Conference quark::mennotes

There is no universal significance to right vs. left for such things.  I've
read "explanations" for earrings that contradict each other.

				Steve

    
    there is some meaning for wedding band type of rings worn on each
    middle finger for same sex couples. or it can mean balance with
    men and women.or, whatever you like! 
    ie. a "pinky" ring was considered classy, and for only the rich
    many years ago.(at least that's what I heard)
    
    
    
    
    BR

    At least in the U.S. the wedding ring is on the left hand.  It is often
    worn on the right in Europe (at least I was told it was) and in the
    U.S. if the person is a widower.  
    
    Claddagh rings can be worn on either.  Heart out, no beau, heart in,
    spoken for.  You also are not suppsed to buy your own.  These are
    things I was told and have observed.
    
    Brian

    
    I heard that the wedding/engagement ring is worn on the "ring" finger
    of the left hand because the blood vessel in that finger has an almost
    direct path to the heart.  The one in the "ring" finger on the right 
    does also, but because the heart is positioned slightly to the left, the 
    left hand is closer.

    "Engagement" rings used to be Ruby until some enterprising jewelry
    salesman got into the act.

    The only other thing I know is that "class" rings should be worn so
    that you can read the inscription before graduation, then turned
    so that the person facing you can read the inscription after
    graduation.

    fred();

     I think it's incredibly sexy for a man to have both ears pierced. 
    Especially if he wears hoop earrings.
    
    

    I often wear silver and turquoise jewelry - I have some very nice
    bracelets and rings.  No earrings yet - saving that for midlife crisis
    (that's a joke I'm making, I think.)
    
    DougO

We were married in a Ukrainian Catholic Church, which follows the
Byzantine Rite (Eastern Orthodox?); i.e., we do not follow the pope, but
have our own Patriarch. Our rings were placed on the ring fingers of our
right hands, and that's where they stay. 

I think Greek Orthodox followers also wear their wedding rings on their
right hands.

Art

    Ditto on the "sexiness" of men wearing small hoops in both ears.
    (A lot of younger men do that in the UK).
    
    Sue

    
    I recently bought a new watch after my old Timex finally gave out and
    traded up to a bit nicer model, but I absolutely refuse to wear rings.
    Even a wedding band.  My nephew still has a finger thanks to modern
    micro-surgery, but I have seen all to many men lose a finger to vanity.

    As far as earrings go, I have an aversion to putting any extra holes
    in places where God didn't put them already.  So y'all are just going
    to have to make due ;^).

    fred();

    My grandmother (Catholic) used to tell me that women were given
    engagement rings to show the women that the man wanted to care and
    support her and if they ran into hard times, they would sell the ring. 
    Kinda like an investment? :)
    
    

    WoW!! I remember.... aaaahem... the 70's and the open shirt and the
    gold chains. Mr. T starter kits.:) Guess time they are a changing.;)
    The only thing I sport is my Seiko watch. Gold, kinda.:) Rings? Welp...
    as a floor techie some years ago I welded my wedding ring between +12
    and ground once. Not a pretty picture and a tuff one to explain to the
    boss man when I ruined some nifty $$$$$ board. Years later, I just
    don't want to give anyone the wrong empression. I am elegible.:)
    
    

    I love jewelry and I love giving my wife jewelry. As far as women's
    jewelry goes, there is a wide selection of truly artistic and beautiful
    stuff.  Fortunately, my wife does not like it, so I am spared the
    expense.
    
    As for men's jewelry, small range of choices, mostly very common and
    usual stuff, no creativity. Large gold, nubby rings, with lions,
    eagles, you name it. Ear rings - IMHO - a little too teenager-like.
    So what's left? tie tacks (out of style at least for now), huge belt
    buckles (I don't have a Harley.) Cuff Links (Ok- Boston Brahmins still
    cleave to this icon,I expect), Class Rings (Time to grow up). Pinky
    Rings - oh pah-lease! Bolo Ties (good for Arizona and western dances), 
    
    So men's jewelry - not worth the time to shop.  I have only 2 jewelry
    pieces - a Zuni Indian Ring, and a watch made with Abalone Shell face.
    Both pieces get a reaction from men and women because they are unusual.
    
