Copper Five Jambhalas Ring

Five names on one ring face, and the characters are bound to be small. Small characters are hard to cut in copper: too shallow and they cannot be read, too deep and they run together into one mass. The way round it is to widen the face so that each character has somewhere to sit. A hairline of space between them keeps the row from crowding. The curve of the face follows the finger, so the cuts do not come out deep on one side and shallow on the other. These are cut, not cast: cast characters have soft edges, cut ones are sharp.

The listing carries two versions, one marked brass and one marked only as copper. Brass runs warm and the other runs pale, and they age at different rates, with brass darkening within a few months. Check which one you are selecting before ordering, since the two names differ by a couple of characters and are easy to confuse. If the prices are far apart, the difference is likely in the metal and the finishing. The brass version also carries a stronger smell, and it is noticeable.

The arrangement of the five varies slightly by region; the mainstream account puts Zhao Gongming at the centre with one deity to each of the four quarters, making five directions. In New Year prints the five are packed onto one sheet, and who stands in the middle is a matter of rule: it is always Zhao Gongming. The ring follows that order, and the central character anywhere but the middle would be an error. In the Investiture of the Gods, Zhao Gongming is enfeoffed as the Golden Dragon, Wish-Fulfilling, True Unity, Dragon-Tiger, Mysterious Altar Perfected Lord. In prints each figure holds something different, which a ring cannot accommodate.

A wide face makes itself felt on the hand. On short fingers a wide band makes them look shorter, so wear it on the little or ring finger; on long fingers it makes no difference. The open structure adjusts a little, and only a little: do not expect it to span three sizes, and if the difference is greater, change model. Fingers swell in summer, so a wide face needs some room rather than a tight grip. Anyone with heavy knuckles will find a wide band catches at the joint and should choose a wider gap.

Worn long, a copper ring polishes bright on the outside of the face and collects a dark film on the inside near the gaps between fingers. Clear that film with a cloth wrapped round a toothpick, not with a blade, which leaves scratches. Take the ring off to shower, since soapy water dulls copper, and once dulled only polish will bring it back. Do not wear it to wash dishes: detergent cuts grease and takes the dark surface off the copper with it.