Opal Rings Guide

Since the times of our ancestors, the ritual of offering engagement rings has been a well-known tradition. In fact, this time-tested ritual transcends culture and to some extent, even religious beliefs. As a concept, the offering of engagement rings is a universal symbol of commitment. It is given by a man as a precious offering that symbolizes his eternal love to a woman.

In ancient Egypt, rings, having the shape of a circle which symbolizes eternity, are worn by couples who are about to get married. In Western culture, engagement rings are worn on the left hands fourth finger. The question now is how did the fourth finger become designated as the engagement ring finger? The most common explanation about this is that the veins of the so-called engagement ring finger connect with the vena amoris or the love vein. The love vein connects directly to the organ of love which is the heart.

In other countries, however, the engagement ring is designated to the same finger of the right hand. The origin of this particular custom can be traced back since the ancient times. This really was about how ancient folks from these countries regard the left hand. According to their belief, the left hand represents the opposite of good. This explains why they regard the fourth finger of the right hand as the engagement ring finger. The designation of the engagement ring finger, therefore, depends on particular sets of beliefs.

In various countries in South America such as Argentine, both the would-be groom and bride use the same ring. The ring, though very much similar in appearance to official wedding rings, is made of a distinct type of precious metal which is commonly silver. Aside from Argentine, there are more countries of which tradition allows both female and male to wear the same jewelry on the left hand engagement ring finger. There are also countries where the wedding bands are worn by couples on their left hands. Come wedding day, the rings would then be transferred to their right hand fingers. Today, rings that are used by couples as symbols of their commitment come in two installments. There are rings that are worn before the wedding occasion and the next pair is reserved during the actual nuptial ceremony. At present, the fourth finger of the left hand is considered in many cultures as the engagement ring finger.

Despite the fact that the designation of the engagement ring finger varies on a culture to culture basis, the purpose of offering ring before the actual wedding date is the same. In fact, the intention of the symbolic gesture transcends choice of engagement ring finger. No matter what finger is to be designated as the engagement ring finger, I cannot be argued that the gesture is all about love, commitment, and trust. And yes, even in the absence of an appropriate symbol, what matters most is the deep vow that binds two people with each other. If you are interested in knowing more engagement ring finger facts and trivia, you can look for related resources online.