Rings are a type of jewelry worn by people on their fingers, usually as a symbol of affection, commitment or membership in an organization. They can also be a mark of status, adornment or wealth. In some cultures, specific rings have particular spiritual meanings. The ring finger on the left hand, for example, is associated with romance and love, while the ring finger on the right hand symbolizes creativity and beauty.
The earliest existing rings are gold ones found in Egyptian tombs, where they were given to wives as symbols of devotion. In the 3rd and 4th centuries CE, rings became more luxuriously designed to flaunt their owners’ wealth. A popular design was the fede ring, which depicted two right hands clasped together, representing partnership and the marriage contract. In the Roman period, a ring could be personalized by carving an image of the giver or his family into the stone.
When selecting a ring, the most important consideration should be its quality and durability. A well-made ring is one that will last for a long time and stand up to daily wear, without losing its shape or luster. It is also essential to choose a ring that fits properly, especially if it contains a precious gemstone such as a diamond. A ring that is too loose can easily slip off and be lost, while a ring that is too tight can restrict the finger’s circulation and cause it to become sore or swollen.
If you are not sure what size ring your partner might like, ask a close friend to do some detective work for you. They may be able to get a sense of your partner’s style by looking at their current collection of rings and how they are worn, as well as by paying attention to the types of things they might say to you about your relationship. In a recent poll I took, it was interesting that people’s price ranges varied greatly, and that many had been given heirloom stones and therefore only needed to pay for the band.
A ring has three parts: the circle, or hoop; the shoulders, which are an enlargement or thickening of the circle; and the bezel, which holds the gemstone. The hoop can have a circular, semi-circular or square cross section, and the shoulders might be flat or rounded. The bezel might have a smooth or textured surface and can be shaped to hold a gem or other ornament.
Some mathematicians, including the famous Emmy Noether, define a ring as a set with two binary operations, commutative addition and associative multiplication. However, most modern algebra texts do not require that a ring has a unit element, 1; they use the term more generally to refer to any set with a commutative addition and associative multiplicative identity. This generalization of the concept of a ring is useful because it allows us to prove the same theorems about all rings, rather than just a special case.