    My opinion - men's jewelry is just about as exciting as men's clothing.
    I expect the male equivalent of jewelry is equipment, machinery, tools and
    gear.  Most men I know love to collect that kind of stuff.
    
    My 2 cents (and not much more)
    
    Paul
    
    

    
    
    
    	
    
    		Jewelry would only detract from my natural beauty.

    .13 ooooooooohhhhhh... Mr/Ms Natural?;]
    

	Well, Paul, Scott (my husband) is up to 4 earrings (all in 1
	in ear - 1 small gold hoop and 3 diamonds)  He is talking about
	having the other ear done (1 hole).  Deal is, when I buy HIM
	another diamond earring he'll have it done.   (Most likely
	santa claus will leave it in his christmas stocking - the earring
	that is!)

	When he bought my enagement ring, I bought him a claddagh ring.

	He also wears a wedding band.   Bought him a nice short gold
	chain for his birthday when we were first dating.  

	He wears cheap watches... Something with his body chemistry
	is always killing batteries/etc...  

	When he is at work the rings go in his pocket, or on his
	gold chain.
	
	I really believe, for the most part, nice gifts are a 2 way
	street.  If I expect to be given diamonds/etc, then he should
	expect to be given them also.

	/robin

    Can anyone verify this rumor?  I heard it from somewhere (and quite a
    few years ago at that) that Tiffany's (the famous NY Jewelers) advise
    that diamonds should not be worn by men.
    
    One other fact I accumulated;  Diamonds are a semi-precious stone.  The
    only thing that makes them so expensive is that the diamond mines
    control production and distribution.  So why buy them at all when Cubic
    Zirconia's are cheaper and good ones can certainly fool most everyone.
    
    Feedback welcomed.

    CZ is too bright and flawless to me to look quite real, as opposed to a
    diamond which is likely to have small flaws and inclusions and "off"
    colors.  Colored CZ looks even more fake.
    
    However give me amethysts, emeralds or saphires any time!  Clear white
    stones look too "cold" to me.  

    
    re .16

>    Can anyone verify this rumor?  I heard it from somewhere (and quite a
>    few years ago at that) that Tiffany's (the famous NY Jewelers) advise
>    that diamonds should not be worn by men.

    Never heard this one, but nobody had better tell the NFL.  The Super
    Bowl rings often contain a goodly number of diamonds.

>    One other fact I accumulated;  Diamonds are a semi-precious stone.  The
>    only thing that makes them so expensive is that the diamond mines
>    control production and distribution.  

    True.  DeBeers of South Africa controls about 98% of all diamond
    trade.

    >So why buy them at all when Cubic
>    Zirconia's are cheaper and good ones can certainly fool most everyone.

    Someone once asked Zigfeld why he didn't just dress is girls in 
    cheaper domestic lace rather than the expensive French lace because
    no one would know the difference.  His reply, "Because the girls will
    know".

    fred();

    Rings on her fingers
    bells on her toes
    a bone in her nose
    Ho-ho!
    
    (Ahab the Arab bits of the song)

    I no longer wear any jewellry (sp ?) Not since I lost a "pinky" finger
    2 years ago in a horrendous beer_drinking_accident ! ;-)
    The lovely lady noter ::SCHILTON has seen the damage it has done. Out
    came the hoop earring from my left ear (in the uk if you have only your
    right ear pierced your considered a poof. Both ears pierced means the 
    same as having only the left one done), off came the ring from my
    middle finger too. I will through time wear a chain round my neck
    (that's if my mum buys me one for my 21st in March), and if I'm unlucky
    enough to get married, the ring will go on my chain.
    
    The only jewellry I now have are the two tattoos that I have had for 3
    and 4 years, at least I can't lose them.
    
    FWIW.
    I have seen a couple of girls with a diamond stud in their noses, and
    it's a mega turn-on.
    
