Wedding band

A wedding band, or wedding ring, is a token of marriage worn by a spouse to indicate a marital commitment to fidelity. Wearing of such a band is a European custom which has been adopted worldwide

A wedding band is a precious metal ring worn on the base of the fourth finger (thumb counted as no. 1). This custom is echoed by the engagement ring traditionally given as a betrothal present, and the promise ring often given when serious courting begins.

According to popular belief, before medical science discovered how the circulatory system functioned, people believed that a vein of blood ran directly from the third finger on the left hand to the heart. Because of the hand-heart connection, they chose the descriptive name vena amori, Latin for the vein of love, for this particular vein.

Based upon this name, their contemporaries, purported experts in the field of matrimonial etiquette, wrote that it would only be fitting that the wedding ring be worn on this finger. By wearing the ring on the third finger of the left hand, a married couple symbolically declares their eternal love for each other.

It is considered rude to make sexual overtures to a man or woman wearing a wedding ring. In the United States in some older generations it was more common for a woman to wear a wedding band than for a man. Even today, people often remove wedding rings for comfort or safety, or simply prefer not to wear rings, so it is not uncommon for chaste married people, especially men, to fail to wear a ring.

A band of any material (even a rubber band) is accepted to complete most religious marital ceremonies, with unusual substitutions permitted in marriages under unusual circumstances. Rubber bands are often used when people marry on ship-board, and no ring can be fitted.

The most common material is a precious yellow alloy of gold, hardened with copper, tin and bismuth. Platinum and white alloys of gold are accepted as equivalent or superior to gold. Titanium has recently become a popular material for wedding bands, due to its durability, affordability, and gunmetal grey color. The least expensive material in common use is nickel silver for those who prefer its appearance or cost. Silver, copper, brass and other corroding metals are not as frequently used because they stain the skin. Stainless steel is seldom used, as it is not considered a precious metal. Aluminum and other poisonous metals are also never used. Rings made by either spouse are considered so precious that any material is acceptable- even if practically unwearable.

If a woman's ring becomes unwearable, it is unremarkable for her to wear it on a chain around her neck. This is socially equivalent to wearing it on her hand.

Christians, or traditionalists wear the ring on their left hand, while Orthodox Christians and Jews traditionally wear it on their right hand.

The plain gold band is the most popular pattern. It is commonly worn by medical personnel because it can be kept very clean. Woman usually wear narrow bands, while men wear broader bands.

In France and French-speaking countries, a common pattern is three interleaved rings. They stand for "faith, hope and love," where love is that particular type of perfect distinterested love indicated by the ancient Greek word agape. It is provocative that this pattern slides off quickly, because the rings flow over each other.

Puzzle rings are sometimes given to and worn by men in Greek, Italian and Anatolian cultures. These are sets of interlocking metal bands that must be arranged just so in order to be worn as a single ring. Women wryly give them as a test for their mens' chastity. Even when the man masters the puzzle, the ring still cannot be removed and replaced quickly!

In North America, many married women wear two rings on the same finger: an engagement ring and a plain wedding band. The rings are often purchased in a pair designed to fit together. One tradition states that the wedding ring is placed on the finger below the engagement ring, because it is closer to the heart.

See also

• Courtship
• Love