Mens Ring, One Or Two?

Should men wear one or more rings?
In as much as there’s any argument here, you can be rest assured, yes, men can wear rings if they want to but please don't look like Lord of the rings..lol

A lot of modern jewelry styles may not be to most men’s tastes, but there’s nothing inherently problematic about the object itself. Men’s rings are fashion accessories category that creates a lot of debate and that polarizes opinions very strongly. There are many myths, misconceptions and traditions that revolve around rings, and, unless a ring carries a cultural significance with it, it is seen by many as frivolous, pretentious and pompous.
The main reason why rings carry such a weird reputation is because most men (and women alike) don’t have much experience with them nor are they familiar with the proper ring wearing etiquette. Moreover, many rings are made to stand out, so they draw a lot of attention.

Wearing rings is a moral dilemma, if we stretch it a little, and that’s because most men don’t know what to make of the relationship between their fingers and their rings. Most rings are a very obvious statement (“I graduated at…”, “I’m married”, “I’m a rich dude”, etc.), and most people are afraid to capitalize on a cultural value with which they are not accustomed.
Rings have been both masculine and feminine (and gender-neutral, for that matter) for pretty much all of human history.

Rings show power and your choice of it can tell your personality (and marital status too!) 
Here are two major arguments people present when they criticize men’s rings are generally
a) that it’s too feminine, or
b) that it’s too flashy.
Both of those, in any case where they’re true, are problems with the design of the ring in question, not with the presence of a ring at all.

What does which finger means?

The Thumb

Wearing a ring on your thumb is something many men who wish to wear more than one ring do. This way, they can have more distance between their rings. Thumb rings can be extremely embellished or they can be very simple. Either way, they are most likely to be quite chunky.

 

The Index Finger

The index finger, also called the pointer finger is not a common place for a ring. The reason for this is because our index fingers are the fingers we use for most activities and therefore, we want to keep them clear.
However, wearing a ring on your pointer finger is just as comfortable as wearing them on any other finger.

 

The Middle Finger

The middle finger is the longest finger of a regular hand. However, due to the obvious hand gesture, this finger is not often used as a ring-carrier.
Wearing a ring on your middle finger will draw attention, as it’s not common for people to wear rings on these fingers, but it will draw attention in a controversial kind of way.
From a practical point of view, we don’t recommend wearing bulky rings on your middle finger, as they might bother your index finger, which, as we said, is used for most activities.
A middle finger ring can be a good idea if you want to stand out, or if you don’t want to wear a pinky finger ring or a ring finger one.
Wearing a ring on your middle finger can be considered quite manly for some, but quite ostentatious for others.

 

The Ring Finger

The ring finger, also called “The Fourth Finger” is associated, in almost all parts of the Western World at least, with a wedding ring. In the US, a ring on the right fourth finger indicates engagement, while a ring worn on the left one indicates marriage.
If you wear a ring on your ring finger, it is most likely that people will associate with a relationship. However, since most guys wear simple silver or gold bands to symbolize this, you can opt for a bigger, bolder and more embroidered ring for this finger. This, however, does not automatically mean it is not a wedding/engagement ring.

 

The Little Finger

The Little or Pinky finger is at many times the choice of many men who want to wear a statement ring.
Pinkies don’t have a big cultural meaning and they pop a little from your hand, which is why they are perfect to carry bold rings. Our tip is to keep it small and proportionate: wearing a ring that is too big on your little finger will look as if the ring is hurting you.
Rings worn on your little finger are also comfortable, as they do not interfere with any of the most common used fingers.

Functions of Rings

We have different types of rings for different purpose. Some rings have more symbolism than others. We can generally break rings up into ones that serve a purely decorative function, ones that send a specific cultural message, and the in-betweeners that do both at once:

Affiliation Rings

 

Rings have been used to denote membership in groups and families for thousands of years.
These days, the most common examples are fraternal rings, class rings, and the occasional family crest, along with other things of that nature. Some veterans may also wear a ring denoting their branch of service, or even a specific program within their branch.
These are cultural, in that they display a specific belief or membership, but they also tend to be decorative. As a result, the bands and designs are larger, and the detailing more eye-catching, than on a wedding band.
There are several common designs here: the single large, colored stone in the center, surrounded by text or smaller stones, is popular among class rings, while a shield or similar crest in raised or etched metal is often seen on fraternal and family rings.
Most guys wear these with the desire that they be noticed and remarked upon. It’s actually a functional door-opener for men in some industries — more than one corporate sale started between two guys with the same school ring.
So if you want to do one of these in the traditional style, be thinking big, bold, and chunky: usually one color of metal only, maybe with one color of stone or one colored stone and smaller neutral ones like diamonds set around it. They’re not necessarily meant to impress with their artistry or craftsmanship — just grab the eye and make a statement.

