A ring! This small piece of jewelry is able to empower, give wealth, and connect loving hearts. Hands down, rings are the most popular items in jewelry. If you, too, are crazy about baubles, you might want to know a few interesting facts about them.
Pharaohs Were the First to Wear Rings
Historians are still arguing about the time of rings occurrence. However, they came to the conclusion that the ancient Egyptians were the first to come up with the idea of wearing something round on their fingers to adorn themselves. They considered the circle to be a magical symbol. Initially, only rulers could wear rings. A ring became an indicator of a person’s privileged position in society and power.
After Egyptians, the tradition of wearing rings was adopted by the ancient Greeks, and later the Romans. In Greek mythology, there is a legend saying that the first ring belonged to Prometheus. He received it from Zeus as a reminder of the test he passed. The popularity of rings grew rapidly and soon they became a secular ornament.
We Wear Wedding Bands on The Ring Finger Because of a Myth
Besides embellishing themselves with jewelry, Ancient Egyptians made the first steps toward learning about human anatomy. They came to the conclusion that the ring finger featured ‘vena amoris’, the vein that connects the digit with the heart. Some Egyptian scholars even attributed magical properties to this vein.
Over time, this belief got refuted by science. Nevertheless, the tradition of putting engagement and wedding bands on this specific finger grew so strong that it became common to most nations and religions.
Silver Rings are the Most Common
Silver is much more ubiquitous in nature than gold. According to experts, throughout the entire history of the mining industry, we have produced about 10 times more silver than gold. Naturally, silver isn’t spent entirely on making jewelry but a significant part of it is found in trinkets.
Fashionistas love silver rings for a variety of reasons – they have a noble luster, their pale finish goes well with any wardrobe item, silver is available in its natural white look as well as with a patina obtained by blackening or oxidation. But the main reason is perhaps that an ounce of silver is about 100 times cheaper than gold. This allows having massive rings without any damage to one’s financial state. This became a reason why biker rings, known for their burliness and heftiness, are crafted from sterling silver. By the way, sterling silver containing 92.5% of pure silver is the most common alloy. Pure silver by itself is too soft and not durable enough to be used in everyday jewelry.
A Ring with 7777 Diamonds in the Guinness Book of Records
This luxurious ring was made by Indian jewelers. It took them almost a year and a half to complete this monstrosity. The incredible piece is crafted in 18K rose gold and set with 16.42ct round diamonds. The total weight of the ring is impressive 58 grams. The cost of the unique piece is approximately $5 million. It entered the Guinness Book of Records as the ring with the greatest number of precious stones.
The jewelers called their creation The Lotus Ring since it is shaped like the flower and features 36 golden petals. In Buddhism, this plant is a sacred symbol of purity, enlightenment, and wisdom. The design on the whole resembles The Lotus Temple located in New Delhi.
The Smallest Ring is Less than 1 Millimeter
For a long time, a wedding ring made in 1544 was considered the smallest ring in the world. It was intended for the future Queen of Scots Mary Stuart. She received it when she was just two years old.
In the early 2000s, the Japanese corporation Toshiba took the lead by creating the world’s smallest diamond ring. It is so tiny that it easily fits on a hair. Its diameter is less than two-hundredths of a millimeter, and the gemstone is five billionths of a carat. The base of the ring is a tungsten spiral of a regular light bulb and the gemstone is a grain of diamond grit. The production process took just two hours. Such a ring can only be seen through a powerful microscope.
The Most Expensive Ring is Made of a Solid Piece of Diamond
The World’s First Diamond Ring is the name of the most expensive ring has ever been made. Its uniqueness is that it consists of a single chunk of diamond. It took more than a year to cut the jewel with a special laser. Subsequently, the unique cutting technique was patented by the creators, and the ring became a laureate of the Guinness Book of Records.
The idea of crafting a ring out of a large piece of a mineral was very risky because a laser could damage its unique structure. But its creators took a chance and they pulled it off. For the first time, the 150-carat diamond ring was shown to the public in 2011. The cost of this splendor is more than $70 million.
Barry Lachey is a Professional Editor at Zobuz. Previously He has also worked for Moxly Sports and Network Resources “Joe Joe.” He is a graduate of the Kings College at the University of Thames Valley London. You can reach Barry via email or by phone.
