While the necklace is the most conspicuous jewel in a woman’s parure, and the earclip does more than any other to make subtle alterations in her appearance, the finger ring is beyond compare the most popular of all jewels. There seems little to be said about the purchase of a ring except that one should select a beautiful jewel, and yet there are many ways in which the ring can not only contribute to the overall effect of the personality but actually beautify the hand.
The Giving of a Ring
In the first place, the manifold aspects of its symbolism—to be discussed more fully later—bar this jewel from any casual giving. A brooch, a clip, earclips, or a bracelet: all these might be sent as a gift to any person, without further thought; but a ring is bought for and given to a relative, or someone closer still—or someone to whom one wishes to be close. And the recipient of a ring should be aware of the implications involved in its acceptance. If a ring is proffered as a gift before there is an understanding that admits of such a present, the intended recipient will find a gracious way of declining such an “elaborate” or “too magnificent” or “over-generous” gift.
Consider the Hand
The right to give a ring includes the pleasure of selecting a gift that will both please and adorn. This demands some consideration of that fine instrument too often taken for granted, the human hand. Most of the time we merely use our hands. Nevertheless, almost unconsciously yet almost inevitably, our glance falls upon a person’s fingers when we meet, for the hands are the surest guide to an individual’s make-up. And I do not mean the “make-up” that is applied. Faces may be altered; neck wrinkles may be disguised; fingernails are dressed up; chins may be lifted; noses may be shaped—the hands remain undisguised.
The ring calls attention to the hand. It invites the gaze, which, while admiring the ring, is also aware of the fingers that are background to the jewel. And the ring should be selected not only to fit the finger but also to suit the hand.
Proportions of the Hand
A hand may be long and slender or long and large. It may be short and stubby or short and thin. It may taper from the palm along almost straight fingers or have the line broken by larger knuckles. There are differences in the proportion between the fingers and the palm. All of these elements of finger size and shape, of hand proportions, should be weighed in selecting a ring. They have an important bearing on the size and shape of the stones, and on the width or thickness of the band. Comparatively few women, however often they may have polished their nails, are really familiar with their hands.
Certain general proportions between rings and hands need little more than mention. A small ring overemphasizes a large hand. On slender fingers or a small hand, a large ring is overpowering. If a fairly large ring is desired by someone with a dainty hand, a dome-shaped ring may be most becoming, or a ring with the stone set high; but it should be worn only on the third finger. Such a ring adds considerable style to an outfit. If the fingers are quite short, however, it will be best to choose an oblong ring. If the fingers are long and thin, the stone should be set so as to run not along the finger but across it; the eye, following the ring, tends to foreshorten the finger length. The ring should fit the personality; the stone may fit the occasion.
The Diamond Ring: The Engagement Ring
The engagement ring is, in all probability, a young woman’s first important ring. There is, for this, hardly any choice other than a diamond. The gem, however, may be variously set. Usually it is a single stone, the solitaire, in a plain band of gold or platinum. The diamond may be brilliant cut; this is conservative but in impeccable taste. It should be set in thin high prongs of the chosen metal, so as to give fullest play to the light from all its facets and to take full advantage of its irradiating brilliance.
Among other cuts that are favored for the engagement diamond are the square, the emerald, and the pear-shaped. For shorter or thicker fingers, a highly effective cut is the marquise. This cut is named in honor of the Marquise de Montespan, an elegant, beautiful and sensible woman who was mistress of Louis XIV. Aware of the somewhat short length of her fingers, she ordered the crown jeweler to have her ring diamonds cut in the form of an oval pointed at both ends. Because it resembles a boat, this cut is sometimes called the navette, but now more often the marquise. Making the fingers seem longer and more slender, it at once became a popular diamond style. When testing the appearance of a stone on the finger, it is well to look at a marquise-cut diamond.
While the solitaire is still the most popular engagement ring, there is a youthful jauntiness in combinations of diamonds which has made the use of several stones a current vogue. Almost any newly betrothed maiden would feel keenly disappointed if the ring did not have as its center stone the large solitaire. But this may be pleasantly flanked by smaller stones of different cut, such as two baguettes lying close along the band.
The Wedding Ring
The obvious symbolism of the wedding ring, as it is often told today, marks the subjection of the woman to the will of the man, her pledge to continue to love, honor and obey. Some supposed thinkers in the field of folklore go farther, and tell us that the ring is placed on the left, the inferior, hand to denote that the woman is “inferior.” These ideas are manifestly advanced by men. Two facts at once put them out of joint. In the first place, the wedding ring for long periods of time was worn on the right hand. In the second place, for equally long periods of time, both bride and groom had a ring put on in mutual bondage.
