like wearing your engagement or wedding ring on the right hand, feel free to do so!
Do men wear engagement rings?
For a long time, it’s been customary for men to present the woman they love with an engagement ring as a promise of marriage. On the day of the wedding, the husband and wife exchange wedding bands and from then on, both spouses have rings to wear. But what about engagement rings? Why don’t men wear them too?
The original meaning of an engagement ring was to signify the man’s ownership of the woman. Luckily, engagement rings no longer have this meaning. Instead, they are now a symbol of commitment and true love, meaning that both the man and the woman have freely chosen to spend their lives together.
Although most men still choose not to wear a ring, there are some who want to show their love this way regardless of what engagement ring tradition dictates. Fortunately, men no longer have to shy away from such representations of love since they have become much more acceptable in today’s society. In a nutshell, whether a man decides to wear an engagement ring or not is a matter of personal preference.
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While engagement and wedding ring customs have remained the same for a long time, that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t add a personal touch if we choose to do so. After all, your engagement and marriage are a completely personal matter, so why not spice things up?
No matter how imaginative your engagement ideas may be, the seasoned craftsmen at Leo Hamel can turn them into reality. Stop by our luxurious store near Downtown San Diego and discover the ring you’ve always dreamed of!