Claddagh Rings

Rings have been the symbol of devotion since time immemorial. In the past, they have been given as engagement gifts by noblemen and peasants alike to the women they loved. The rings may have been a simple silver band or it could have been an elaborate piece of jewelry but regardless of how they looked like, they had one meaning – love and devotion that lasts for eternity as offered by the giver to the wearer.

Throughout time, as technology advanced, even the traditional engagement ring as we know it has evolved. One milestone that greatly affected the appearance of the traditional wedding ring was the Diamond rush. Since diamonds "last forever" a famous diamond mining and cutting company mounted the precious stone on top of the band to further the offering of love and eternal faithfulness. Their tag lines and depiction was so effective that soon enough, almost every woman dreamed of putting on a betrothal ring with a clear and brilliant stone perched on top.

As we fast forward and scan the market today, we are simply given more choices that are made of almost every conceivable type of metal, bearing all sorts of symbolic design. If you are someone affluent, you can buy those famous bands that are forged out of the most rare and expensive metal called platinum. If diamonds do not quite fit your budget, you can opt to purchase a ring bearing the birthstone of the person you are intending to give it to. Design wise, you can get a selection of intricate designs from different countries of origin. Apparently, one of the more common and famous designs is the Claddagh – a design coming from old Celtic origin.

Claddagh rings are bands adorned with a symbolic design that depicts two hands, holding a heart with a crown on top. The hands, signify friendship. The heart is for love while the crown appropriately represents loyalty. All these symbols joined together make the Claddagh ring a perfect representation of the sentence: "With my two hands I give you my heart, and crown it with my love."

The first variation of the ring was a friendship ring worn by Queen Mary II herself. Years after, they were given to a woman during a wedding ceremony as a representation of the vows taken. Based on some documents, during the old Irish period, these gold Claddagh rings were even rented by a marrying couple if they cannot afford to buy their own wedding band.

Today, apart from being wedding and friendship rings, they are also given as engagement rings by men to the women they love and vice versa (yes, men can also wear engagement rings too if they prefer). Apparently, lovers do not need to rent out the rings anymore because they are forged with affordable metals that are easy on anyone\'s budget. In fact you can even get a silver Claddagh ring that is forged out of 99.5 silver or 14k gold. This is perhaps why they have become the popular choice in present time.

Rings have been given as engagement gifts by noblemen and peasants alike, they may have been a simple silver band or an elaborate piece of jewelry but, they had one meaning