You might wear a ring for a marriage promise, a birthstone, or simply because you love a little bling. The history of wearing rings includes all those meanings, but tradition doesn't have to decide which finger you choose.

For me, rings are also a favorite thing to design. The full video is shown here.

Why a Ring's Circle Suggests Lasting Love

A ring is round because it fits around a finger. Yet that same unbroken shape also suggests eternal life and eternal love, which helps explain its connection to commitment.

People have worn rings as talismans and symbols of status, too. Besides these meanings is the one I see most often; People enjoy wearing beautiful, sparkling jewelry.

The ring finger and the story of a vein to the heart

The ring finger has a traditional connection to betrothal and marriage. Egyptians  more than 5,000 years ago believed a vein ran through this finger directly to the heart. That belief connects the finger with love, life, and commitment.

The traditional vein-of-love story is a historical belief, rather than an anatomical fact. Its appeal lies in the idea of a physical connection between a wedding ring and the heart.

Birthstone and Signet Ring Traditions

See below for a few of the customs for each one of our fingers.

The right-hand index finger as the birthstone finger

One custom I found identifies right-hand index finger as the birthstone finger. I was not able to verify this but since my birthstone is turquoise, I have started wearing a turquoise ring on that finger.

In my opinion the custom is something to enjoy without taking it too seriously. You can choose wear to ring your gemstone ring.

Signet rings and personal achievements

 Signet rings include class rings, military rings, and rings received for an accomplishment. These pieces often carry wording or a symbol that identifies the achievement.

The little finger as the traditional place for a signet ring. However, that isn't where I usually sees people wearing them. 

The distinction matters: a traditional placement and the way people wear their jewelry aren't always the same.

Thumb Rings and Their Connection to Archery

Thumb rings have a protective association as well as a decorative one. In archery, they protected the thumb while the archer drew back the bowstring, as the Metropolitan Museum of Art explains in its entry for an archer's thumb ring.

I also read an account that indicates it protects the thumb of the person being aimed at.

Today, plenty of people wear thumb rings as jewelry. For me they would get in the way of my daily tasks but to each his own..

What is my personal taste for wearing rings? I love the bling!  

A simple gold ring from the Sacred Spiral collection

Simple and Classic describes my Gold Fill design from the Sacred Spiral collection.  Its appeal is different from that of the larger gemstone rings: the spiral design is the focus.

The natural surface of an amethyst geode

I  love geodes. When the natural stone opens, its interior reveals an uneven surface of crystals, such as bumps, hills, and mountains.

Those surfaces are fun to design around, but turning them into wearable jewelry took time. I bought the geodes years before I worked out how to protect them so people could wear them.

Since then, I've made several pieces with those geodes. The amethyst design has been especially popular.

My ring collection at Alene's Adornments is the shop destination for all ring designs.

Ring Traditions Leave Room for Personal Taste

A ring can carry a marriage promise or an achievement, but I gives equal room to the pleasure of wearing a design you like. My own selection includes a long-held wedding ring, turquoise birthstone rings, and pieces I make for their beauty.

The strongest thread is personal choice. Finger traditions add a story to a ring, while comfort and a love of bling still have their place.