Mood rings, that is! I got this one with a dolphin on it. I’ve always liked these quirky rings, and now I know how they work. I thought you might like to know as well. I got it at The Herb Corner for $1.50 when I went in for some En-Balance Hormone Balancing Blend capsules for the hot flashes. I want to see what color it turns when I flash! How do mood rings change color? Liquid crystals are the secret to the mood ring’s changing array of colors. The clear glass stone in the ring is either filled with the liquid crystals or sits directly on top of a thin layer of the substance that has been adhered to a sterling setting.
Liquid crystals are extremely sensitive to heat, and will twist their position in response to a rise or drop in temperature. Light comes in many different wavelengths, and each wavelength is reflected to our eyes as a different color. The position of the crystals determines which wavelengths of light are absorbed and which are reflected back to us, and this is what makes the stone appear to change color.
Body Temperature
Your mood affects your body temperature, which is what causes the ring to change colors. When you feel happy or content, your body gets slightly warmer because the capillaries move a little closer to the skin surface and release more warmth, which causes that well-known blush that creeps into the cheeks from time to time. This extra warmth causes the crystals in a mood ring to alter their position, which results in shades of blue. An extremely warm reaction might even cause the color to deepen to purple, which is considered the color of passion.
When you’re nervous or anxious, extra moisture on the surface of your skin works like an evaporative cooling machine and lowers your surface temperature. Some people describe the feeling as clammy, but your mood ring picks up this change in your body temperature, and the liquid crystals rearrange themselves in ways that reflect the lighter colors in their spectrum, which produces shades ranging from amber to green.
Mood Ring Color Chart
If you’re wondering what your mood ring is saying about you, decode its messages with this chart:
The Meaning of Colors in Mood Rings
Mood rings are a fun and popular 70s-inspired jewelry item that has fascinated people for years, in large part because of what the colors are believed to represent. Mood rings respond to changes in body temperature, so many people believe that this type of jewelry can offer clues about a person’s state of mind. Learn what the colors mean to help decode your moods.