So, in typical spring cleaning fashion, I was tidying up my necklaces when I realized that I had a bunch of rings and I never wear them. They’re nice, and I want to, but I also bought/found/otherwise acquired most of them yeeeears ago, and I’ve gained some weight since then, and most of them don’t fit as well as they did. (And being the sort of thing one buys for $10 here or there, it’s not like getting them resized makes any sense). The kicker is that my left hand ring finger is somehow the only finger still slender enough to fit all of them, though my right ring finger is not far behind. So! Seeing as I’m not about to marry my lovely and esteemable gentleman friend any time in the forseeable future (and I’m at an age where a left hand ring finger ring would be miscontrued), the left hand is out. But what about the right hand? I know theoretically the only sort of signaling rings are left hand ring finger and working hand pinky for things like engineering rings, but I have a vague suspicion that a right hand ring finger ring, especially if it’s the only ring I’m wearing, will be misinterpreted as meaning something more than “I like wearing my cheap jewelry occasionally.”
So, internet: is a single right hand ring finger ring going to lead people to think that I’m headed for marriage anymore than being a late twenties lady who’s had a gentleman friend for a while already does? (Which seriously, ugh. Stop making assumptions about what I am and am not going to do with my life, nosybeaks.)
I say go for it. I would never assume that a ring on the right hand would mean anything other than “I love fabulous accessories”
I like the way you think
I say, try it for a few days and see what kind of reaction you get. If no one says anything, or only the nosiest people bug you, you’re golden AND perhaps teaching people not to make assumptions about jewelry. IF, however, everyone you’ve ever known starts asking questions, then maybe you should pile all the rings on a chain, call it a necklace, and give up on ringdom for a bit.
Funny that we call them “ring fingers,” isn’t it? The association must be strong.
Personally, I’ve given up on rings entirely; I usually only like the bold, chunky ones, but even big rings are easy to lose. I used to allow myself to own one ring at a time; the moonstone ring is in an NYC public bathroom somewhere, and its replacement was left in a New Mexico changing room… … they were lovely rings. They deserved a better owner than me.
As to nosybeaks, my stepmother used to ask me EVERY WEEKEND when I was getting married and having children.
In other news, WordPress wouldn’t let me leave comments/rambling stories for weeks. But I was still reading, promise!
Yeah, I could do the ring on a necklace thing, but I kinda want to wear rings, public bathroom issues aside.
I’ve been lucky so far that the only people making assumptions about my future marital status or uterus usage are peers, acquaintances, and other people whose opinion on the matter means bupkis to me, though I’ve noticed that the rate of incidents of assumptions is increasing as I age. My irritation and vehemence of response is keeping pace.
I always wear my ring on my right ring finger. I never knew that it could be thought of as a thing! Do as you feel comfortable and if anyone says anything you can tell them to zipit!
See I didn’t think it was either, but then I sort of thought about it….. and I’m probably over thinking the whole thing.
And I have no qualms whatsoever about telling nosybeaks that it’s none of their besswax
Yeah, I am with Danielle. I often wear my rings…wherever. I don’t mind assumptions as long as I get the opportunity to correct them. I think not getting that chance gets my goat more than anything.
I know in some cultures/religions, the engagement ring is worn on one hand and the wedding ring on the other. I also have some same-sex married friends who chose to wear their rings on the right hand instead of the left because they don’t want others to misinterpret the rings as a symbol that they’re a part of a male/female relationship.
When I wear my grandma’s wedding ring, I do so on my right ring finger. That’s where it fits and I’ve never had any comments other than, “Ooo, pretty!”
Apparently in Germany you wear the ring on your right hand? At least, so says the internets…
Maybe I’ll just put mine in my nose and be done with it.
And wasn’t there a whole marketing campaign about the “right hand ring” as a way to encourage women to buy diamond rings for themselves?
This is what I came to say. I wasn’t aware of any right-hand-ring connotations until the diamond people gave them some. (not that there weren’t any, just that I wasn’t aware of them.) So I vote wear ‘em!
The wedding ring is worn on the right hand in most of continental Europe. In North America, as far as I’m aware, the right hand ring finger has no specific symbolic connotation. I’ve worn a ring on that finger for 20 years and never had anyone assume anything about it.