The basic significance of the ring remains, however, twofold. The first meaning is symbolical. Being endless, the ring betokens the love without end that is the hope of the betrothal and the realization of two lives long spent “as one.” The second meaning was practical. The marriage ring was the man’s signet ring, which was as universally obeyed as his direct order, for the stamp of that seal was as the thunder of his command. By placing this ring on the bride’s finger, he was conferring upon her equal authority in the household and home—literally carrying out what he declared in the wedding service: “With all my worldly goods I thee endow.” It is not subordination but everlasting equality in mutual respect and love that is held in the magic circle of the wedding band.
The Wearing of the Band
Two rings should not be worn at the same time on the same hand, except the wedding ring, which in due time comes to slide along the same finger as the engagement ring to mark the fulfilment of the first ring’s promise. As they are to be boon companions for a long, long time, the wedding ring should be of the same metal as the engagement ring. The wide wedding band, though almost universal at the beginning of this century and returning to popularity, has certain disadvantages. It looks becoming only on a large hand. Even there it may make the engagement ring look too small.
In more than the size and the metal, the engagement ring’s style should be considered in the purchase of the wedding band. A neutral pattern is simplest to match. It might be an unadorned band of metal or a simple ring of small round, baguette or marquise diamonds, or two of these cuts alternating, set close to the metal. Alternating marquise and round diamonds may form a sort of crown design and a most attractive jewel. There is a great variety of possible patterns and styles among which one should select carefully, for this is the choice of a lifetime.
In measuring the size of the wedding band, care should be taken not to make it too snug. Even if one be fortunate enough not to add weight with the years, the size of the fingers changes with the seasons. They swell a little in hot weather, and if the band is too tight the finger will bulge on either side. It is better to fit the ring for the July finger, and in December, if necessary, wear an unobtrusive and attractive guard.
The Pearl Ring
After the diamond ring in beauty and popularity, and freer from any intimate symbolism, is the pearl ring. The pearl ring is appropriate throughout the day for many occasions. It will harmonize with most colors, once it has been carefully chosen—as I indicated when discussing the pearl necklace—to harmonize with the wearer’s complexion. In fact, a pearl necklace and a pearl ring may make a beautiful combination.
The pearl ring is often enhanced by the effect of flanking diamonds. A white pearl against white skin sometimes calls for added light or color. By proper design, with well chosen accompanying stones, a pearl may be made to look lighter or darker, larger and more luminous.
I once had a client with a large grey pearl that was not dark enough for her taste. As she was a motion picture star, moreover, she had to be concerned with how the jewel would photograph. I suggested mounting the pearl in a high setting with a background of baguette diamonds. The brilliance of the diamonds caught and reflected the shadings of the pearl, both adding to the depth of its color and increasing the quality of its lustrous tones. It enhanced the lightness of the actress’s skin and in her photographs stood out as a most striking jewel.
The Black Pearl
Beyond all other combinations, the white pearl stands in superb contrast with the black. The grey pearl also makes an interesting counterbalance with the white, but the effects of the rare black pearl are unique. Crown jewels of almost every kingdom, active or in exile, include a design utilizing the values of the white pearl with the black.
Until recent years, the black pearl was the most sought after of all its kind, and wise women today are again appreciating its values. There is no more dramatic accent than the dark lustre of a black pearl against a fair skin. The most striking use I ever saw of such a contrast was at a party when Marlene Dietrich commanded every eye. She had asked me to design a ring for her with three large pearls, one black, one white, one pink. For her beautiful hand I mounted the three pearls high and set them against round and baguette diamonds. Shortly after the ring was finished, I saw Marlene at the party. She wore a simple dress, high-necked and long-sleeved. With sure discrimination she wore very few jewels: earrings, of which one was a white pearl, one was a black; and the pearl ring. The striking ensemble could not have been better displayed.
There can be great dramatic value in a single pearl.
Decorative Rings
Most of the rings a woman wears, of course, are purely decorative without symbolism or intent beyond the enhancing of her beauty. The variety of such rings is infinite, and the range allows wide choice, no matter what the personality and taste of the wearer.
The little finger is often favored for a decorative ring, and certain flower motifs are attractive there. Such a ring should be comparatively small; the little finger must border the hand with a straight line. This ring requires careful fitting so that it will not turn to the side. Women who are active or who move their hands a lot while talking should avoid the pinkie ring, as delicate settings may be damaged by frequent knocks.
