We Spoke to Surgeons and Theatre Teams. This Is Where Pixie Wing Started.

Part four of our series. Every article so far has been about a problem we researched. This one is about the problem that made the company exist.

In 2018, Dr Poppy scrubbed in, slipped her rings off, and spent the case wondering where she had put them. She looked for a solution. Ring holder necklaces existed, but they were flimsy, fussy and not something she would trust with the ring on her finger. So she designed her own.

Eight years and more than 70,000 necklaces later, we asked 4,513 owners where their Ring Keeper gets used most. 40.3% said healthcare. Poppy's problem turned out to be everybody's.

The scrub sink is a specific moment

Theatre is different from the ward. On a ward, a ring comes off and on repeatedly through a shift. In theatre it comes off once, before scrubbing, and does not come back for hours. That means the storage has to be genuinely secure, not just convenient.

The traditional options are a locker, a scrub pocket, or a colleague's hand. None of them are good.

"My daughter is a cardiovascular perfusionist and she absolutely loved her necklace. She can now safely wear her engagement ring while at work in the operating suite. Leaving it in her locker always made her feel uncomfortable. Now she can keep it with her all the time while working."

Taffy Riggs, Embody Ring Keeper

"I can finally have peace of mind knowing my rings are safe and with me when it is time to scrub in."

Danielle Fairfield, Vesta Ring Keeper

Surgeons on wearing their own rings again

The most consistent sentiment from this group is not about safety. It is about getting to wear the ring at all.

"Got this for myself for Christmas, and as a surgeon, I absolutely love it. It changed my life, and my style. Now I get to wear my rings every day at work, without risking losing them or damaging them, and they look amazing."

Sarah Belin, Nordika Ring Keeper

"Very useful as a surgeon to be able to keep my ring safe whilst having the inability to wear it during surgeries."

Troy, Nordika Ring Keeper

"Fantastic, well designed necklace. So handy at work as a surgeon."

megan b., Venus Necklace

Theatre nurses said the same thing in stronger terms.

"I work as an operating room nurse and my biggest fear is losing my ring. Not only do I get to wear my ring, but even when I cannot have it on my finger, it is with me."

Melissa, Vesta Ring Keeper

"Holds my daughter's ring perfectly under her scrubs when she is operating."

Lorrie Perkins, Vesta Ring Keeper

Why a surgeon designed it differently

Poppy's original brief to herself was short. It had to hold a ring securely enough to trust through a full case, open and close in seconds with one hand, sit flat under scrubs, and look like a piece of jewellery rather than a piece of equipment.

That last requirement is the one most ring holder necklaces fail. If it only works when a ring is on it, you take it off, and then it is in a locker with everything else.

"I bought the Pixie Wing because I liked that it was created by a surgeon, and honestly, it is a night and day difference. Easy on. Easy off. A solid necklace. Simple enough to wear without my ring, but cute on its own."

Michelle, Vesta Necklace

It is not only clinicians

Theatre has more than one meaning, and the same requirements apply.

"My husband loves this necklace. It is very easy to put the ring onto the necklace and you can even put two rings on it. He loves how cool it looks on him since the whole thing is black, which suits a doer who works in theatre backstage."

Xue M., Zenith Mens Necklace

FAQs

Can surgeons wear rings in the operating theatre?

Generally no. Surgical scrub protocol requires hands and forearms to be free of jewellery before scrubbing, because rings interfere with effective antisepsis and compromise glove integrity. Policy specifics vary by hospital and country.

Where do surgeons put their rings before scrubbing in?

Historically a locker, a scrub pocket or a pouch in a bag. Our customers in theatre roles most often cited the locker as the thing they wanted to stop relying on, because the ring spends hours in a different room to them.

Can you wear a necklace in theatre?

A necklace worn under scrubs is typically outside the scope of bare below the elbows requirements, which concern hands and forearms. Confirm with your own department, since local policy always takes precedence.

Next in the series

Part five leaves the hospital: vets, dentists and allied health. Read it here. Or see the full data in We Asked 4,513 People Why They Take Their Rings Off.

Explore the Ring Keeper collection.

Methodology: 4,513 Pixie Wing customers were asked a single question at checkout between 13 November 2025 and 1 August 2026. Multiple selections were allowed. Quotes are from verified published product reviews, lightly edited for length only. Nothing here is medical or infection control advice. Follow your own workplace policy.