The power of the ring is real. Its evil is real. No, it’s not just in a story. Many Lord of the Rings fans have indulged the fantasy of the Ruling Ring and the vice-like grip it had on those around it while reading the books by JRR Tolkien. I’ve actually experienced it. Your skepticism is warranted but I think you’ll believe me once you’ve heard my twisted tale.

The ring had a power over me. I’ve spent lunch breaks & coffee breaks desiring the ring. I’ve searched on foot and by phone for the ring. I’ve thwarted my responsibility and shown true greed—all because of the ring. Read on …

About a year ago I decided that I’d like to read the Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien since I’ve heard so much about it and buzz was already starting to mount for the release of the filmed version by Peter Jackson. I consumed the book daily, and was fascinated by the object around which the entire story is based—the One Ring. The ring is all-powerful and would give its creator, the dark lord Sauron, the power to rule the world. Everyone who came into contact or close to the ring would desire it, a by-product of its evil. The desire would drive some to do foolish and irrational things to obtain the ring.

Soon I grew interested in having my own One Ring, which in the book is described simply as a plain gold band, similar to a wedding band. When exposed to fire, the ring would reveal an inscription in Tolkien’s fantasy script that read “One Ring To Rule Them All, One Ring To Find Them, One Ring To Bring Them All And In The Darkness Bind Them.” I thought it would be cool to have the seminal memento of these stories, which I had now grown to love though my daily reading. Its power is unassuming and vastly understated, neatly contained in such a small package. A quick Internet search led me to a jeweler, who had made his own One Ring and was selling replicas of it in gold, silver and gold-plated versions. After seeing some of the prices (the most expensive version costs around $1200 made entirely of platinum) I dismissed the thought of owning a One Ring and didn’t give it another thought. Soon though, I was back on the web at the same page looking at the ring, reading more about it then again dismissing the thought and the expense. Days passed, perhaps a week. Again I was back at the same web page. Why? Little did I know this was the real power of the ring beginning to work on me.

The release of the movie version of the Lord of the Rings was looming closer and the promotional products were already being released in anticipation of the film. Amid all the hype, the first trailer of the movie was released, and in it, audiences could catch their first glimpse of the movie-version of the One Ring—and it was beautiful. Suddenly my urges to have one were rekindled. I revisited the web page seeing that they had sold out of some of the rings. It didn’t matter, because after seeing the wonderfully plain yet hefty, digitally-enhanced version in the movie, suddenly this one would not do. I would have to seek one out just like the movie version. Since I was a stickler for detail, only it would now do.

After a trip or twenty to Ebay, I discovered that collectors were selling a promotional version of the ring that was more in tune with my budget, but it didn’t really resemble the one in the movie. I had to dismiss it.

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