The Power, Secret Meaning & History: Why Gentlemen, Gangsters & Entrepreneurs Wear Pinky Rings

[Music] today i return to an old favorite lifestyle topic of the channel we are going to talk about rings their hidden meanings history the etiquette of wearing them the best place to buy how to start your own tradition and how to carry on your own legacy [Music] never i swear on your ring marge okay hi guys and welcome to the show now there are many types of rings from momento mori memorial rings marriage or devotional ecclesiastical purely decorative and of course the signet ring among many others as the names of these different types and genres of rings imply they all serve very different purposes however it is the pinky ring and its various forms and styles in my opinion that has encapsulated all of these functions and meanings beyond all others now before we get into this i'll do a quick wrist swatch check wearing the laurier safari that i co-designed and although the watch sold out a long time ago you can still buy the strap it is the melange strap from wrist candy watch club and before we continue also please don't forget to click like it really does help it's the best way to support the channel and to make sure you get free independent unsponsored content like this the ring is a form of power jewelry started in the ancient world 3500 bc in fact records show people of mesopotamia used cylindrical seals as a mark of authenticity the egyptians of north africa then had the bright idea of attaching it to the finger for easy access and the signet ring pretty much as we know it was born with the later conquests of north africa and parts of the middle east along with most of europe by the romans it permeated into every edge of this far-reaching empire it was used and adopted very much in the same manner as personal identification by roman nobles wealthy merchants or military officers of worthy rank the romans often adopted cultural influences from the place they conquered or acquired and in doing so spread technology art literacy and so on and thus the signet ring too for those who could afford it it was considered a form of art and many people even had collections a bit like how we collect watches today with the fall of the roman empire we see the rings evolve into what we know as the signet ring today during the medieval era without the superpower that was rome most of the territories mentioned then became much smaller independent nations or warring principalities these were often ruled by powerful competing families nobles and monarchies again to identify themselves their allegiances and to sealed documents the signet ring became more important than ever before let's not forget that this was an age way before the gutenberg press so everything was hand written and the importance of a wax seal via a signet ring to authenticate any form of communication or record keeping was essential this period saw the rise of heraldry throughout europe a complex system of symbols insignia coats of arms and crests used to explain or identify lines of succession social rank and family loyalty the english took it one step further by actually making it into a law during the 14th century king edward ii decreed that all official documents must be signed with a signet ring and by the 19th century books like burke's periods were created to keep track of it all but don't worry you don't have to have a family crest or coat of arms to enjoy a signal or a pinky ring more on that later so i inherited the signet ring tradition from my parents and they did from their parents and so on and so forth all the way back until the 13th century can you believe it now the unwritten rule is is that you get given it when you turn 21 and you're traditionally supposed to wear it on the left pinky finger if you have a wedding ring you're not supposed to wear them at the same time so yeah it's considered a faux pas but you see this is a very old school way of thinking i like to wear it on my right hand that way i can continue to enjoy the wedding ring that i designed myself what's crucial here is you wear it on the finger that's the most comfortable for you and how you want to wear it many people in history never adhered to the rules of how to correctly wear a ring winston churchill for example famously wore his signet ring on his right ring finger i wear mine on my right pinky finger as i do not want to have two rings on the same hand what is important here is that you must wear it on the finger you are most comfortable with traditions obviously also vary from country to country this is another aspect to consider today however the pinky ring has also gained infamy association and meaning with the more nefarious elements of society far removed from its aristocratic roots in antiquity but what is really fascinating here is how and why are you in the mafia am i you know what whatever you want to call it organized crime there's no mafia a long time before the unification of italy the southern regions of the country were constantly being invaded by unwanted foreign empires then lawlessness and the failure to later become industrialized unlike the richer north resulted in centuries of crippling poverty in the 17th 18th and 19th century southern italy saw the birth of dozens of criminal organizations most notably the oldest la camora from naples soon afterwards was the indrangda from calabria and then the most well-known of all la cosa nostra in sicily with virtually no middle class during these times these primarily rural private citizens were tired of paying taxes to their rich landowners and as a form of rebellion against the often corrupt controlling powers or to protect themselves from out of control banditry they eventually set up their own thing which is quite literally the translation of costa [Music] clan or family was set up in a paramilitary power structure and would adopt the traditions of the aristocratic landowners they effectively replaced unlike their previous masters they often did not have the heraldry they could put on a signet ring initials were used the oldest and perhaps best example of this would be the ring belonging to english playwright poet and actor william shakespeare the other alternative would be to have a gemstone and have the ring as more of a decorative symbol of power with the migration of many southern italians to the united states in the 19th century these traditions also migrated with them eventually leading to the movie depictions of gangsterism we all know today i have done nothing to hurt these people but they're angry at me so what do they do factor up some income tax the godfather self-made entrepreneurial image would influence endless other movies far beyond the italian subcultures even into music fashion and television in an endless cycle of art imitating life and vice versa [Music] it's astonishing to think that this was all started you know especially the cinematic cliches by contadini um rural workers in the southern part of italy hundreds of years ago and it's kind of influenced and inspired so much in movies and music and etc and also the