Jewellery & Watch News
The question of which finger should I wear my engagement ring is a common one, and understandably so. With all the excitement that comes with getting engaged, its easy to forget where to place your new sparkly band.
In most Western countries, including the United Kingdom, it is tradition to wear your engagement ring on the fourth finger of your left hand. But, why? You may ask.
It seems that wearing an engagement ring on the fourth finger of your left hand is traced back to the Ancient Romans. They believed that this finger had a vein that ran directly to your heart and they even named it the Vena Amoris, meaning ‘vein of love’. Since they also believed that the heart was the hub for our soul, emotions and feelings of love, it made sense to them to wear a ring that symbolises romance and devotion on this finger.
As magical as the idea is, unfortunately today we now know the ‘vein of love’ does not actually exist! Nevertheless, since us Brits love tradition and all things romance, we continue to follow their sentiment and wear our engagement and wedding rings on the fourth finger of the left hand.
This custom, however, is not followed globally with countries like Russia, India, Norway and Germany often wearing engagement rings on the right hand. This is because the word ‘left’ in Latin can be translated to ‘sinister’ so it is believed to be unlucky by some to wear an engagement ring on the left hand.
With these things in mind, just remember that there is no official rule to which finger to wear your engagement ring. If you’re one that loves to follow tradition, then proudly wear your band on the fourth finger of your left hand. But, if you’re someone who is more comfortable wearing it on another finger, there’s nothing to stop you!
At C W Sellors, we have a stunning range of diamond engagement rings and gemstone engagement rings to choose from. Getting engaged is one of life’s most precious and memorable moments, so do it right and choose a professional jeweller to help you pick, resize and deliver your dream engagement ring. Shop our engagement rings here.
