The right-hand ring: Good idea, or just good marketing?

Posted Nov 27th 2006 at 10:50AM by Elise Carter (Subscribe to Elise Carter's posts)

Filed under: Accessories, Fashion, News, Stylish Living

Industrious women are buying rings for their right hand to celebrate their independence, hard work, and accomplishments. Or are they?

As the holiday season approaches and we are inundated with Christmas jewelry ads, I am seeing more and more campaigns aimed at "power women" with gorgeous and dazzling diamond settings designed (supposedly) for right-hand wear only. The styles, sizes and settings are billed as fun, flirty, and a deviation from the traditional wedding/engagement bands. "Treat yourself -- you've earned it! Women work and can buy for themselves!" scream the ads in large print, placed in women-centric magazines and television programming.

While I love a diamond as much as the next gal, I have to wonder if this isn't all a clever marketing trick, designed specifically to prey on our culture's current obsession with working, powerful women and mothers. And even if it is such a ploy, is it harmless, or should we be worried? American consumerism is great, and is largely why our opportunistic country can thrive the way it does. But do we really need another Hallmark Holiday, wrapped up in shiny paper and aimed directly at some perceived flock of unwitting female consumers with money to burn?

Or, perhaps, I'm just being a Christmas Scrooge. What do you think about the right-hand ring?

Tags: advertising campaigns, Christmas, diamond marketing, diamond ring advertising, diamond rings, diamonds, Hallmark Holiday, jewelry, jewlery for independent women, jewlery for working women, marketing campaigns, right-hand diamond rings, right-hand rings, rings for independence, scrooge, unique diamond settings, women's diamond rings, women's jewelry, working women

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 29)

Manta 11-27-2006 @ 12:33PM

I really don't like the "right hand" ring marketing campaign. Since when have women had issues treating themselves? Isn't that what shopping is all about? No, this campaign is the diamond industry's attempt at reaching an untapped market: single women. They make enough money off of engagement/anniversary rings, but they want to make more off of single women who are lamenting the lack of one unattainable status symbol- the engagement ring.

Ladies, by all means treat yourself, buy yourself jewelry, clothes, shoes, gadgets whatever. We do deserve it. But don't do it because one industry wants to double it's customer base by feeding on your insecurities about being single, and don't tell me that the whole "right hand" label doesn't specifically target single women.

patricia 11-27-2006 @ 8:05PM

I think the right hand ring idea is great....and so is anything else that reminds us that we aren't dependent, that we can make a difference....that we can do it...whatever it is. Be a stay at home mom, a working outside the home mom, childless by choice...it doesn't matter. What does matter is that women can make their own choices...I personally love the part of the commercial that says, "The ring on my left hand means I'm taken. The ring on my right means I can take over!" You go girls!

Linda Mekshes 11-28-2006 @ 11:10AM

I'm 100% for this idea - I waited 17 years for my husband to buy me something special while I worked full time beside him to support our family. I bought him the $1600 golf clubs. I got 0 for my efforts. After our DIVORCE. The first thing I did was buy myself a fancy "divorce ring". Then I bought myself some fancy pearls. Those pieces of jewelry are a symbol to me.

Maggie 11-28-2006 @ 4:48AM

oh the righthand ring, did one for many years when i was divorce. my wedding band became my divorce ring, i like the style of my band and wore it on my righthand . today i am remarry and my righthand ring went to my daughter and she wear it as a thumb ring today. if u want a right hand ring go ahead. i did it before it became the single ring statement.

matt 11-27-2006 @ 3:47PM

I think it's great that women finally get to feel what it's like to be targeted like men have for so many years. Two month's salary, anyone?? Many women constantly equating the amount of love their man has for them by the carats of their ring?? The completely invented Valentine's Day (which, believe me, most men could not care less about but are made to feel guilty about, as if their love and/or devotion can be measured by Hallmark and the rose peddlers). It's about time-- you go, girls!!

matt 11-28-2006 @ 2:34AM

autumn 11-27-2006 @ 4:02PM

I have a ring on my right hand. Very simple, my best friend has a matching ring and as we are like sisters we jokingly refer to it as a wedding ring. It also happens to go well with my real wedding ring.
Do I feel this ad campaign is a good idea? Not really. As a matter of fact I never wore rings until I got married and my wedding ring is just a basic gold band with celtic knot work and a claddaugh on it. But I guess if people feel the way to express their freedom and success is to wear something shiney on their finger instead of investing that money for an easier retirement down the road thats their call.

