You’re staring at your finger. One minute the stone was a murky green, and now it’s shifted into a vibrant, royal violet. It’s mesmerizing. But if you’re looking up mood ring colors purple, you probably want to know if you’re actually "feeling" purple or if it’s just the heater in your car kicking in.
Mood rings are basically wearable thermometers. They don't read your soul. They read your skin.
Invented in 1975 by Joshua Reynolds and Maris Ambats, these trinkets rely on thermotropic liquid crystals. When the temperature changes, those crystals twist. As they twist, they reflect different wavelengths of light. Purple is usually the "peak" of the spectrum for most standard rings. It means you’re running warm. In the world of mood jewelry, warmth is almost always equated with positive, high-energy emotions.
Why Does My Mood Ring Turn Purple?
Science first. Your skin temperature usually sits around 91°F ($33$°C). Most mood rings are calibrated to appear green at this "neutral" temperature. When your internal body temperature rises—perhaps because your heart rate is up or your blood is flowing toward your skin—the crystals react.
Purple usually happens at the highest temperature range for the ring.
This is why the "meaning" of purple is often linked to passion, excitement, or even purposeful focus. If you're stressed, your body often pulls blood away from your extremities and toward your core—the "fight or flight" response. This makes your hands cold. A cold hand leads to a black or gray ring. So, if you’re seeing purple, you’re likely in a state of "rest and digest" or "active engagement" where blood is flowing freely to your fingertips.
It’s about vasodilation.
When you’re relaxed or aroused (romantically or just through excitement), your capillaries dilate. You get warm. The ring turns purple. It's a physiological feedback loop that happens to look really cool under a halogen light.
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The Nuance of the Shade: Royal Purple vs. Reddish Purple
Not all purples are created equal. If you look closely, your ring might be a deep, velvety grape color or a lighter, almost pinkish violet.
Deep Purple and "Zen" States
In many "official" mood charts from the 70s, a deep purple signified that the wearer was "cool" in the slang sense. Think calm, clear-headed, and deeply relaxed. It’s that feeling you get after a long yoga session or when you’ve finally finished a massive project and the adrenaline has plateaued into a steady hum of satisfaction.
Red-Purple or Plum
This is a bit different. Because red is the "warm-up" color and purple is the "hottest" color, a reddish-purple often means you’re in transition. You might be feeling a bit flustered. Maybe you’re angry? Anger can actually make you "hot under the collar," literally increasing skin temperature. It’s a mistake to think mood ring colors purple always mean you're a peaceful monk. You could just be really annoyed at your boss, and your blood pressure is doing the work.
The 1970s Craze and the Science of Liquid Crystals
Let’s be real for a second. In 1975, these things were a massive fad. Joshua Reynolds, a former Wall Street marketing whiz, claimed they were a "tool for self-awareness." He sold millions of them. Even celebrities like Sophia Loren and Paul Newman were spotted with them.
The crystals used are usually "cholesteric" liquid crystals. They are sandwiched between a glass or quartz stone (the "fob") and a metal backing.
- The Bottom Layer: A black coating.
- The Middle Layer: The liquid crystal mixture.
- The Top Layer: The clear protective dome.
The black backing is crucial. Without it, the light would just pass through and you wouldn't see any color at all. The black absorbs the light that isn't reflected by the crystals, making the violet or purple pop.
Is It Accurate or Just a Toy?
Honestly? It's a bit of both.
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While a ring cannot tell if you are "lonely" versus "bored," it is a very accurate indicator of peripheral skin temperature. If you use it as a biofeedback tool, it actually has some utility. Psychologists in the late 70s sometimes used similar liquid crystal strips to help patients recognize when they were becoming physically stressed.
If your ring stays black all day, you might be genuinely stressed, or you might just have poor circulation. Raynaud’s syndrome, for instance, would keep a mood ring perpetually dark because the fingers stay cold. On the flip side, if you're holding a hot cup of coffee, that purple isn't your "inner peace"—it’s the caffeine and the ceramic.
Common Misconceptions About the Purple Setting
One of the biggest myths is that purple means you're "in love."
Love is complicated. It involves a lot of physiological responses. While "infatuation" might increase your heart rate and warm your skin (turning the ring purple), a long-term, stable "love" might leave you at a neutral green.
Don't dump your partner just because your ring stayed teal during dinner.
Another weird quirk? The "death" of a mood ring. If moisture seeps into the stone, the crystals get ruined. The ring will turn a permanent, mottled black or a strange, stagnant brown. No matter how much you warm it up, it won't go back to purple. At that point, the "mood" is just "broken."
How to Get Your Ring Back to Purple
If you’re stuck in the "blue-green" zone and want to see that purple glow, you basically just need to increase your circulation.
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- Physical Activity: Go for a brisk walk.
- Warm Water: A literal "cheat code" for mood rings.
- Breathwork: Deep diaphragmatic breathing can help trigger the parasympathetic nervous system, opening up blood flow to the hands.
It’s kind of a fun experiment in body awareness. You start noticing how your environment affects your physical state. You realize that a cold breeze can change your "mood" from "passionate purple" to "anxious black" in about ten seconds flat.
Beyond the Ring: Purple in Color Psychology
If we step away from the thermotropic science and look at the "meaning" of the color itself, purple has always been a heavy hitter. It’s the color of royalty, historically because Tyrian purple dye was so incredibly expensive to produce from sea snails.
In terms of mood ring colors purple, there’s a psychological crossover. We associate purple with the "crown chakra" in various spiritual traditions—representing wisdom and connection. Even if the ring is just measuring heat, our brains are wired to see that violet hue and think "higher state of being."
It feels more special than green.
Green is the baseline. It’s the "okay" of the color world. Purple feels like you’ve achieved something.
Actionable Takeaways for Mood Ring Owners
If you're wearing one of these retro pieces, don't just take the little paper chart at face value. Those charts were written by marketing teams in the 70s, not neuroscientists.
Instead, track your own "calibration." Spend a day noticing what you're actually doing when the ring hits that purple phase. Are you focused? Are you laughing? Are you just sitting in a warm room?
- Check the seal: Avoid getting your ring wet. The "liquid" in liquid crystal is sensitive. Water will kill the color-changing ability permanently.
- Note the environment: If you’re outside in January, your ring is going to lie to you. It will say you're "stressed" (black/gray) when you're actually just cold.
- Use it for mindfulness: When you see the purple, take a second to acknowledge that your body is in a high-energy, warm state. It’s a good moment to check in with your thoughts.
The beauty of the mood ring isn't in its ability to read your mind—it's in its ability to make you stop and think about your body. Whether it’s a cheap carnival prize or a high-end sterling silver version, that flash of purple is a reminder that your physiology is constantly shifting, reacting to the world around you in ways you usually ignore.
Next time you see that violet glow, take a deep breath. Enjoy the warmth. Your body is firing on all cylinders, and your jewelry is just there to witness the glow.