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Jewellery has
been used to denote status. In ancient Rome, for instance, only
certain ranks could wear rings;[12] later, sumptuary laws
dictated who could wear what type of jewellery; again based on
rank. Cultural dictates have also played a significant role; for
example, the wearing of earrings by Western men was considered
"effeminate" in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Conversely, the jewellery industry in the early 20th century
launched a campaign to popularize wedding rings for men — which
caught on — as well as engagement rings for men - which did not,
going so far as to create a false history and claim that the
practice had Medieval roots. By the mid 1940s, 85% of weddings
in the U.S. featured a double-ring ceremony, up from 15% in the
1920s.[13] Religion has also played a role: Islam, for instance,
considers the wearing of gold by men as a social taboo,[14] and
many religions have edicts against excessive display. |
