Pinky rings

[SGTROCK]

I have noticed in quite a few old movies from the 30s and 40s a lot of well dressed men wore pinky rings. I happen to really like them and wear one but I get a lot of nasty looks as this seems to turn a lot of people off both male and female. Anybody else here like Pinky rings?

 

[Jim Flynn]

I have one I wear sometimes. Gold with a Bloodstone in a shield shape I bought in a jewellers that used to deal a fair bit in old jewellery items alongside the new. It's an older piece but I haven't checked the hallmark to date it. I think a pinky ring is a nice understated item for a man to wear. I would never wear a gold sovereign ring, far too chav!

 

[tropicalbob]

Traditionally, a pinkie ring was seen, to some extent, as the mark of a sharpie or wise guy, something a pimp might wear. Several years ago when I was in India, my wife's grandmother gave me a really beautiful heirloom sapphire ring that only fit on my pinkie, so I wore it for years until I lost a lot of weight and it didn't fit. I could have cared less if somebody didn't like it. Besides, I kind of liked the "pimp" effect.

 

[resortes805]

 

[Wally_Hood]

I used to wear a pinkie ring I had inherited from my dad; I wore it in remembrance of him. It really didn't fit on any other finger so it became by default a pinkie ring.

 

[Edward]

Been doing it for years. I like to wear three or four rings at once, and I only have so many ring fingers..... Seems to signify different things on different sides of the Atlantic. I believe the English, upper class tradition of the family crest signet ring worn at a cocked angle on the pinky finger evolved from the habit of wearing seal rings there for convenience. Some upper class English types also wear their wedding ring on the left pinky. Edward Windsor is one who I recall elected so to do.

Me, it's purely that I like wearing a lot of rings.

 

[Jim Flynn]

Never wear more than one ring at a time myself, rarely one at all to be honest! I do have a signet ring as well as the pinky but don't think I have worn it out at all yet. I actually have a heavy gold identity bracelet I had for my 21st birthday that hasn't been worn since the 80s! Do men these days wear much jewellery?

 

[Edward]

I don't know, to be honest. They always did in my circles, but I knew punks, rockabillies and goths. Couldn't tell you about the mainstream... [huh]

 

[LuvMyMan]

I have noticed in quite a few old movies from the 30s and 40s a lot of well dressed men wore pinky rings. I happen to really like them and wear one but I get a lot of nasty looks as this seems to turn a lot of people off both male and female. Anybody else here like Pinky rings?

Yep! My Husband has a killer Vintage pinki ring, I'll post a picture later.....

 

[Guttersnipe]

It's odd how in the states pinky rings have become associated with tacky machismo while the U.K. they've remained a one of those marks of the aristocratic classes. For instance, if you look at any picture Prince Charles, he always wears a signet ring on his left little finger.

I have three that I wear occasionally, usually on special occasions (not at the same time, though ). One is a honking-big gold signet with an onyx stone, engraved with an "S" for my surname...frankly pretty tacky, but that was my taste in my 20s. The other two are much more tasteful and belonged to my maternal and paternal grandfathers, so have lots of sentimental value.

 

[Feraud]

I have a gold and amethyst pinky ring I've had for decades. It may have been a confirmation gift.

 

[dh66]

I like these!

 

[dh66]

Would one normally wear a pinkie ring alongside a wedding band, on the left hand, or would it be more appropriate on the right. Many years back pinkie rings were kind of a thing with my group of friends, but none of us were married at the time, so it was the only ring on the hand.

 

[Jim Flynn]

My understanding is that there is no sartorial rule and you can wear on either hand at your personal preference.

 

[HudsonHawk]

Traditionally, a pinkie ring was seen, to some extent, as the mark of a sharpie or wise guy, something a pimp might wear. Several years ago when I was in India, my wife's grandmother gave me a really beautiful heirloom sapphire ring that only fit on my pinkie, so I wore it for years until I lost a lot of weight and it didn't fit. I could have cared less if somebody didn't like it. Besides, I kind of liked the "pimp" effect.

I can't help but think of the Saturday Night Live sketch with Joe Pesci as a mobster buying a new pinky ring.

 

[Edward]

It's odd how in the states pinky rings have become associated with tacky machismo while the U.K. they've remained a one of those marks of the aristocratic classes. For instance, if you look at any picture Prince Charles, he always wears a signet ring on his left little finger.

It's na interesting one. If it appeared at both ends here in the UK, I'd put it down to the usual mix of aristocratci tradition and social climbing.

Would one normally wear a pinkie ring alongside a wedding band, on the left hand, or would it be more appropriate on the right. Many years back pinkie rings were kind of a thing with my group of friends, but none of us were married at the time, so it was the only ring on the hand.

My understanding is that there is no sartorial rule and you can wear on either hand at your personal preference.

I wouldn't be surprised if Debrett's had a "rule" on this - it's exactly the sort of thing that one would expect to have originated in the aristocracy, rife as it always was with notions of what was 'correct', 'in', and such - by deliberate design a way of marking their own kind out from the common herd or - worse! - noveau riche arrivistes. For most of us, though, the only ring finger with any significance for a gentleman is the eft hand ring finger, for wedding rings. Otherwise, it's all a matter of personal choice.

 

[emigran]

I have had several.. a star sapphire with diamonds in a swooping V shape and a garnet with diamonds... stopped wearing them in the '60s...actually a few years ago I sold them for weight...

 

[Jim Flynn]

Well I got around to taking a look at the hallmarks on my pinky ring and taking a few photos. If I have identified the markings correctly then the ring dates to 1860 so a real vintage item! Never thought to date it before I read this thread. I bought it back in 2001 I think.

 

[dh66]

That's a nice one Jim Flynn!

 

[Ernest P Shackleton]

I grew up around Italians. Lots of pinkie rings. I don't associate them with the better parts of that culture, but not limited to the thugs. I've never liked any jewelry on a man. On the clothing? Yes. On the body? No.