In Denmark, the wedding ring is traditionally worn on the ring finger of the right hand. It is the ring finger next to the little finger, i.e. the fourth finger, and this is the custom followed by the vast majority of Danish wedding couples. The engagement ring, on the other hand, is most often worn on the left hand until the wedding, after which many gather both rings on the right hand.

The Danish choice of the right hand stands out from most of the world. In the USA, the UK, France, Italy and most southern European countries, the wedding ring sits on the left hand, and the same applies in Sweden. Denmark, by contrast, shares the right-hand custom with Norway and Germany, among others.

Why is the wedding ring worn on the right hand in Denmark?

There is no single definitive answer, but several explanations that point in the same direction. The most widespread concerns the vow itself: the right hand is the one you extend when you shake hands on an agreement, and traditionally the hand to which the marriage vow is tied. Wearing the ring there thus becomes a reminder of the promise made at the wedding.

The custom has roots in both historical and religious circumstances in Northern Europe, where the right hand has long been associated with honour, strength and fidelity. Part of the explanation is also attributed to the words spoken during a church wedding when the ring is placed on the finger.

The choice of the ring finger in particular has its own history. An old belief from ancient Egypt and Rome held that a special vein - called the vena amoris, the vein of love - ran directly from this finger to the heart. Anatomically the idea does not hold up, since all fingers are connected to the heart in the same way, but the notion nevertheless set the standard for which finger the ring came to sit on.

So where is the engagement ring worn?

In Denmark, the engagement ring typically sits on the ring finger of the left hand during the time between the engagement and the wedding. Once the wedding is over, couples face a small practical choice: what should happen with the two rings?

Many move the engagement ring over to the right hand, so both rings sit together on the ring finger. Here the wedding ring is often placed innermost, closest to the hand, with the engagement ring on the outside - but the order is a matter of taste, and some reverse it. Others choose to keep one ring on each hand, and a few wear only the wedding ring in everyday life.

It is becoming more and more common to choose two rings - an engagement ring and a wedding ring - rather than just one. If they are to be worn side by side, it is worth considering how they work together. A simple round solitaire ring with a single centre stone works well alongside a narrower ring with a low profile, while a half eternity ring with diamonds halfway around the band lies flat against another ring. Longvé carries a wide selection of both selected engagement rings and selected wedding rings, so the two can be chosen with each other in mind.

Do men and women wear the ring differently?

The custom of the right hand applies equally, but practical considerations often factor into the individual choice. Some choose to move the ring to the left hand if they write or work a lot with their right, to reduce wear on the ring. Others use the placement to create balance, so that watch and ring do not sit on the same arm.

There is no fixed rule that binds one to a particular hand. Tradition provides a starting point, but the individual can deviate from it without doing anything wrong.

Is there a right and a wrong hand?

No. The traditions are both different from country to country and mutually contradictory - the argument for the left hand rests on the vein of love to the heart, while the argument for the right hand rests on the vow hand. Neither of the theories can settle the question definitively.

If you follow Danish custom, the ring finger of the right hand is the natural choice. If you have a connection to a country where the left hand is the norm, or simply prefer the other hand for practical reasons, that is just as valid.

What does the ring's design mean for how it sits?

When two rings are to be worn together on the same finger, the type of ring matters for comfort. A ring with a high centre stone can push the other ring askew, while flat or curved rings lie closer to one another. A small eternity ring with diamonds all the way around sits the same no matter how it turns on the finger, which makes it easy to combine.

Longvé carries the rings in both lab-grown and natural diamonds, often in the same design, so the same look can be chosen in either variant. If you wear the rings in 14K gold and 14K white gold together, the two metals can also be combined deliberately to distinguish the two rings visually.