Abstract: Piston ring for an internal combustion engine, comprising a running surface, and upper and a lower flank surface and an inner circumferential surface, wherein at least one of said surfaces is provided with at least one marking which is formed in the manner of a matrix, characterized in that the surface region which contains the marking is of brighter configuration in order to produce a background surface for the matrix than the surface regions of the piston ring which immediately adjoin in at least outside the matrix.