Fashionable rings in the image of a man and a woman

A ring (from the word "perst", which in Old Russian means "finger") is a piece of jewelry in the form of a ring, designed to be worn on the fingers and having an insert in the form of a mineral or precious stone.

Rings appeared in ancient Egypt. Only pharaohs and representatives of the nobility had the right to wear them. In ancient Greece, wearing rings was also the prerogative of the rich, but in Rome all citizens had the right to wear them, however, this required obtaining permission from the emperor.

In Russia, rings served as amulets, they were worn by noble people, and commoners, and men and women. These ornaments were made from various metals and decorated with semi-precious stones, patterns, inscriptions, as well as various religious symbols and stamps.

Often people, speaking of rings, confuse them with seals. Indeed, there are similarities, but there are also significant differences. Let's see how the ring differs from the signet?

There are also a number of other differences, namely:

• the ring can be worn on any finger, while the signet is worn on the little finger;
• signet is an exclusively male decoration;
• the signet is sometimes worn face down;
• The signet is more of a symbolic accessory than just a decoration.

Benefits of rings:

• look more elegant and sophisticated;
• do not carry a hidden meaning;
• both men and women can wear rings;
• traditionally considered a sign of the owner's high status.

The modern jewelry industry has gone far ahead of our ancestors and now store shelves are full of a bright variety of these beautiful jewelry. Men's, women's and even children's rings are presented in a huge assortment, for every taste and budget. In this part of the article I will talk a little about what types of rings are.

Traditional men's Muslim rings are made only of silver. At the same time, women's rings can be made of any metal. A truly believing Muslim man must follow some rules for wearing such rings:

• it is obligatory to remove the ring with the inscription "Allah" or other religious text before going to the toilet;
• the weight of the ring should not exceed 4.25 grams;
• it is possible to wear Muslim rings on both hands, on any finger except the little finger.

In those days, when our ancestors still worshiped the forces of Nature, amulets rings came into use and became very popular. They were applied certain symbolic ornaments, engraving, decorated with stones. Each symbol applied to the surface of the ring had its own meaning. According to beliefs, the rings that were inherited had a special power, since they possessed the energy of all previous generations.

In addition to the pattern on the surface of the ring, great importance was attached to the material from which the ring was made. They were made of gold, silver, aluminum and copper.

Silver was considered the most successful and revered material, since, according to beliefs, it was it that absorbed all the negativity directed at the owner, and also protected from evil spirits. Jewelry made of gold attracted energy and helped their owners gain wisdom, courage and strength.

This interesting accessory was created in the 18th century by order of the Russian Empress Elizaveta Petrovna. The clock mechanism was hidden under a cap adorned with precious stones.

The fashion for such watch-rings was revived, then died again. A surge in popularity came in the middle of the 20th century, when these little things captured the hearts of fashionistas. The main manufacturer of such watches was the company "Chaika".

In the eighties, interest in them dried up, but in 2010 they again began to slowly return to fashion and, as a result, to world markets. Designers gave free rein to their imagination and watch-rings appeared with engraving, rhinestones, enamel, painting, precious stones.However, the fashion gurus did not stop there, and a miracle watch was created in which the hands were replaced by ... flowers! The 12 petals of the main flower represent hours, and each hour a particular petal is illuminated. In the same way, the petal, which means minutes, is highlighted.

Technological progress has also given the world a watch-ring, which has a built-in heart rate monitor - an indispensable thing when playing sports. As well as an amazing watch, consisting of small magnetic balls and independently turning on your finger in order to show the time.

Engraving on rings is very popular, and the symbolism is extensive. In addition, now everyone can order a drawing in a jewelry workshop to their taste and with a special meaning for themselves. We will consider here the meanings of only some symbols:

• With a cross. Most often, the rings depict the so-called "Celtic cross" - a cross with identical rays in a circle. It symbolizes the unity of the natural elements - the sun, air, earth and water and is a unifying symbol for paganism and Christianity. Gives its owner wisdom, prosperity and harmony with the outside world.

• With a lion. Everyone knows that the lion is the king of animals, so its image symbolizes the strength and courage of its owner, gives self-confidence. Also, the lion is a sign of the Sun and fire.

• With initials. Well, everything is clear here - the initials of its owner are applied to the surface of the ring in a beautiful font and this decoration becomes a kind of personal identifier. It is also very popular to apply famous "winged" phrases to the rings.

• With a crown (in the form of a crown). This beautiful royal symbol means fidelity, devotion, love, strong bonds of friendship.It is no coincidence that such rings are often engagement rings. Like a real crown, it is customary to decorate them with precious and semi-precious stones.

