A lot of people, as well as centuries’ worth of tradition, hold that diamond engagement rings are things to be worn on the left hand. This is easily the norm nowadays, and no one gives much thought to why this is so. There are several interesting tidbits behind why engagement rings are worn on the left hand, including the following.
The Legend
A long time ago, there was a common belief that wearing the diamond ring on the left hand meant being connected to the heart. As a result, the left hand and the ring finger got the names “love” -“hand” and -“finger”, respectively. The particular finger out of the ten was accepted as the place for engagement rings which would be joined by wedding rings later.
The Practical Reason
The above is a more romantic reason why engagement rings are worn on the left hand; there is a more practical reason as well. The majority of the people are right-handed, and so it makes sense to have the ring on the left hand so that it does not take many knocks while the hand is used for various activities.
Easier To See
Wearing the raw diamond engagement ring on the least used hand makes it easier to notice. The right hand is usually busy with some chore, regardless of whether you are engaged or not. Hence, the left hand is better for displaying the diamond engagement ring.
Cultural Reasons
There are more reasons why the left hand is the chosen hand for wearing engagement rings, out of which culture is predominant. For instance, in Spain, women display their engagement rings on their right hands. Other cultures also use other symbols to indicate that women wearing rings are “taken”. This is much like nuns wearing specific clothing to show that they are sworn to the path of god, and the Amish growing beards when they get married as a sign that they are not “available” anymore.
It is common that things that we do have no specific reason, but we do them just because everyone does the same. Traditions do offer such situations when you have to decide whether to obey silently even if you do not find comfort in doing so. In the end though, it is the decision of the individual that should prevail. Similarly, it is up to every woman or man to decide whether to stick with tradition, or to change it by wearing their diamond engagement rings on a different hand than is considered normal.