A signet ring is a ring that began as a personal seal, and an intaglio is the carving that makes a seal work. Press the sunken design into warm wax and it leaves a raised picture behind. Today signet rings are worn as jewellery, and the signet style rings in the RingDesire collection are set with a carved glass intaglio.
What the word means
Signet comes from the Latin signum, a sign or a mark. A signet is a small seal, and a signet ring is a ring that carries one. The term describes the use and the shape. It says nothing about the material or the age of the ring.
How a seal ring works
In the ancient world a carved seal stood in for a signature. Pressed into soft clay or warm wax, it left its owner's picture on a jar, a letter or a document, and a finely cut seal was hard to copy.
The carving is the whole point. Because the design is cut down into the stone, the impression comes out raised, like a coin. That is why seal engravers worked in reverse. They cut a mirror image, so that the print reads the right way round. For the carving itself, see Intaglio Carving: How a Design Is Cut Into Glass and Stone.
A short history
- The ancient Near East. Carved cylinder seals were rolled across wet clay to mark goods and documents.
- Ancient Egypt. Signet rings are among the oldest known, and some carry the names of kings in hieroglyphs.
- Greece and Rome. Engraved gems were often mounted in rings and used as seals. The emperor Augustus is recorded as using seal rings cut by the engraver Dioskourides.
- Later Europe. Families used signet rings carrying initials or a coat of arms to seal letters in wax. Medieval sealing wax was mostly beeswax with some resin. Later, resin became its main ingredient.
The same Roman love of carved gems returned in the 18th century, when travellers on the Grand Tour brought them home. That story is in Grand Tour Jewellery and the 18th Century Craze for Glass Intaglios.
From working seal to jewellery
Few people seal letters with wax now, so a signet ring is worn for its look: a flat oval face, a clear outline and a carved picture. RingDesire makes several rings in this style. They are worn as jewellery, and each one is made by hand to order.
These are the signet style rings in the intaglio rings collection:
- Blue glass intaglio ring in a carved glass signet style
- Blue glass intaglio ring in a Victorian signet style
- Green intaglio ring in a Victorian signet style
- Opal glass intaglio ring in a Victorian signet style
- Green intaglio ring in a Grand Tour signet style
What a signet style ring looks like
The shape is the signal. A signet style ring has a wide, flat, oval face that sits upright on the finger, with the carved stone filling most of it. The ring is built around that one face, so it reads as a single clear line rather than a cluster of small details. Hold one to the light and the carving seems to float inside the stone.
Grand Tour signet is a style name. It points to the 18th century habit of bringing carved gems home from Italy. It describes a look and is not a date.
Which finger to wear it on
There is no rule. Signet rings have traditionally been worn on the little finger or the ring finger of the less dominant hand, and the little finger is the most common choice. That keeps the flat face clear of everyday tasks. Many people wear one on the index finger instead, where the stone is easy to see.
Choosing a signet style ring
- Look at the scale. Each ring's page lists the stone size and the band, so you can judge how large the face will sit on your hand.
- Pick the colour you wear most. Blue and green suit most wardrobes. The signet shape suits one colour used boldly.
- Choose the name that suits you. Victorian signet and Grand Tour signet are style names. They describe a look, and every ring is newly made.
- Check your size. Rings are made in quarter sizes from US 3, and each lists its own range. The ring size guide has the chart. For a wide face, many people go up a quarter size.
If you are comparing all the ring styles before you decide, Intaglio Rings: A Guide to Cocktail, Statement and Signet Styles sets them side by side.
Care in one line
Take the ring off before you wash, garden or lift. A knock is the usual cause of a loosened stone.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a signet ring and an intaglio ring?
Signet describes a style of ring that began as a seal. Intaglio describes a carving cut into the surface of a stone. A signet style ring set with an intaglio is both.
Which finger do you wear a signet ring on?
Traditionally the little finger or ring finger of the less dominant hand, with the little finger the most common. There is no rule, and many people choose the finger that suits the ring's size.
Why was a signet ring engraved in reverse?
So that its impression in wax or clay reads the right way round. The engraver cut a mirror image into the stone, and pressing it into the wax flipped it back.
Can anyone wear a signet style ring?
Yes. Signet rings began as working objects and are now worn by everyone. Choose the size of the face to suit your hand.
Do the signet style rings come in quarter sizes?
Yes. Every ring is made to order in quarter sizes from US 3, and each ring's page lists its own range.