Matched With Earclips
A growing trend is to match a finger ring with a pair of earclips. Such a set may lend its harmony to an ensemble. There are patterns of dome-shaped earclips that also make attractive rings. Flower designs, similarly used, if modulated in three dimensions, can produce dramatic effects. The stones and the design in the ring may be the same size as in the earclips or a little smaller.
The sculptor Rodin hid the hands of his great statue of Balzac, because he wanted the beholders’ eyes to move directly up to the massive head. But the everyday beholders of a fair lady see her moving hands as well as her lively countenance; and the matching earclips and finger ring form a pleasant device for tying together the charms of the personality.
Interchangeable Centers
Another ring design that has a comparatively new vogue is that with a changeable center. A permanent band and setting are prepared. The best stones for the setting, to harmonize with any possible center stone, are diamonds. Thus baguette diamonds along the band, with perhaps a round stone, or a marquise, on each side next to the center, make a beautiful background to any stone. Then, for the center stone, one may have a varied selection, using what fits one’s mood and the occasion. A pearl, an emerald, a sapphire, a ruby: stones of similar size can be mounted so that any one can be set into the jewel. In this way, with the single mounting, a series of rings can be worn, surprisingly different in their appearance and effect.
There are other changes that can be effected with rings, almost of the order of optical illusions. If a woman who has been wearing a ring on her third finger transfers it to the little finger, she will think that the gem has grown—perhaps a carat or more. Moving a ring in the other direction makes it seem smaller. Perhaps a ring usually worn on one finger really belongs on another. This transference often gives a ring a new added attraction and wearability. The cost of resizing is very small.
Ring Sizes
Whatever the finger, the ring should not be made too tight. As I said before, it is better to have a guard ring, which, though a narrow band, can be made in itself an article of true adornment.
Should a ring that has not been taken off for some time resist removal, it should not be forced. Some women become panicky when they cannot pull off a ring—as though its obstinacy made them unwilling slaves. A little soapy water will usually prove effective. The moistened hand should be held pointing toward the ceiling, while the finger is gently massaged. When the swelling seems to have somewhat subsided, the ring should be turned around and around, with a slight upward pull; once past the wide part of the finger, it is off. If the ring continues rebellious, the jeweler is equipped with special instruments for the painless removal of tight-fitting rings.
If the knuckles are large, the ring that passes over them will of course be loose where it is supposed to stay snug. Here too the jeweler can assist. A simple adjustment, of which there are several types, accommodates the ring to the different finger sizes. The ring will slip off easily, yet stay fixed in the proper position, neither sliding nor turning around.
Rings and Nail Polish
More than once, in selecting a ring, a woman has rejected one that was quite beautiful, because it did not look well on her hands. This is an excellent reason—if the hands were not prejudiced by the nail polish. The polish should be fitted to the ring, not the ring to the polish. In other words, when the selection of a ring is the business of the day, a neutral polish or none at all should be worn. After the ring has been chosen, the polish should be selected to complement the stone. With the colored stones of a dinner ring, this is important.
With a diamond ring, for example, the frosty white nail polish should be avoided, as it diminishes the beauty of the gem. With a coral ring, the nail polish that suggests itself is of an orange hue. With a ruby, perhaps a purplish polish, but not too deep, lest by its ardor it make the ruby look pale. Some colored stones will be attractive with more than one shade of nail polish. A little experimentation and taste can create surprisingly varied and dramatic effects, as the nails, differently colored for an evening and for a weekend afternoon, differently interplay with the colors of the ring.
About Wearing a Ring
Some fashions in rings and their wearing call for brief comment. Although the Elizabethan men and three hundred years later their sisters in the frenzied Twenties of this century wore rings over their gloves, the practice has lapsed from good taste. A ring with a large stone or a dome-shaped design should be turned with this toward the palm before a glove is put on; there will then be no difficulty nor tear.
The current fashion of fingernails keeps them long and almost pointed. A woman who for practical or other reasons wears her nails short will find that her rings appear to better advantage if she keeps her bracelets a little higher on the arm. This, in a sense, incorporates part of the wrist into the hand, giving at that end the greater length which has been lost at the other.
Rings should always be taken off when the hands are washed. This is even more important when what are being washed are not the hands but the dishes, for soapy water may harm the rings. It may actually take the lustre from certain stones; but in any case, a film of soap on the under-surface of a stone deprives the jewel of that glow it is supposed to have and mars the beauty which is the jewel’s excuse for being.
No matter how careful one may be, the ring, worn on the most animated and active part of the body, requires cleaning more often than any other jewel. The ring, as I began by saying, calls attention to the hand which should be well manicured and groomed. But especially the ring should be chosen and worn so that it becomes an effectively contributing part of a woman’s beauty.