We all know that a wedding ring is an emblem of love. A symbol of faithfulness between two lovers who have come in agreement to spend the rest of their days together, till death do they part. But have you ever wondered about the deeper meaning of what wedding rings represent? Why, for instance, do we wear it on a special ring finger and not just any finger?
Keep reading as we learn about the meaningful connotation that are wedding rings and why they have been the symbol of love for centuries. We will also share tips on sizing your ring finger so that your symbol of love will sit snugly around it.
A Brief History of the Wedding Ring
The shape
The history of the wedding ring dates back in history and everything from its shape, to the finger we choose to wear it on has its own special meaning. According to anthropologists, the circular shape of wedding rings dates back to the Ancient Egyptians where they believed this particular shape represents eternity. So that when you wear the ring on your finger, it symbolises eternal and everlasting love.
The ring finger
Even long before we had metal rings, the first rings were braided out of reeds in a circular shape and worn on the ring finger on the left hand. This was a custom during ancient Egyptian times and was soon incorporated into Christian and Jewish weddings. But why this particular finger? The answer is biological and romantic at the same time. That is, it is believed that on this particular finger, sits a vein that connects straight to the wearer’s heart.
The Diamond wedding ring
Then, around the 1940s was when humans first discovered shiny, beautiful, and hard rocks we call diamonds. Ad campaigns with the tagline ‘A diamond is forever’ has since then made diamond wedding rings the greatest symbol of perpetual love and commitment. Today, this diamond wedding ring is what girls envision when they fantasize about their dream wedding.
How to Size Your Ring Finger
- Get a free ring sizer
If you have been talking to a jeweller about wedding rings, ask them if they can send you a free plastic ring sizer. Not all jewellers do this, but it is worth enquiring. However, it might take a while to reach you as it is most likely coming by post. Not to worry, as we’ll show you even more tips of sizing your ring finger at home.
- Measuring your ring size at home with a string or floss
To size your ring finger at home with a string, you will need a ruler, a marker, a roll of string or floss. Firstly, cut the string to about 6 inches long and fold it around to just below the knuckle. Use the marker to mark where the string first overlaps. Next, place your marked string precisely on the ruler and note your measurement in millimetres. This is the measurement of the circumference.
Then, use a ring size chart that you can easily find online to translate your measurements in millimetres into an actual ring size.
- Measuring your ring size at home with paper
If you can’t seem to find any string or floss, here is another way you can size your ring finger with some paper. For this, you will need a strip of paper, a ruler, and a marker.
Start off by cutting the paper into a strip of about 100 millimetres. Then, fold it around your ring finger from the base until one end meets the other under your knuckle. Use the marker to mark the area where the two ends of paper meet. Then, using the ruler, measure the circumference in millimetres.
Lastly, refer to a ring size chart to determine your actual ring size.
Our fingers all have different sizes so there is no one size fits all when it comes to wedding rings. Your ring should be wide enough to glide smoothly through your finger when you ease it in and then sit snugly around your finger.
Getting your ring finger sized properly will help in minimizing the risk of loss if your ring is too loose. And you won’t want to lose your new two-carat symbol of love. You also don’t want a ring that is too tight, as it will put too much pressure and hurt your finger.
Your wedding ring is a symbol of eternal love that you should cherish forever. It is more than just a piece of jewellery. Thus, it is worth that you invest some time to ensure that it will be the right fit so that whenever you catch a glimpse of that sparkle, you are reminded of your sacred matrimony.
