One might be tempted to think that the meaning behind men’s ring placement is as simple as the traditional wedding ring. And while a ring placed on the “ring” finger of the left hand is the most widely recognized symbolic location, there are other meanings for men’s rings, depending on the finger they adorn and their orientation on the hand.
One of the most famous and complex examples of this is the Claddagh ring. A traditional symbol of love among the Irish, this band features a pair of hands holding a heart, with a crown resting on top. When worn on the right hand with the heart out to the world, it shows a person’s open heart and willingness to find love. When worn with the heart pointing towards your own heart, it symbolizes how your love has already been captured by another. When worn on the left hand, an outer heart shows your commitment to another; an inner heart means that they are married.
Wedding bands are a better known example. Worn on the left hand in modern Western culture, they belong to the “ring finger.” Traditionally, no other ring (other than an engagement ring) should be worn on that finger. The left hand was believed to have the “vein of love” running along its ring finger, connected directly to the heart. Therefore, a ring on that finger was as close to the wearer’s heart as possible.
Pinkie’s rings have the unique position of not having a historical or cultural background. However, there are two examples of variations: the Engineer’s Ring or Iron Ring is used by many professional Canadian engineers, and each is said to be made from a piece of the poorly designed Quebec Bridge that collapsed in the early 1900s; the other is the Signet ring, which in the past was used to create a seal or seal, which was used in place of a signature on a document.
Another location of meaning is not a finger at all. The thumb ring can be a symbol of your sexuality, a fashion statement, or for archery. In some circles, a thumb ring on the right hand indicates a gay or lesbian lifestyle. In other circles, of course, sometimes a thumb ring is just a thumb ring, worn there because the gem in question was simply too large to be worn on any normal finger or as a fashion statement. And for some who practice the art of archery, a thumb ring is a tool in a certain bow drawing style, intended to protect the flesh of the thumb.
In the end, it pays to know what kind of men’s ring you are wearing, and while you need to be aware of which finger you wear it on, don’t let these rules rule your life. A ring is a possession and as such you define it, not the other way around.