Diane 11-27-2006 @ 4:36PM

I think a right-hand ring is a good idea. It balances things off. I like rings and bracelets because you can see them unlike necklaces that only other people can see. I wear rings on every finger including the thumbs. I also wear a bracelet with my watch and two bracelets on my right wrist.

Sue 11-27-2006 @ 5:30PM

I have worn a huge chunky garnet and citrine ring on my right hand for years as my own personal statement that I am a strong independent woman. After failed marriages this was a symbol never to do marriage again.....

AT 11-27-2006 @ 8:00PM

After my divorce I wouldn't wear any of the jewelry my ex gave me. For 12 years I received expensive earrings, rings, necklaces, etc. Finally I decided to sell everything except for a few BEAUTIFUL rings. If I ever wear them again, I'll put them, on my right hand

tatiana 11-27-2006 @ 5:53PM

Right hand ring = marketing ploy = stupid. Since when do I need someone to tell me to enjoy the fruits of my labor = buy a ring 4 myself? Oh, and only on the right hand ring finger, just in case some one mistakenly would think an evil owner, errr M-A-N, would have placed it on my hand. Dumb............

tatiana 11-28-2006 @ 4:29PM

Valerie 12-01-2006 @ 12:20AM

The marketing concept is clever for those unintiated diamond ring wearers. Myself? I never even wore my wedding and engagement rings when I was married. I just wear what I like be it diamonds or silver.

Princess 12-01-2006 @ 12:21AM

The jewelers sell diamonds to make money.

It's simple if you like it and you can afford it, get it. Who cares what anyone else thinks.

If you are buying diamonds to make a statement to others or you are trying to impress them, then the money is probably better spent on some therapy.

janet 12-01-2006 @ 12:22AM

a ring is a ring. after my divorce I bought a beautiful saphire ring and wore it on my left hand, only because I don't like wearing rings on my right hand. Besides, I did not want any male attention, and my ring could pass for a significant ring. Who cares if a ring is marketed as a "Power Ring" for the right hand? A ring means what you want it to mean. More power to you.

janet 12-01-2006 @ 12:32AM

A ring is a ring, and it means what you want it to mean. Who cares how it is marketed. After my divorce I bought a beautiful saphire ring and wore it on my left hand only because I don't like wearing rings on my right hand. Besides, it could pass as a wedding ring, and I didn't want any male attention. But who cares if a ring is marketed as a " power ring"? Wear it on whichever hand you want, and enjoy!

Dr. Susan 12-01-2006 @ 12:42AM

I am a divorcee who took my wedding band made up of my own stones from heirloom rings from my family (tells you where my marriage was going from the start...) and had a right-hand ring made. It reminds me of my grandmother and my mother and the struggles they endured during wars, depression, and rebuilding their lives. I wear it on my right hand with pride. The next man in my life that wants a commitment will have to meet or exceed the meaning of my right-hand ring.

Ron 12-01-2006 @ 12:44AM

At 14 she is hottie
18 she is experienced at manipulation, deceit, and mind-games
21 she is party girl college student .. sex with strangers is FUN !!
After a few abortions, maybe an STD or 2, now she has lived with at least several lounge lizards (her choice .. they turn her on)
Finally marries some poor fool, who doesn't know her games .. she spends 4 times what he makes, demands the NEW SUV, BIG house, most expensive EVERYTHING .. then feeling comfortable .. lets herself go, gaining 50 + pounds. Divorce is inevitable, since she is impossible to deal with. HE loses .. she quickly loses the weight, grabs the next available guys, and, after many flings, decides MEN are the cause of all the world's problems.
Then, she butches off her hair, buys a right hand ring, shows up at all the man-bashing protests, votes for ABORTION but NO WAR, TREE-HUGGING, but no MAN - HUGGING, gets a dog or cat, and llives, MARRIED TO HERSELF.
This is the result of 40 years of man-bashing feminism .. no wonder men are so turned off by the American women.

QueenB 12-01-2006 @ 1:09PM

As long as there are people losing their lives & body parts to dig for these so-called "precious stones" & they get sh*t pay so that these fat @ss companies can make money off their suffering, no thanks!

Steph 12-01-2006 @ 1:06AM

Wow thanks Ron for putting ALL American women into one big pot. Men like you deserve to be bashed.

I'm 21, I have no STDs, have never been pregnant and I have had sex with one partner in my college career. Oh, and I don't go out and party and play mind games. I spend my own money and I pride myself in knowing that when I graduate from college I'll be able to make my own money and I won't have to depend on a man like YOU to buy the big SUV and house that I supposedly want because I'm an American Woman.

Have you forgotten that men gain weight and let themselves go? At least women have an excuse, it's called childbirth, why don't you try it sometime.