Signet ring usage

laissez-faire · 9 Sep 2006 at 19:48

Does anyone here still use their signet rings (original ones with the family crest - not some bling thing with initials or some naff replica) to seal letters? I can't even find sealing wax apart from in London! Why has the tradition faded?

EDIT > I think a more interesting area of debate that has arisen here is that some people don't send letters at all! I find this rather strange, I love getting mail!

PardonTheWait · 9 Sep 2006 at 19:51

Because people can't get the wax off their monitors after sealing e-mails.

Plus there's always the small issue of the fact that envelopes already have glue on them now?

laissez-faire · 9 Sep 2006 at 19:52

Mohinder said:
Because people can't get the wax off their monitors after sealing e-mails.

Plus there's always the small issue of the fact that envelopes already have glue on them now?

So? you still seal it to prove that it hasn't been steamed open. So to open the letter you have to use a letter knife (or tear the whole thing apart). I still think it is a nice touch for personal letters.

Also if you have some of the old old style bits of paper, you can seal them together without an envelope.

Jumpingmedic · 9 Sep 2006 at 19:54

laissez-faire said:
Does anyone here still use their signet rings (original ones with the family crest - not some bling thing with initials or some naff replica) to seal letters? I can't even find sealing wax apart from in London! Why has the tradition faded?

Because no-ones written a letter since 1990 :confused:

PardonTheWait · 9 Sep 2006 at 19:54

People don't send all that many letters these days, there's really no call for sealing envelops with wax, surely.

Sherbs · 9 Sep 2006 at 19:55

Only ever seen them used in POTC.

Havent got one. Would like one.

laissez-faire · 9 Sep 2006 at 19:55

Jumpingmedic said:
Because no-ones written a letter since 1990

Are you serious? I write letters most days. Wouldn't it be rather naff to send a thank-you email to someone who had entertained you for the evening or even weekend? Or how about invitations - surely you don't do those electronically? Letters of condolence - how could you email that?

squiffy · 9 Sep 2006 at 19:55

I guess for formal letters, private clubs, weddings, solicitors be pretty cool. But not for the usual informal letters.

cleanbluesky · 9 Sep 2006 at 19:56

laissez-faire said:
Does anyone here still use their signet rings (original ones with the family crest - not some bling thing with initials or some naff replica) to seal letters? I can't even find sealing wax apart from in London! Why has the tradition faded?

Becasue we don't send communication to Mr Darcy at once by the family's finest horseman?

Jumpingmedic · 9 Sep 2006 at 20:00

laissez-faire said:
Are you serious? I write letters most days. Wouldn't it be rather naff to send a thank-you email to someone who had entertained you for the evening or even weekend? Or how about invitations - surely you don't do those electronically? Letters of condolence - how could you email that?

... you obviously have a very different attitude... an attitude I didn't know still actually existed.

In any case I've not actually written anything, aside from quick notes or questionaire type things, with a pen for well over 5 years now. Certainly not a letter. If i were to write a letter I would most likely stick it in a normal envelope. To my mind signet sealing is one of the many dead traditions of two centuries ago.

I'm not insulting you.. I am just genuinely amazed that anyone still uses sealing. It's never occured to me that people still use it.

Clarkey · 9 Sep 2006 at 20:07

laissez-faire said:
Are you serious? I write letters most days. Wouldn't it be rather naff to send a thank-you email to someone who had entertained you for the evening or even weekend?

not at all

Or how about invitations - surely you don't do those electronically?

why on earth not?

Letters of condolence - how could you email that?

The same as you email anything else.

Get with the times, letters waste a lot of time, waste paper, and waste money. Also if I was sent a letter, I would have to faff around opening it, and no doubt if I had to reply, I would be expected to reply by snail mail also. This is something which I plain could not be bothered with.

Amp34 · 9 Sep 2006 at 20:07

laissez-faire said:
Are you serious? I write letters most days. Wouldn't it be rather naff to send a thank-you email to someone who had entertained you for the evening or even weekend? Or how about invitations - surely you don't do those electronically? Letters of condolence - how could you email that?

To be brutally honest how often do most people send formal invitations, thankyou letters for being entertained or letters of condolence?

I send invitations through email (say my birthday) or text (any other random thing). I have never actually had to send a letter of condolence (if there was reason to I would get into a car or train and go see them not send a letter). Thankyou letters? Well I send about 2 a year to people who send presents, other than that nope I say thanks to their faces.

I suppose If you are the marquise of Bath or an undertaker maybe you would need to do those things but an average person either doesn't know that many people or has no reason to send them.

Sorry if that sounds a bit harsh, it's not ment to be a putdown, just what I think.

PinkPig · 9 Sep 2006 at 20:08

laissez-faire said:
Are you serious? I write letters most days. Wouldn't it be rather naff to send a thank-you email to someone who had entertained you for the evening or even weekend? Or how about invitations - surely you don't do those electronically? Letters of condolence - how could you email that?

For some formal setting of course letters are crucial - do you really write letters of thanks to someone who's "entertained" you for the weekend or so on most days? If I visited someone for the evening or weekend I can't think of anyone who would expect a written thank-you - if they were someone who I only saw rarely I might bring some chocolates or something, but nothing more than that. Neither do I find myself writing long letters of invitation to people, and people I know don't drop dead on a daily basis.

Jumpingmedic · 9 Sep 2006 at 20:17

After thinking a bit more about this thread I've decided what it is I have against letter writing.

It's so cold and formal. I consider formality to be quite insulting. I don't want grovelling letters of invitation... I want "lo m8 fancy coming round tonight for dinner and couple of beers?"

Perhaps that's just my attitude but I have to say the impression I get from most people I know is that this is the normal view held by people of my generation.

Sherbs · 9 Sep 2006 at 20:19

I guess the OP, is over 50. And with some noble birthright, you do know these are public forums?

cleanbluesky · 9 Sep 2006 at 20:19

laissez-faire said:
Are you serious? I write letters most days. Wouldn't it be rather naff to send a thank-you email to someone who had entertained you for the evening or even weekend? Or how about invitations - surely you don't do those electronically? Letters of condolence - how could you email that?

A signet ring is not subtle, it is pretentious as it is surplus to requirements - therefore it would not be appropriate for letters of condolence

Pudney · 9 Sep 2006 at 20:20

SherberT* said:
I guess the OP, is over 50. And with some noble birthright, you do know these are public forums?

From his profile apparently he's bout 20. Which is more concerning

Jumpingmedic · 9 Sep 2006 at 20:21

SherberT* said:
I guess the OP, is over 50. And with some noble birthright, you do know these are public forums?

Check his profile... he's 20 :eek:

Making your sig quote vaguely ironic in my eyes ^_^

cleanbluesky · 9 Sep 2006 at 20:22

I wonder whether a signet ring could be used for witchcraft...

Sherbs · 9 Sep 2006 at 20:23

I am also 20, which makes me jealous. I'd love a signet ring, posh graffiti anybody?