Ring of O

Ring of O is a special finger ring, which is a common in German-speaking gem and identification for fans of BDSM since the 1990s. He was named after a ring, the O, the protagonist in the classic BDSM novel is The Story of O by Pauline Réage.

Based Upon

The ring is similarly shaped like a signet ring in the literary model and carries a Triskele.

" ... The man held her now a small wooden chain with a loud same rings back and asked them to choose from a ring that fit on her left ring finger. It was weird iron rings, inside edged with gold; the broad, heavy frost, similar to the version of a signet ring, but highly curved, carried in Nielloarbeit a golden wheel with three spokes that were spirally curved, like the sun of the Celts. "

The symbolic significance in the history of O differs from that in the range BDSM widespread decrease considerably. In the book only wear submissive " slaves " this ring, which is awarded to them during their training. Here, the ring bearers are obliged to any man who knows the meaning of the ring to subdue. In today's BDSM subculture of the ring indicates only the affiliation to this.

Current forms

In the first film adaptation of the novel The Story of O, the ring was represented as a finger ring to which a small patch ball a small ring is movably mounted. It resembles a ring clamp, as used in larger copy for chaining of animals or prisoners.

Inspired by this film were finger rings with this appearance in the German BDSM circles quickly became popular. The first illustration of a commercially available ring in this design was made in September 1989 in Issue No. 4 of the headlines. Its development is attributed Jörg Hampel and Jan shyness. Since the early 1990s, the design of the ring is again increasingly outside of BDSM contexts. Such models exist, for example in the jewelery collection from Calvin Klein and have been partly driven by specialized to youthful audiences fashion store chains.

In the English-speaking world has been driven by The Emblem Project, another symbol for BDSM enforced, which is referred to in the subculture as the BDSM Emblem and is leaning closer to the one described in the novel design of the ring of O.

Conventions in the field of BDSM

It is common that Doms ( Tops ) wear the ring on her left hand and Subs ( Bottoms ) the ring on the right hand. This has the advantage that, in right-handed batting without the dome ring.

In the literature, the original O wore the ring as a sub on the left hand. Because of these different convention can not be concluded with absolute certainty from the support side of the ring to the preferred BDSM role. Switcher wear the ring occasionally on a chain around his neck.