Diamond & Jewelry News, Advice and Prices for Consumers
Diamond & Jewelry News, Advice and Prices for Consumers
January 4, 2010
I used to think that married men wore their wedding rings on their left hands, but recently I've seen some contradicting cases that got me confused. Can someone sort this out for me?
March 14, 2012
January 8, 2010
In the US, a wedding ring is worn by both men and women on the ring finger of the left hand, which is the finger next to the pinky. It's all about origin and tradition. Most Christians indeed wear their wedding rings on that finger, but in some cultures even Christians wear their wedding rings on their right hand. Moreover, people who believe in other religions have different wedding ring wearing traditions.
January 5, 2010
Yes, in America the wedding ring is worn on the left hand. This custom is actually shared by Sweden, France, and the United Kingdom. It originates in an ancient belief that the "ring finger" on the left hand had a vein that traveled straight to the heart. The Romans called this vein the vena amorism, or vein of love, and therefore anyone wearing a wedding ring symbolizing love, would want it to be linked "directly" to their heart.
The tradition of wearing a wedding ring on the right hand actually comes from the Christian belief that holy things are done only with your right hand. It was once believed that left-handed people were evil (Latin root of the word for left is connected to sinister!).
All in all, it comes down to your personal comfort. Some righty-s wear their wedding rings on their left hands so that it is less cumbersome and visa versa. Although the custom in the US is "wedding ring on left hand", you can make the choice.
