Wednesday, September 28, 2011

The Evolution of Fashion: The History of the Signet Ring

By Allison Johnston


Signet rings are rings worn by individuals bearing an initial, monogram, or other image to denote the identity and, long ago, the social or noble status of the wearer. The signet ring's original purposes of indicating rank and imprinting seals on important letters are no longer concerns in the modern western world, but the beauty of signet rings and their interesting background have kept them alive as stylish fashion accessories for men and women.

White gold is a superb medium for a ladies signet ring, as it complements all other pale, cool tone jewelry metals and will not clash with a platinum engagement ring, titanium bracelet, and so on.

Today there are a variety of fully engravable signet rings styles, often with your choice of up to three characters. Many of these rings are accented by a simple looped border that looks similar to a doily or basic scrollwork and gives them an old world look that is quite reminiscent of the Renaissance era.

The bright, sunny glow of yellow gold brings a lot of warmth to the wider, more angular styles of women's signet ring, and the shadows cast by carved and hand tooled designs in the more intricate styles of gold signet ring become even more pronounced. Styles with a matte finish allow the monogram to stand out amid a soft glow, while a 14k gold signet ring with a high polish monogram base dramatically shines.

In the Middle Ages, a man's ring was often engraved with the wearer's family coat of arms, and modern signet rings are designed to showcase the simplified modern day equivalent that serves the same purpose: the monogram. Mens white gold signet rings in more recent times have become a traditional gift for sons and other male relatives as eighteenth birthday gifts, or to present upon high school or college graduation.




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