The Ring is given as part of "The Ritual of the Calling of an Engineer" [1], written by Rudyard Kipling. The popular legend has it that the rings are made from the steel of a beam from the Quebec Bridge, which collapsed during construction in 1907 due to poor planning and design by the overseeing engineers, killing 75 construction workers. Although this is not true [2], the Ring is a symbol of both pride and humility for the engineering profession.
The ring is always worn on the little finger of the dominant hand, where the facets act as a sharp reminder of the obligation while the engineer works. This is particularly true of recently obligated engineers, whose rings still bear facets nearly sharp enough to be considered serrations. The location of the ring on the dominant hand also means that it is the furthest from the wedding ring that is usually made of gold or other precious metals. This symbolises that monetary gain should not be what motivates an ethical engineer. This symbolism, however, is not necessarily true for left-handed engineers.
The Iron Ring originally was made exclusively from iron, but graduating engineering students are now typically given stainless steel rings, which do not rust. Protocol dictates that the rings should be returned by retired engineers or by the families of deceased engineers. Some camps offer such iron rings or so obligated "experienced" rings, but they are now rare due to both medical and practical (industrial/construction site) complications.
