INCEPTION'S ENDING*mega spoliers*

I don't understand how the ring works as a totem. A totem, as I understood it, is supposed to do an action differently in the real world than the dream world. Spinning forever vs. toppling over, chess piece falling with a slight touch vs. pushing it over, die landing on a number vs. random, not a ring appearing and disappearing. I do think the top is borked because it was his wife's, but since she died, I guess he could have taken it over for her.