signet ring
Quick Summary
A signet ring is a type of finger ring that is engraved with a personal design, monogram, or seal. Historically, signets were used to mark possessions and authenticate documents by stamping hot wax seals. The term "signet" and "sign" share a common origin in the Latin word "signum," meaning "a mark, token, image, sign, or seal". While their historical use was for official purposes, signet rings are now primarily recognized as a form of jewelry. The pope, for instance, wears a signet ring known as the Fisherman's Ring, which is destroyed upon his death to be replaced by a new one.12
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