PUT A SIGNET RING ON IT

What does wearing one mean? Are they posh? Do ladies wear them? Should they be engraved? According to Google, these are the thoughts that consume people when it comes to signet rings. You can just like them without anxiously questioning it, though – we do.

But yes, ‘ladies’ do indeed wear signet rings. “In a world that’s more inclusive than ever, more and more women are turning to the classic signet ring – a traditionally masculine design – as an extension of their personal expression,” says Marisa Horden, founder of Missoma. This ‘traditionally masculine design’ was often engraved with the wearer’s family crest and dipped in hot wax to sign and seal important documents. Nowadays, the only hot wax you encounter is probably applied directly to your nether regions. And, unless you recently fabricated one yourself, we doubt you're aware of your family crest. But signing important documents is boring no matter how you do it, so maybe the fact that signet rings are no longer really used for this purpose is no huge tragedy. Engraving is now also more a matter of ‘want’ than ‘should’. Marisa tells us that Missoma’s signet rings “come with free engraving,” however, which might be enough to tempt you. After all, who doesn’t want an “easy way to express themselves through jewellery”?

So what draws people to signet rings now that the signets themselves aren’t in use? “Modern designs of the classic signet have turned it into a subtle statement piece,” says Laura Lambert, founder of Fenton. “Both the stacking and chunky jewellery trend has definitely helped to bring [it] back onto our radar and moved perception from the classic family crest symbol to a real jewellery hero,” she continues. “It is a real timeless piece to add to any jewellery collection.” And we have to agree.