Rings, also called bands (Argenti), are circular bands of precious metals or other materials worn around the fingers. A ring is commonly of multiple bands, usually of equal size and thickness. The word “ring” alone by itself denotes jewelry worn on the hand; when worn collectively, the body part covered by the term is defined within the word, e.g. earrings, finger rings, wrist rings, neck rings and toe rings. The specific meaning of each individual piece of the ring varies (e.g. rings worn by teenagers generally have more intricate settings).
In ancient times, wearing rings was a sign of social standing. For instance, the Egyptian royalty would wear golden crowns or bracelets on their fingers. In countries like India, North Africa and Arabia, rings were an important adornment. Arabian kings would use gold and silver rings to signify their rank and status.
One type of ring that was highly prized in ancient times were diamond rings. Diamonds have been prized for centuries because of their rarity, beauty and durability. In fact, many people today consider diamonds to be a priceless gem. Diamond rings for men were considered symbols of fidelity, wealth and power. The most famous diamond ring, the engagement ring, was made of pure gold and was usually awarded to a man who was married.
In addition to the previously mentioned rings with diamonds, there were also those that had real numbers on them, called “real” rings. Real numbers represented actual objects. This includes carvings, beads, crystals, gemstones and other non-precious materials. In Roman times, real numbers served as currency. While they represented less value than the numbers known for rings, they did not have the same meaning as the “finite fields” previously mentioned.
A finite number was a unit of measurement. The units for measuring different things were the Troy ounces for measurement of weight, the grams for measurement of mass and the grains for measurement of length. As noted before, these units for measurement of certain things are still used today. The Troy ounce, for example, is the unit of measurement for the size of an individual’s diamond ring. Other examples of finite fields are the decimals for fractional measurements, the arpte, the sine wave, the power spectrum and the Planck scale.
Commutative rings are another type of ring. Commutative rings have a single, repeated pattern, such as a horseshoe shape. The repeating pattern can be any kind, including the tuxedo ring. Some examples of Commutative rings include the Greek ring, which is similar to the latter but has no central piece and is worn by members of the military.