The ManicaPost
THE majority of men will probably only wear one ring in their adult life: the wedding band. Another, smaller set of men will wear a devoted ring of personal significance for much of their life: a class ring, a family seal, or a Masonic emblem, perhaps.
Other than that, they, too, will stick to the wedding band.
Only a small percentage of men will ever wear decorative rings as adults.
But as it turns out, that minority might just be onto something.
Men’s rings: Yes or No?
Insofar as there’s any argument here, you can rest assured yes, men can wear rings if they want to. A lot of modern jewellery styles may not be to most men’s tastes, but there’s nothing inherently problematic about the object itself.
Rings have been both masculine and feminine (and gender-neutral, for that matter) for pretty much all of human history. The two major arguments people present when they criticise men’s rings are generally
That it’s too feminine, or That it’s too flashy.
Both of those, in any case where they’re true, are problems with the design of the ring in question, not with the presence of a ring at all.
There’s only one really significant objection to rings on men as a broad concept, and that’s an old and class-based one: very traditional men of wealth, especially British and European aristocrats and royalty, have a quiet tradition that men simply don’t wear decorative jewellery. This even extends to watches (they have people to tell them the time, on the rare occasion that they need to know) and wedding bands (which are only worn by the woman in most high society marriages).
So if you’re planning on hob-knobbing with dukes and duchesses, maybe skip the rings. Otherwise, it’s a viable option, so read on to learn more about the specifics of the style!
Functions of rings
Some rings have more symbolism than others. We can generally break rings up into ones that serve a purely decorative function, ones that send a specific cultural message, and the in-betweeners that do both at once:
Cultural and religious rings
There aren’t any major world religions that explicitly require the wearing of rings, but many do encourage it for specific roles or relationships.
The Western wedding band is the most familiar example for most of us: it’s not explicitly required by Christian tradition, but over time it’s evolved into a cultural expectation with a lot of symbolism behind it — enough that choosing to go without is something people will notice and consider unusual, at least in America.
In most cases, these tend to either be plain bands or to involve a specific emblem or crest. Insofar as there are personal style choices, those choices are restricted to the size and material.
That said, you can work these into your personal style — married men with gold bands, for example, often tend to accessorize with other gold elements (belt buckles, etc.) so that there’s a natural match across all their metal items.
If you’re making a bold, aggressive statement with a religious or cultural ring like a wedding band, it’s a little tacky. Keep these simple (but high-quality), and look to other jewellery for your personal statements.
Affiliation rings
Rings have been used to denote membership in groups and families for thousands of years.
These days, the most common examples are fraternal rings, class rings, and the occasional family crest, along with other things of that nature. Some veterans may also wear a ring denoting their branch of service, or even a specific program within their branch.
These are cultural, in that they display a specific belief or membership, but they also tend to be decorative. As a result, the bands and designs are larger, and the detailing more eye-catching, than on a wedding band.
There are several common designs here: the single large, coloured stone in the centre, surrounded by text or smaller stones, is popular among class rings, while a shield or similar crest in raised or etched metal is often seen on fraternal and family rings.
Most guys wear these with the desire that they be noticed and remarked upon. It’s actually a functional door-opener for men in some industries — more than one corporate sale started between two guys with the same school ring.
So if you want to do one of these in the traditional style, be thinking big, bold, and chunky: usually one colour of metal only, maybe with one colour of stone or one coloured stone and smaller neutral ones like diamonds set around it. They’re not necessarily meant to impress with their artistry or craftsmanship just grab the eye and make a statement.
If something’s perfect for you, make it happen. If it’s just good for you, maybe make it happen anyway, but only when the price is right.
Once you’ve made those choices — the style, the size, the materials, and the price — congratulations. You just picked out a ring.
Wear it well.
