WWJD, Would He Wear an M-Ring?

Today’s WWJD question comes from Anthony O.

I know you're a fan of interesting rings and of things you can wear that help you transition into a trick.

I was just wondering if you had an opinion on the "M-Ring"

I find it kind of fascinating as it was worn by magicians like Nate Leipzig and Harry Blackstone Jr. and is known as like a secret sign that you're a magician since it's vaguely M-shaped for "Magic" or "Magician". Apparently magic clubs have been known to give them out when you win a competition or if you like attain a certain level.

I've heard various reasons for why magicians like it such as how the shape prevents it from impeding sleight of hand or how it also allows you to hold out cards easily.

Part of me finds all of this stuff really interesting but part of me thinks its also extremely nerdy. I'll probably pick one up at some point.

I was just curious as to what you think of its history and connotations and whatnot. If it's something you'd wear, I was also wondering what you'd say about it if someone were to comment on it? —AO

Well, purely as a fashion statement, I find it kind of hideous.

But I do like the story behind it and the symbolism and all of that.

The problem is, if you tell someone about this ring and they look into it, they aren’t going to find details about Nate Leipzig and secret symbolism. They’re going to find something they can buy on ebay for $25. So any cachet or mystique the ring might have is completely gone. Which means it’s kind of fucked out for me. At least as a presentational tool.

Now, the idea of secret clubs, secret rings, and secret knowledge are all intriguing concepts to laypeople. So I wouldn’t necessarily throw away the idea of a ring you got as part of some secret society. I would just go out and find some other ring that is interesting looking and use that as my Hook. I’d look around vintage stores, flea markets, or maybe etsy to have something custom made. Perhaps get something engraved on the inside.

Now if someone says, “What’s that ring?” I can give it whatever backstory I want as far as what organization gave it to me, or what accomplishment I had to achieve to get one, or who I’m wearing it for as a “secret signal” that we’re both in the same club.

In my telling, I would probably be one step removed from the person who received the ring. That way I can talk up that person’s greatness without talking myself up.

“Oh this ring? This used to belong to my great uncle. The one who got me into magic. You see the IML engraved in there? That’s not his initials. It’s from the International Magic League which was a group that he was in back in the 50s. Did you ever see Good Will Hunting? You remember how they would put some impossible math equation on the chalkboard for people to try and solve? Well the International Magic League would do something similar with magic tricks that were deemed ‘impossible.’ They would post them in their monthly newsletter, and if someone eventually cracked a way to do it, they would receive a ring like this. I think over the course of a century they only gave out 12 rings. So my uncle was very proud of it. Do you want to see the trick he discovered?”