The tradition of wearing Signet Rings is widely seen in the artwork and history of many cultures worldwide throughout the ages, beginning in ancient Egypt with large gold signet rings discovered in the tombs of pharaohs and high ranking court officials. These were usually Mens Signet Rings, but because a special ring was created for every pharaoh, female rulers like Cleopatra and Hatshepsut also wore them, and members of the royal dynasties in general wore some type of ring denoting them as such. Centuries later, signet rings were worn by kings and the upper class in Europe under monarchy and feudalism. Signet rings, in essence, were created as a means of instantly conveying the identity of their wearers– usually as the members of a royal or noble family, the owners of a particular piece of land, and so forth– so their authority would be recognized and accepted immediately upon seeing the signet ring. To accomplish this end by long distance means as well as in person, signet rings were deeply engraved in order to function as stamps for printing one’s signet, or seal, in ink or impressing its image into sealing wax on private or important documents. This use of an embossed seal is still seen today on many official documents, and practiced by notaries with more modern instruments.
As the utilitarian side of the signet rings purpose fell to others and in many cases ended entirely, signet rings became more symbolic and fashionable. Prince Charles of Great Britain wears a signet ring bearing his family crest that was commissioned from the same jeweler that has made their rings for centuries. Aside from instances like this one in which history dictates the specific of a signet ring, most modern day signet rings bear the simplified modern equivalent of the family crest (or coat of arms): the monogram. In many families in the eastern United States where ancestry can be traced back to colonial figures or noted captains of industry, signet rings are a traditional gift given to young men upon milestone birthdays like 16 and 18, or as high school and college graduation gifts. There are many lovely and tasteful styles of Ladies Signet Rings available as well, in designs created with the smaller hands and finer fingers of female wearers in mind, and some more feminine shapes such as elongated ovals, hearts and stars. Yellow gold signet rings and white gold signet rings are the most popular.