• With a dragon. The dragon is a mythical creature, strong, courageous and adamant, so the ring with it can become a powerful talisman for the owner, giving him his magical help, strength, nobility, perseverance, the ability to expand the boundaries of consciousness and action. Women can also wear a ring with a dragon, preferably on their right hand.

• with an eagle. Since the time of Ancient Egypt, only the pharaohs and the nobility had the right to wear rings with the image of an eagle, in Rome they were worn by senators and the emperor. This noble bird has always been considered a sign of power, the double-headed eagle is a special, higher power. It also symbolizes pride, courage, courage.

• With a spider. Since ancient times, spiders - these creepy creatures that skillfully weave their webs - have been respected by people. In the symbolism of jewelry, the spider acts as a creator, the master of fate, like an amulet - it brings material well-being, prosperity and good luck to its owner.

• With a star Most often, a six-pointed star or the so-called “Star of David” is depicted on jewelry. Two crossed triangles with oppositely directed peaks, as it were, mean the unity of opposites - earth and sky, woman and man, God and man. This symbol is very ancient.

There is also a ring with a Slavic symbolic star, known as the “square of Svarog” or the “star of Russia”. This sign carries a deep meaning, it personifies the world order, the unity of man and the universe. As a talisman - will help increase self-confidence and attract good health.

Probably no other decoration carries so much symbolic meaning. From time immemorial, this symbol has come to us, personifying love, fidelity and belonging of spouses to each other. No one can say exactly where and when wedding rings appeared, so numerous conjectures are being built. Some historians say that the birthplace of such rings is Ancient Egypt, others - Ancient Greece. Archaeologists have also found them in ancient Rome.

There are several legends about why the ring symbolizes the mutual feelings of people entering into marriage. According to one version, two lovers, after bonding their feelings by marriage, converge like two halves and form an endless inseparable figure - a ring. Another version says that a ring worn on the ring finger of the left hand (in Russia they are worn on the right) stimulates the so-called “vein of love” - the nerve that extends from this finger and connects to the heart, and does not allow love to fade away. There is a third version, according to which, instead of rings, bracelets made of tree bark and grass were used, which the young husband put on his wife in order to protect her from misfortune and death.

Initially, only women wore wedding rings. Men began to wear them during the First World War. At the front, looking at the ring, they remembered their beloved wife, children, and native lands. After the end of the war, the tradition took root and men began to wear wedding rings all the time.

Over time, materials for the manufacture of such rings have changed. In ancient times, they could be made from wood, stone, even grass; however, in the modern world they are made only from noble metals - gold, silver, platinum.It is not forbidden to mix several metals, decorate rings with stones, engraving, enamel.

In magic and esotericism, a certain ancient alphabet that came to us from Northern Europe is widely used - a set of symbols, also known as runes. Each rune has its own spelling and designation, and not one, but three - alphabetic, magical and divinatory. The runic alphabet, or "futhark" is used to make various talismans and amulets, so it is not surprising that rings with runic signs applied to the surface appeared.

Depending on the meaning of the rune applied to the ring, such an ornament is designed to help the owner in one or another area of ​​life. Runes can be applied singly or in groups. You need to be very careful when choosing an inscription, first consult with a specialist in this field, so as not to harm yourself with an unsuccessfully selected rune combination.

The material of manufacture of such rings also matters. It is believed that silver jewelry is associated with the Moon, the magic of which ennobles the soul and brings primordial beauty. Gold accumulates the energy of the Sun - and brings prosperity, success and prosperity.

For centuries, it was customary to decorate rings with various semi-precious stones. These stones, due to their appearance and properties, are very fond of connoisseurs of jewelry art. Now on the shelves you can see a great variety of rings with various stones, both precious and semi-precious or ornamental. Let's talk about the meanings of the most popular ones.

So, let's start with semi-precious stones. Rings are:

• with amethyst, whose soft purple color attracts the eye.Suitable for gentle creative natures who love calm colors in clothes. As a talisman, it is used to develop intuition, attract the grace of high-ranking officials, reduce anxiety and stress levels.

• with aventurine. The old Russian name for this stone is gold sparks, and for good reason! Its entire surface, as it were, is strewn with small golden sparks, which shimmer so beautifully in the sun.

Suitable for this stone Guess who? That's right - those whose activities are somehow connected with various adventures, risk. It has a very positive energy, brings luck, joy and inspiration.

• with agate. That's what kind of stone is distinguished by diversity in colors, so it's agate. Its wonderful uneven coloring has long been loved by connoisseurs of semi-precious stones and jewelry with them.

