Being a biker doesn’t come down to love for motorcycles and nothing else. Being a biker is a passion and the art of life. Bikers love their mean machines as much as the lifestyle they provide. The feeling of freedom and a recognizable image are indispensable attributes of every rider. Clothes, accessories, and jewelry constitute that iconic image. In fact, biker jewelry is respected and admired far beyond the motorcycle community. There is a chance that you already have your eye on a bold biker ring. Before you go and buy it, let us tell you a few interesting and useful things about these accessories with a difference.
The history of biker rings
You probably already know that the tradition to wear rings originated in the United States. Specifically, in the Southern United States near the border with Mexico. In the 1950s, bikers discovered Mexican rings, which were sold in abundance in the border towns. They got on the radar of motorcyclists passing through those towns thanks to massive sizes and intriguing designs. Besides, they were dirt cheap. Motorcyclists immediately saw an opportunity to set themselves apart from fellow bikers and, most importantly, rival clubs.
Apart from being eye-catching, those fancy rings had a more practical significance. Bikers often used them instead of money to purchase goods or services.
Finally, burly, sturdy, and solid rings could perfectly substitute weapons, brass knuckles in particular. The Johnny Law prohibited the use of brass knuckles but motorcycles found a nice way out – they just put a few chunky signets on their fingers and thus turned them into fist-load weapons. Bikers are no angels, especially members of motorcycle gangs. Therefore, they gladly seized an opportunity to become more efficient in a fistfight without technically breaking the law.
What material to choose?
If you want your biker ring to ooze retro vibes, the only surefire way to achieve it is to opt for brass rings. The very first accessories found on motorcyclists’ fingers were made of brass, nickel, and bronze alloy, which had a yellow hue. Such an original choice of material had curious reasoning – it turns out that Mexican artisans crafted jewelry from recycles coins Centavos. They lost their monetary value during the Mexican revolution but were perfect material for crafting souvenirs and jewelry.
Today, though, you won’t be able to find many models made of brass. The reason is that brass quickly oxidizes and takes on a greenish tint. Instead of brass, jewelry manufacturers utilize silver. It looks amazing, requires little maintenance, doesn’t cost too much, and is easy to work with. Finally, silver perfectly blends with biker outfits and motorcycle exteriors made of leather and metal.
As a nice alternative to silver, you can go with steel. However, steel jewelry won’t be as valuable as silver items. Some bikers flaunt gold rings but it is rather an exception because yellow clashes with chrome motorcycle parts and other biker accessories.
What about Designs?
The themes of these rings are somehow limited. In general, they are related to roads, motorcycles, and death. The idea is to instill fear into onlookers (as well as opponents from rival motorcycle clubs), drive death away, and show passion for mean machines.
If you are looking for a ring that articulates freedom, then choose designs featuring eagles, wings, motorcycle wheels, or phrases such as “live to ride, ride to live”.
If you incline to more brutal designs, then go for skulls, fire, skeletons, snakehead, Grim Reaper, or Aztec warriors.
On top of that, there are plenty of Gothic motives in biker ring designs. If you gravitate to Gothic aesthetics, you will surely enjoy knight, dragon, royal lily, crown, sword, and dagger symbolism.
Consider Your Personality
When buying a biker ring, listen to your heart. Which symbols pull the strings of your soul? What do you want to convey with this accessory? What feelings occur when you look at a biker ring? Your personality is the key to finding the best biker ring. Not the best in a broad sense because every person has a different idea of good and bad, but the best personally for you.
Besides choosing a symbol that resonates with your personality, there are other ways to bring individuality into your finger ornament. If you don’t mind splurging, you can have a custom silver ring crafted according to your specs and featuring your design. Another way to customize your jewelry is to add engraving with your name, birth date, symbol, motto, etc. You can pick a signet-shaped ring with a flat head and adorn it with your monogram, initials, or symbols of your motorcycle club.
Size Matters
The right size is important for every ring but when it comes to biker accessories, you should be maximally careful, especially if this is your first ring.
The size of these rings is often larger than life. They may easily cover two phalanges and, therefore, quickly become uncomfortable to wear. For your first ring, it makes sense to choose models of reasonable sizes. If you are comfortable with them, you can switch to more imposing options.
