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I Love Diamonds
A History of the Wedding Ring
This ring is a symbol of the love which encircles us
The ring is a token of my vow, covenance and pledge to you
This circle will now seal the vows of our marriage
A wedding ring is the last present an engaged couple is supposed to give to each other before they wed. The meaning behind this ring and the exchange of it has been linked to the concept of:
Love
Devotion
Agreement between families
Eternity
Many cultures have had their own significance attributed to the wedding ring and there have been both subtle and major changes over time. One of the oldest recordings of a wedding ring exchange was in Egypt about 4800 years ago when native water plants were used to braid rings for women to wear. These early forms of wedding rings did not last long and soon materials such as leather, ivory and bone were used to create these symbolic wedding rings. The more expensive the material the bigger the demonstration of love and value for the receiver.
Romans were the first culture to use metal for their wedding rings and instead of offering it as a gift to the woman they used it to signify their ownership of them. This tradition has thankfully been long forgotten. Their material of choice was iron and they engraved them to commemorate their union. It was not until 860 that Christians began to use wedding rings in their ceremonies. At first they were elaborately decorated before being made more simple in th 13th century to replicate the union of two hearts.
Over the centuries wedding rings despite their meaning have been worn on different fingers. The most common finger over time has been the fourth finger on the left hand. This was initially the case because people thought there was a vein that ran from that finger to the heart. Later scientists proved this not to be the case. Despite this revelation people have decided to keep the traditional ring finger position for their wedding bands.
If you are yet to purchase your wedding ring, Diamonds International offers a large range of traditional and modern designs. Whether you prefer a traditional gold band look or are after a more extravagant diamond encrusted wedding ring, Diamonds International will have a ring to suit you.