Since ancient times, the ring finger of the left hand has symbolized a direct path to the heart of one's beloved. Therefore, to this day in a large part of the world, including Lithuania, Great Britain, the USA and other countries, engagement ring worn on the ring finger of the left hand. However, after the wedding ceremony, despite the fact that it was previously worn on the left hand, in some countries, such as Lithuania, the engagement ring can be moved to the ring finger of the right hand and worn together with the wedding ring.
Despite what statistics show or what has long been considered a traditional choice, there are actually no hard and fast rules for wearing engagement rings. No matter which hand you choose to wear your engagement ring on, this symbol of eternal and unconditional love can be worn on either hand.
Why is the engagement ring worn on the left hand?
For the ancient Egyptians and Romans, the ring finger of the left hand had a special meaning, so engagement rings were worn on the ring finger of this hand. At that time, people believed that a vein led from the ring finger of the left hand to the heart, which they called the “vein of love” ( vena amoris ). Guided by this belief, people decided that an engagement ring worn on the ring finger of the left hand would be the best choice, because it would symbolize the greatest love and mutual connection. And although scientists have proven that such a “vein of love” does not actually exist, the tradition of wearing an engagement ring on the ring finger of the left hand still exists today.
Differences in the finger for wearing an engagement ring by country
The engagement ring is usually worn on the ring finger of the left hand in some countries. For example, in Lithuania, it has long been customary to wear the engagement ring on the left hand, while in Italy or Spain it is worn on the ring finger of the right hand.
Which hand is the engagement ring worn on in different countries?
- In Lithuania – on the left hand;
- In Poland – on the left hand;
- In Great Britain - on the left hand;
- In Ukraine – on the left hand;
- In Germany – on the left hand;
- In the Netherlands – right hand;
- In Norway – on the left hand;
- In Russia - on the left hand;
- In Spain – on the right hand;
- In Italy – on the right hand;
- USA – on the left hand;
- Bulgaria – on the left hand;
- Croatia – on the right hand;
- Cyprus – on the right hand;
- Turkey – on the left hand;
- Portugal – on the right hand;
- Switzerland - on the right hand.
Wearing an engagement ring with a wedding ring
Since women often become very attached to their engagement ring, they do not want to part with it even after the wedding. After the wedding ceremony, the engagement ring can continue to be worn on either the left or right hand. In the latter case, the wedding ring is first put on the right hand (as is customary in Lithuania), and the engagement ring is next to it.
In order to wear an engagement ring and a wedding ring together after the wedding, they should match each other to create a perfect duo. To make it easier for future newlyweds to choose, the jewelry market now offers perfectly matching (both in terms of the color of the precious metal and the shape of the ring) engagement and wedding rings to purchase together.
Finally
In Lithuania and many other countries around the world, the engagement ring is traditionally worn on the ring finger of the left hand, but it doesn't really matter which hand the ring is worn on. The most important thing is that these rings symbolize the love and commitment of two people to each other, and how they should be worn is a matter for each couple to decide.