The Meaning of Diamond Wishbone Rings

The Meaning of Diamond Wishbone Rings
Diamond wishbone rings feature a unique ‘V’ shape that symbolises luck and love. But where do they come from and how did they get their meaning? Discover in 6 fascinating facts the true meaning of diamond wishbone rings.

1. They symbolise luck

The concept of the wishbone goes a long way back in history. “Pulling the wishbone” first became a custom in ancient Rome.

It was traditional, after eating a turkey or other fowl, for two people to pull on the wishbone which is a fork-shaped bone located in the chest area of some birds.

Each person would wrap a finger around one of the forks of the bone, and pull until the bone broke.

The person left with the “V” could then make a wish, and it was believed that the wish would come true. Hence the name “wishbone”!

The Meaning of Diamond Wishbone Rings
New Year postcard from around 1909 featuring a wishbone as a lucky symbol, Missouri History Museum, licensed under MHS Open Access Policy

Now, a thousand years later, the wishbone superstition is still very much alive. First, the Romans brought it to Britain. From there, the Brits took it to the New World.

Today, in the USA for instance, wishbone pulling is still a very popular custom at Thanksgiving.

Because it is a tradition that has been kept alive for centuries, the wishbone is now a popular and well-known symbol in Western culture, denoting luck and good wishes that come true.

Wishbone necklaces were popular before wishbone rings were invented by Victorian jewellers

During the Victorian era, people absolutely loved symbolic jewellery. Especially designs that featured a hidden meaning became wildly popular.

For instance, popular motifs for necklaces included hearts that symbolised love, four-leaf clovers and horseshoes that stood for luck, and snakes that represented wisdom.

It’s therefore easy to see why the wishbone symbol too captured the imaginations of the Victorians, and became a popular amulet worn for luck.


The Meaning of Diamond Wishbone Rings

Although wishbone-shaped amulets were popular in early Victorian Britain, it wasn’t until the late 1900s when Victorian jewellers translated the wishbone shape from necklaces to rings.

As soon as they came on to the market, wishbone rings became an instant hit with the fashion-conscious ladies of the time – and have remained a steady trend since then.


The Meaning of Diamond Wishbone Rings

3. The meaning of wishbone rings today

Many people wear wishbone rings today because they believe they bring luck. Therefore, wishbone rings are often used as wedding rings, to symbolise good fortune in marriage.

Because they have such positive meaning, they have also become popular gifts for anniversaries and birthdays.

As a result of this gifting tradition around special occasions celebrated with loved family members, many people now consider wishbone rings to symbolise love (as well as luck).

4. The perfect wedding ring

Wishbone rings make perfect wedding rings because their unique shape gives a lot of room for the centre-stone of an engagement ring.

Sometimes, if you combine a straight wedding band with a big engagement ring, the diamond of your engagement ring can push on the wedding band, leaving scratches and marks on it, or making it sit skewiff.

This can look unpleasing to the eye or feel uncomfortable on your finger.

Meanwhile, a wishbone ring prevents this from happening because it fits around an engagement ring perfectly.


The Meaning of Diamond Wishbone Rings

5. Can be worn any way up

Some people believe that wishbone rings should be worn pointing a certain way. But, in fact, there is no historical evidence to support these beliefs. They can therefore be worn pointing in any direction.

If you wear a wishbone ring as a wedding band, then according to British tradition, the engagement ring is usually slipped on after the wedding ring. Meaning that the wishbone wedding ring would be positioned first with the ‘V’ pointing toward the wrist.

Wishbone rings work well as stacking rings too, so you can wear several wishbone rings together on the same finger.


The Meaning of Diamond Wishbone Rings

6. Wishbone rings come in different designs

Not all wishbone rings look the same. They can be set in silver, gold or platinum.

They can also have a single or double line or diamonds, or even coloured gemstones or birthstones that symbolise your birth month.

The choice is entirely yours!

Shop Diamond Wishbone Rings

Beautiful, sparkling rings that symbolise luck and love