Family Rings

We touched briefly on family crests above, under “affiliation rings,” but most men who wear a family ring attach a little more importance to it than that.
Family rings do not necessarily have to be a single shield, coat of arms, or similar emblem on a solid ring, though many are.
Rather, the purpose of a family ring is simply to remind the wearer of something special and unique to his family and its history. It might be a ring of any style that a beloved ancestor wore (rings acquired overseas by soldiers often come down through the family this way), or it might be made from a certain metal or in a certain shape that has personal significance.
It’s not really important if the reasoning behind the family ring is obvious to outsiders, although it can help. Outside the remaining royalty and nobility of Europe, no one’s likely to recognize another family’s coat of arms at a glance.
The only thing a family ring needs to do is give you a connection with your family. If you feel it does that to your satisfaction, go ahead and wear it — and be prepared to explain it, if necessary, especially in the case of unusual rings.

Cultural and Religious Rings

There aren’t any major world religions that explicitly require the wearing of rings, but many do encourage it for specific roles or relationships.
The Western wedding band is the most familiar example for most of us: it’s not explicitly required by Christian tradition, but over time it’s evolved into a cultural expectation with a lot of symbolism behind it — enough that choosing to go without is something people will notice and consider unusual.
In most cases, these tend to either be plain bands or to involve a specific emblem or crest. Insofar as there are personal style choices, those choices are restricted to the size and material.
That said, you can work these into your personal style — married men with gold bands, for example, often tend to accessorize with other gold elements (belt buckles, etc.) so that there’s a natural match across all their metal items.
If you’re making a bold, aggressive statement with a religious or cultural ring like a wedding band, it’s a little tacky. Keep these simple (but high-quality), and look to other jewelry for your personal statements.

Art and Design Rings

 

These are the least common type of rings seen on men, and often the most effective choice for a man who wants a unique accessory.
It takes a certain degree of boldness to wear a ring without an “excuse.” And because the selection is vastly more limited for men than it is for women, it can take a while to find something that suits your personal style, falls within your price range, and is well-made and from a reputable source.
If you can get past all that, however, you’ve got much more freedom of choice with a purely style-oriented ring than you do with something that has to send a specific cultural message.
An art/design ring can look like anything and say anything you want. That lets you pick and choose items that work perfectly with your wardrobe, or even with a single specific outfit that you have in mind.
Guys who are just starting to toy with the idea of wearing a ring would probably do well to start with something that’s relatively simple — a thick metal band with circular etching or inlay, for example, without specific jewels or ornamentation or exotic shapes.
That’s not to say that you can’t jump straight to the screaming eagle clutching a skull traced in diamonds, of course. But a decorative ring on a man’s hand is a bold statement on its own. You don’t have to overdo it.

 

So the question is how many rings can you wear at a time?

Of course, this is really up to you, but our recommendation is not so much related to “how many”, but to “how big”. When it comes to accessories, the general rule is that these need to be proportionate to your body. Wearing accessories that are too big or too small in proportion to your body will look weird. Sometimes, you can pull contrasts off, but that is very hard to do.
Wearing rings is noticeable and has a strong visual impact, which is why we don’t recommend wearing too many rings. Maybe three rings on both hands is enough, but in the end, you are the judge of that.
Speaking of accessories, remember that all metals are neutrals, which means they can be worn with anything and with each other. It is not a mistake to wear both a gold and a silver ring.
As you can see, there are not many rules regarding how to wear men’s rings. However, it is important to know what impact wearing a ring has both on you and the people around you. A ring can make you feel more or less comfortable and it can convey a wrong message if it is not thought through.
We advise you to try everything you think would work and at least a couple of things you think will not work. You might be surprised with the results.
In the end, it all comes down to your own personal preferences, the type of attention you want to draw and the messages you wish to convey.