parallels between the upper class gentleman and how the men of honor in this particular case how they like to call themselves which is kind of ironic criminals often kind of mimic the old world to bring a sense of legitimacy the point is ladies and gentlemen that greed for lack of a better word is good a contemporary example is the gordon gecko character played so fantastically by michael douglas in the classic 80s movie wall street adopting his pinky ring more as a facade of legitimacy enduring his own new money rise to power over the old guard the new york elite he superseded that would have perhaps even worn the signet ring out of old world tradition but perhaps the best and classic example is the quintessential bond villain the pinky ring here most famously exemplified by the spectre octopus motif a cinematic trope to denote a megalomaniacal villain obsessed with power in hollywood movies all the villains are played by brits maybe we just sound right thank you mary we're more focused more precise we're always one step ahead with a certain style an eye for detail and we're obsessed by power again referencing back to a time of the rising landowner gentry nobles and power-hungry aristocrats all vying for control in fact this movie trope became such a cliche the euro villain was then subsequently satirized aside from the pinky ring's negative connotations it still essentially means the same thing a personal representation of tradition or a symbol of self-empowerment and whatever the wearer stands for or is loyal to or is to be carried on their person at all times for me it connects me to my family role models and ancestors who wore them in the past i think of my grandfather my mother it's a mark of pride and the reminder of their moral codes or characteristics that i try to live by and honour them by a signet ring can also be a class ring that celebrates and signifies academic success alternatively one of the oldest forms are military rings with the insignia of the particular branch that you may have served in in order to honour it masonic rings are another example of an organization adopting the symbolism and customs we previously discussed but perhaps best of all is the monogram it becomes unique to you because it's well your initials and anyone can have one made with a bespoke design many in ancient rome perform before monotheism of course would have their favorite god or emperor to show loyalty and faith or maybe even a person you admire that gives you strength and empowers you when not wearing a custom engraved pieces i often wear gemstones that i adore this is again another passion of mine these work especially well to accentuate different sartorial choices but a great example is the birthstone mine happens to be amethyst the traditional gemstone for february the ancient greeks considered it a powerful healing stone but beyond that its deep rich purple hues in the good example of course are just utterly beautiful some signet rings featured semi-precious gemstones that were then engraved however it's important to note this is not always possible due to the varying hardness of different gemstones whatever their motive they are an interesting accessory that elevates any outfit and no matter the style they automatically make you stand out as a more interesting and cultured individual as well as the other books featured in this video i will add them all to the amazon urban gentry official store linked down below this is very useful it gives you a breakdown of the meaning of each gemstone uh the hardness level to see if you can engrave them or not the historic significance and story behind them yeah great great stuff i highly recommend it for the very typical british style bespoke rings are best i personally have hired oxford signet ring company for many many years as they offer a wide range of services and you can have almost any design engraved on your ring either in a more classical engraving that you can then use as a wax seal like mine or with your own motif symbol insignia or monogram of your choosing another thing to always consider is the ring setting these two can be custom engraved or finished and can come in a variety of styles and designs for me the elegant oval rounded shaped oxford ring setting in a solid yellow gold is the most classically traditional i also find it far more comfortable to other styles this is the same as my grandfather's signet ring i inherited and in fact the same as my mother wears so i want to carry on this family style 18 carat yellow gold tends to be richer in color due to it having actually more gold in the mix of metals so i prefer 9 carat or 10 carat as it tends to be less brash but also a stronger more durable mix of metals if you prefer a more economical option steel or silver can be used but be wary that silver will tarnish over time now one very useful tip is if you're having a customized ring made it's going to be very expensive so get yourself one of these especially if you can't go in person to the jewelers this is basically a very inexpensive cheapest chips finger sizing tool [Music] oh yes very very nice [Music] you're going to need a pair of shoes to go with your suit you win a field you lose a few but you keep on fighting and if you need a friend get a dog america has shown us over and over again exactly what ambition is yes we saw it yes we got it and yes we're doing it so that's what this video is about unlike a wristwatch that has only been around for over a century rings are a lifelong companion as old as human civilization itself to me they are an important way to continue on tradition a personal way to honor one's families or beliefs and a unique reminder of what you represent or the things that are important to you like our watchers there is a ring for everyone and despite negative connotations held by those less informed or just simply watched too many movies the brain is just as relevant now as it was during the time of its north african origins or the era of medieval chivalry and just as much when the first romans set foot on british soil thousands of years ago so there we have it i hope that was helpful to you now please don't forget to add your like very important indeed best way to support the channel and keep it going also your suggestions for future topics please down below in the comments please do share that as always thank you so much for watching i will catch you in the next one onwards and upwards ciao [Music] you

Channel: The Urban Gentry

Views: 1,267,963

Keywords: jewelry, rings, pinky, men's, accessories, watch, watches, tool, affordable, collecting, collection, review, guide, advice, TGV, The Urban Gentry, Style, wristwatch check, best, value, bargain, haute horology, luxury, new, iconic, automatic, watch strap, movies, films, cinema, actors, music, video, history, culture, pop culture, royal, gentleman, gentlemen, gangsters, entrepreneur, lifestyle, power, money, meaning, the godfather, gordon gekko, snoop dogg, ice cube, biggie, notorious big, upper class, James Bond, Blofeld

Id: c9pcntRVmfU

Length: 16min 57sec (1017 seconds)

Published: Wed May 11 2022