I cannot wait for the next bond film! The cars, the gun fights, the action sequences the (ahem) Bond girls… I can’t get enough of it. Actually though, let’s face it, I’m a geek… it’s the gadgets that I really love… the invisible car in Die Another Day was a step too far though, completely unrealistic! Well, until I saw this that is… I WANT ONE! But actually, after a recent conversation with Dom it’s another gadget from that same film that I want… the ultrasonic ring Bond wears!
Actually it doesn’t have to be ultrasonic… remote controlling my car with it, or it firing some sort of laser out of it would be fine, but I’m a practical guy, and I can’t help feeling that if Dom wants me to wear a wedding ring for the rest of my life it should do something cool! But is it the right decision for a man to stick that golden wedding band on his finger or or should I play it cool, stay undercover and just not bother? I smell a fight!
Men’s Wedding Rings: Goldfinger Vs Secret Agent
In the Red Corner, she likes it so she wants to stick a ring on it, having inherited various rings from her grandmother as well as receiving them from various sources she occasionally seems to be wearing so many that even a gypsy fortune teller would be proud, it’s Dom “The Tog” Shaw
In the Blue Corner, wondering whether he can just have a nice watch instead, he just can’t help feeling that if he wore a ring he wouldn’t be able to resist the urge to repeat the phrase “my precious” in a slightly coarse voice all the time, it’s Matt “The Gormless” Groom.
FIGHT!
Dom: Wearing a wedding ring is an outward sign of your commitment. I think women more than men clock very quickly if a man is wearing a wedding ring, and it show’s that you’re already taken. I’m not saying women don’t trust their partners, but by openly displaying that ring you’re saying clearly that you are married and that you have no interest in attracting other women – it’s a hugely symbolic gesture.
Matt: But if you actually wanted to try to attract someone you would just take the ring off, in the same way that whether I was wearing a ring or not, in the unlikely event that a woman expressed interest in me I wouldn’t be interested and would make it clear that I am married… the ring is not the difference, it’s the commitment to your vows that matters
Dom: I think the wedding ring is also particularly symbolic for men because most men don’t really wear jewellery. You might have a nice watch or some men wear chains or the odd little accessory but on the whole it’s fairly unusual for a man to consistently wear a ring for example. Wearing it each and every day, particularly when it’s the only piece of jewellery that you do wear every day, is another sign of your commitment.
Matt: But a lot of guys don’t wear jewellery simply because they don’t like it! Jewellery has traditionally been more of feminine interest and a lot of men just aren’t particularly comfortable wearing it. That’s not necessarily a macho thing, just a preference, but committing to wearing a ring for the rest of your life when you don’t want to wear one at all is just daft, commitment or not!
Dom: Men’s wedding rings have evolved a lot over the years, when we think of men’s wedding rings we tend to think of the simple gold band which isn’t to everyone’s tastes. Nowadays though the choices are endless and you can now get a ring that really matches your own style and that looks good enough that you’ll never want to take it off!
Matt: What about the practicalities? I work with my hands a lot, surely a wedding ring’s just going to get scratched and messed up!
Dom: Women work with their hands just as much as men do and we cope… If it’s something you’re worried about then choosing the right material (something very hard like platinum or palladium) can make sure it doesn’t get damaged… if you choose certain looks you can even disguise minor scratches.
Matt: Ring’s are not exactly cheap! Adding a men’s wedding ring in alongside the bride’s ring and the engagement ring is adding expense that may not be strictly necessary, particularly if you’re looking at platinum and palladium!!
FINAL REMARKS:
Dom: The wedding ring is, and has for centuries been be the eternal symbol of the marital commitment. The exchanging of rings is a key part of the ceremony, and the endless circle of the ring is meant to represent that ongoing loving relationship. Not having a ring, or having one but never wearing it, seems like you’re not making that full commitment, that you don’t want the world to know that you’re married. I love the idea of my husband wearing a ring and I always wanted it to be one that we chose together and that you would always wear.
Matt: The ring is purely a symbolic gesture, and whilst surrounded in tradition your commitment to one another is determined by your feelings for one another and your loyalty and caring for the other person, not by a piece of metal wrapped around your finger. Rings can be expensive and uncomfortable when you’re not used to them, and in practical, hands on jobs, can easily get messed up completely if you don’t take it off.
So, where do you stand on our “Goldfinger Vs Secret Agent” debate? If you’d like to join the debate then leave a comment or catch us on twitter!
