The signet ring has a long and storied history, dating back to the era of the Ancient Egyptian pharaohs and surviving for centuries as a means of providing a wearer with instant access to their identifying crest for the purposes of sealing important documents.

Of course the age of the wax seal has come and gone, seen off by the arrival of the postal service and further pushed towards irrelevance by digital forms of communication in the 20th century.

However, signet rings are coming back into fashion, clawing back the popularity they once enjoyed amongst a new generation of jewelry wearers. So what is behind this renaissance and will this trend endure further?

Classic idea, modern interpretations

A quick glimpse of the contemporary signet rings available from sites like Diamondere will reveal part of the reason behind their revival; the classic shape and style of the ring has been retained, while the latest sensibilities have been applied to other aspects of the aesthetics.

This chiefly means that high end signet rings are no longer focused on featuring a crest front and center, but rather on using the chunkiness of the band to create a compelling housing for a precious gemstone. From sapphires and aquamarines to garnets and emeralds, 21st century signet rings can be equipped with whatever head-turning combination of precious stones that the wearer prefers.

Furthermore the fact that signet rings are associated primarily with men means that they are an opportunity for guys to wear a bit of bling without feeling that they are encroaching on the territory of women’s jewelry. It is this partly traditional, partly forward-looking combination that is allowing signet rings to regain popularity amongst a certain class of customer.

Retro jewelry, current-day crafting interest

The other side to the signet ring coin is that audiences today are being hooked in by this kind of jewelry because of the influence that internet personalities and creators have over the wider population.

At a time when TikTok is exploding in popularity, the trends that it catalyzes tend to be those that are best suited to short-form video content that is easily shareable and digestible by global audiences.

In the case of signet rings, there is a fast-expanding scene of people who are eager to reintroduce the wax seal, both for practical purposes and purely for the fun and satisfaction that it offers.

Similar to many other retro trends, the rise of signet rings and wax seals has come about not only because of the technology that allows it to spread so easily, but also because it is almost a stand against the wider modernization and digitization of life that is going on everywhere else.

So in a sense, signet rings are a connection to the past as well as a doorway to the future, showcasing how it is possible to make progress without forgetting where you have come from, and their popularity will likely continue to build as a result.