Put a Ring On It: Signet and Chevalier Rings

Photo, Marc Baronnet

In modern times, the wearing of jewlery (Br. English: jewellery) by men has often been viewed as highly suspect, effected and unnecessary. Indeed, it is that stuffy default view that has resulted in the adornment of oneself with various sparkly pieces and/or an array of leather or beaded items as an expression of rebellion, something that might be associated with rockstars or biker gangs. Outsiders.

However, this has not always been the case
with men of wealth and substance. Throughout history, such men have sought to demonstrate their power and their riches in the display of fine clothing and elaborate, often expensive, items of jewelry.

Rings were an essential means of demonstrating status and power, many even coming to represent great offices.
Particularly, signet rings (or chevalier rings as they are known in French-speaking nations or great families of French origin) which themselves are a remnant of an age when gentlemen sealed correspondence or stamped their seal on wax in order to validate and verify authenticity. Such rings, often worn by the head of a great family, baring title and arms, thus became the means of legitimising correspondence, ownership and transactions in property or finance. Possession of such a ring allowed its owner to act on behalf  of the institution to which the ring related and, therefore, allowed a degree of power to determine the application and direction of the resources or funds of that institution.

Indeed, it is only since the second world war that the wearing of wedding rings has become commonplace in society, although a distinct number of men do not wear them.

The signet ring, however, is an acceptable ring for men to wear.



Whilst this is no longer done, the ring has survived as a marker of noble birth as only those houses that had curried favour or status would engage in such correspondence and would have had a coat of arms awarded to their family. Whilst the French tradition is to emboss the entire coat of arms onto the chevalier ring, the smartest families in Britain traditionally only display the crest (that device which appears above the coat of arms.

Never call it a pinkie ring.