Engraving Ideas: Personalized Rings and Things

One of the visitors of this site wanted to find a purity ring engraved with the words I have decided. I don’t think there are any such rings on the market right now, but you can easily have one engraved through a number of websites. Here is the reasoning behind this inscription.

Chastity and abstinence are often associated with religion. With good reasons, to be sure. However, moral choices of such importance can be made by people of little or no religious zeal. Although the most common purity ring inscription “True love waits” could easily be taken outside of religious context (particularly because “love” in this sense is not necessarily a Christian notion), it seems to me that many individuals would rather emphasise the fact that wearing the purity ring and remaining on the course of actions required by such a commitment is, above all, their personal choice, a decision that they consciously made. Also, this kind of resolution is likely to draw more sympathy and respect. Hence such possible inscriptions for purity rings:

• I have decided
• My decision
• My choice
• My path

Perhaps, the same mottos can be applied to promise rings of other types (a purity ring is, essentially, a promise ring), as long as the same sentiment of personal choice and decision needs to be emphasized.

Another obscure term associated with engraved rings: Fede ring. Most often this designation refers to rings that feature two hands clasped together. The Italian word féde means “faith”, “trust”, ‘fidelity’ and “commitment.” Interestingly, this word also means ‘engagement ring’, which is indicative of the fact that the two-hand design is not something that has always was necessary for fede rings. “Fede” can also be featured on the engraving. Such is this motto that uses a poetic form of ‘fede’, “fe”:

AMORE VOLE FE

This phrase found on a fifteenth century ring means something along the lines of “Love cannot exist without trust”.

Of course, the clasped-hand design is now most famous as a feature of Irish Claddagh rings.

There is apparently quite a large selection of rings that have Roman numerals engraved on them. I am presently at a loss regarding the meaning and significance of this engraved message. As one seller of Roman numeral rings quite  simple-mindedly acknowledged: “Don’t worry about trying to figure out what roman numerals are on this ring, just trust us when we tell you they look cool.”

Still, what does this mean? This can represent the idea of time (the numerals are I-XII), combined with the idea of eternity (a very persistant symbolic interpretation of a ring). 12, of course, is also the number of apostles, but I do not see much religious significance in this design. There may be other forms of numerology in place here. Some of the less insane sounding interpretations are:

• Twelve is the number of something that is complete and forms a whole, a perfect and harmonious unit. In  ancient civilizations, this number corresponds to the idea of plenitude, completion and integrity of a thing.
• Number 12 is a symbol of material and spiritual food, because of the 12 breads which Jesus Christ broke at the Last Supper, Himself being the Bread of Life.
• 12 symbolizes power and the Good, and governs both space and time, that is to say the operation of the Cosmos, hence its designation as a “cosmic number”. http://www.ridingthebeast.com/numbers/nu12.php)

See also:

Roman Numerals: Charts, Tips, History