Rings have been made for thousands of years. As jewelry worn on the finger, a ring can serve simply as an ornament, or as a conspicuous display of wealth. But rings also have symbolic meaning in relation to marriage, exceptional achievement, high status or authority, and membership in an organization or society, among other purposes. In fact, you'd be surprised by the many functions a ring serves.
Click through the following gallery and put your finger on some of the rarest and most celebrated rings ever created.