The magical properties of agate are as follows: it helps its owner make wise decisions, be pleasant in communication and speak beautifully, and protects from the "evil eye".

• with turquoise. This very common cut stone is characterized by a bright blue color (although shades vary from sky to green) with dark veins and a glossy finish. Turquoise rings are recommended to be worn by travelers, people of creative professions, as well as all those who want to attract prosperity, prosperity and peace to the family in their lives.

• with pomegranate. Traditionally, garnet is considered to be a fiery red stone, but its shades vary from yellowish to black. This stone is a talisman for all creative people and in general for people who are passionate about something.

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• with topaz. Topaz is a transparent mineral, its colors are yellow, blue, pink and green.A ring with topaz helps its owner to penetrate the secrets of life, develops thinking well. It is recommended to be worn by psychologists, investigators, hypnotists, psychics.

• with chrysolite. Wonderful apple-green transparent stone. A ring with it will help create a strong protective aura around its wearer. Chrysolite, like a sponge, absorbs negativity directed at a person and converts it into positive energy, so it is highly recommended to wear it as an amulet.

Now it's the turn of rings with precious stones. Their types:

• with a diamond. The most expensive and valuable stone, the king of all stones. A symbol of firmness, purity, power, perfection. A person wearing a diamond ring, as it were, is transformed, becomes better, all his positive qualities are enhanced.

• with ruby. A bright blood-red stone, symbolizing the success and strength of its owner. The ruby ​​ring brings happiness in love, gives women the joy of motherhood, enhances passion in relationships.

• with sapphire. Speaking of sapphire, we immediately imagine a bright blue stone with a characteristic brilliance. However, sometimes there are yellow, green, and even pink stones. Sapphire is a stone of chastity, fidelity and prudence. It helps you find purpose in life.

• with emerald. A rare deep green stone. Attracts wealth, success, helps with meditation. Emerald rings are recommended for mothers and sailors.

Most often, such rings are decorated with diamond engraving, convex ornament, carving. They are considered less pretentious than rings with stones, so they can be worn daily and anywhere.

Such rings were especially popular during the Renaissance.The essence of such a ring was that under the outer stone or plate there was a miniature hiding place, in which one could put some memorable thing, a miniature portrait, or even ... pour poison. Perhaps the most famous such ring is the Borgia ring. Cesare Borgia had a large collection of such rings, with the help of which he got rid of people who were objectionable to him. There were rings with a retractable needle (for injecting poison through the skin when shaking hands) and with a cavity under a retractable stone (in order to quietly pour poison into the victim's glass).

There are several rules, adhering to which when choosing a ring, you can make a really good purchase. Here they are:

• think about where you will wear the ring, what clothes to combine with. If you're in the mood for everyday wear, go for more classic options that look equally good with jeans or evening wear;
• the new decoration should be in harmony with the existing ones;

• many semi-precious stones are not very durable and can be damaged as a result of hitting a hard surface - you need to keep this in mind when choosing rings with inserts from them;

• When choosing a ring, consider the anatomical features of your hand. For example, narrow rings will not look good on thick, massive fingers, just as a huge signet will not fit on graceful thin fingers.

Of course, each person has the right to decide independently on which finger to wear this or that ring.But there is also certain knowledge, traditions, gleaned from the depths of centuries. Let's take a look at them.

• wearing a ring on the index finger of the right hand is chosen by powerful, proud, resolute people;
• family jewels are most often worn on the middle finger. In general, it is considered universal, the most convenient for wearing rings;

• the ring finger is traditionally considered suitable for wearing wedding and engagement rings;
• gamblers, creative, outstanding personalities, as well as diplomats and businessmen often wear rings on the little finger;
• and, finally, aggressive, self-confident people, striving for self-affirmation and self-realization, prefer to decorate the thumb.

Regardless of the material of manufacture, the shape and size of the ring, when buying it, you must imagine how this jewelry will fit into your image. It should be in harmony with your style of clothing and in general with your appearance.

Most people like classic rings, without bright stones and inserts, but if you think that a large bright ring is just what you need, then why not?

Depending on the material of manufacture, additional decorations, in the form of stones, engraving, as well as weight, rings can vary in price from very cheap to very expensive. Now on the world market there are many rings made of various alloys that are available to the average consumer. But there are also exclusive magnificent jewelry for true connoisseurs of jewelry art. As a rule, these are handmade designer rings.

Modern designers never cease to amaze with their interesting ideas. They did not bypass the rings.In a huge variety of handmade products, everyone can choose a ring that suits their taste, style and to demonstrate their originality.