S925 Silver Vajra Lotus Pattern Open Ring

The vajra began as an ancient Indian weapon and became a Buddhist ritual implement, a symbol of the indestructible wisdom that breaks every affliction. Tibetan vajras are classified by their prongs, single, three, five or nine, and the number governs which practice it serves and how it is used; five prongs is the commonest in monasteries, held in the right hand at assemblies. The middle of the vajra is a sphere, the ends taper, and the grip falls on the sphere, where the balance also lies. When you look at a vajra, count the prongs first.

The lotus holds a particular place in Buddhist art. It rises from mud unstained, so it stands for purity; buddhas and bodhisattvas mostly sit on lotus thrones, and the petals face either up or down, opening below the seat or folding over it. Wrapping lotus relief around the outside of the band gives the vajra a seat of its own. The layers come from overlapping: each outer petal covers the tip of the one beneath, petal on petal, and only then does the flower seem to open. Because the pattern runs around the outside, turning the ring brings the ridges under your thumb.

An open ring does not close into a full circle; it holds at the base of the finger by the spring of the metal itself. The advantage is a forgiving fit, half a size out either way still works. The disadvantage is that it will not take repeated bending: silver fatigues when it is flexed, and the tenth adjustment may be fine while the twentieth leaves a hairline. The two ends are usually finished with a rounded edge, otherwise they catch the knuckle on the way off. Writing or typing with it on, the wide face presses against the next finger; once you are used to it, you stop noticing.

A wide band touches more skin, so the same size feels tighter than a narrow ring; the sizing is not wrong, there is simply more surface to grip. Choose on the loose side. Fingers swell in summer, and they differ between morning and evening, so a fitting in the afternoon comes closest to normal. Anyone with heavy knuckles should allow room to pass the joint, because a ring that goes on and will not come off is the commonest trouble of all.

The tips of the vajra take knocks more than anything else on the ring, and a bent tip throws the whole implement out of symmetry. Take it off before housework or shifting boxes; it is worth the small trouble. Dust collects in the recesses of the lotus, so go round with a soft brush and clean water, dry it, then put it away. Silver is not hard, and a few days in a pocket with keys will dull it to a haze.