    
    							Scott Hamilton
    

re .20

What a nice young man, that Scott Hamilton, eh?!  :-)  Anyway, when I was 
in the UK in August I met young Master Scott, saw his finger ... he even 
let me touch it!!  His finger, that is.  I can understand his reluctance 
to wear anything now that would "catch".

>> I will through time wear a chain round my neck (that's if my mum buys me 
>>one for my 21st in March), 

March 7 - should we start the collection now? :-)

>> if I'm unlucky enough to get married, the ring will go on my chain.

Scott, I'm sorry to hear you say this.  You don't mean it, do you?

>>    The only jewellry I now have are the two tattoos that I have had for 3
>>    and 4 years, at least I can't lose them.

Good point - tattoos are about as personal for body_adornment as you can 
get.  Except that a friend of mine here in the office had one done 4 weeks
    ago and was nearly hospitalized from an allergic reaction to the dye.
    We thought she'd develop blood-poisoning. And her body still hasn't
    stopped fighting the invading allergen (the dye)....this is potentially
    more damaging to the body (ie death) than getting an ear torn or a 
    finger off. 
    
>>    I have seen a couple of girls with a diamond stud in their noses, and
>>    it's a mega turn-on.
    
I like seeing noses pierced, too.

Sue (with the gold pinky ring that never comes off)
    

    Of course I don't really mean it Sue, just my sarcastic scottish wit 
    showing through yet again !  ;-)
    
    
    
    		Scott (who thought his pinky ring would never come off ! )
    
    
    

    Shall I just laugh it off or cut him to the bone?
    
    Sue

    Anyone want to start a discussion on tatoos?
    
    I don't have one, but most older folks I have met who had one done when
    in a younger/drunker state, now hate them and wished they'd never done
    it.  Origin, I heard, came from sailors who saw it done in the
    Polynesian Islands and brought the practice back home.
    
    Nose piercing - dangerous, supposedly, you can lose your nose, if an
    infection sets in and it worsens.
    
    Boy, am I full of good news!  Just the facts, ma'am (at least as I
    heard/read them).

	Never mind tattoos and body piercing - thats OLD stuff.
	The current craze is BRANDING - Yes, branding, as in hot
	metal (a design of course) applied to your skin to leave
	a permanent mark.

	What I want to know if if you have a brand, not if you have
	a tattoo!

	/robin

    EEEegads!! Sounds like round up time on the cattle ranch!!

    is it on the RUMP????

    Eeeeeoooooo...Robin....
    
    I burned myself on the toaster this morning - that was enough
    for me!!
    
    Sue

    You know, I'm thinking ... I live such a sheltered life.
    
    Sue

    Yikes!!!  You mean, like red hot poker to skin? I thought only bad guys
    did that, like Nazis during WW2.  Now, people are doing it for "kicks". 
    If yes, we are talking serious pain and deformity here.
    
    Human beings never cease to amaze me!!!???!!!

	Come on, Sue!  You a sheltered life!  Remember who your talking
	to here!!  

	Yep, branding, as in arms, backs, legs, etc, etc.  A scar in
	your choice of design!  Just a little to hard-core for me...

	

    Yes, now...a sheltered life.  Where I got to know you....I would
    expect to see brands!!  :-)
    
    Sue

    I got a tattoo seven years ago -- I was 37 at the time.  I thought
    long and hard before getting it, because I knew it was PERMANENT.
    
    No regrets.

    
    Hey, branding is nothing new.  Most traditionally African American
    fraternities have been branding for years.  (I have a small brand
    myself.)  My boyfriend in college had 136 "hits" (brands).
    
    Amanda 
    

    I wonder what a brand would look like after 30 years ? Would it dull
    down in colour, or maybe stretch ?
    
    
    Anyone know ?
    
    
    							Scott (brandless)
    

    Hey Paul, when is Hat's Off Deli opening????

    ;*)

    If you have your identity branded where it's visible, it could help
    a lot with name brand recognition.