Diamond News
Wedding Rings – A Brief History
Today, wedding rings are an instantly recognisable symbol of love and devotion between a man and women, intended to represent the eternity of their marriage vows, and their love for one another. Wedding rings have become so common that their history is rarely something we think about.
The origins of wedding rings may not be quite as romantic. In fact, there are numerous conflicting theories about the true origins of the tradition, and in the end, nobody is really quite sure exactly how the ornament evolved into the symbolic representation of commitment that it is today.
Wedding Rings Through The Ages
It is generally believed that the very first examples of the idea of a wedding ring originated in ancient Egypt, where rings and bracelets were fashioned from the reeds growing along the Nile River. To the Egyptians, the ring was a symbol of eternity, an idea that has persisted into modern times, and the shape itself was venerated in the form of sun and moon worship.
So it’s easy to see how it would be associated with love, and how the gift would be given in the hope that the characteristics associated with it would transfer over to the relationship.
Egypt is also the origin of another tradition surrounding wedding rings, namely wearing it on the third finger of the left hand. (Although even today not all cultures follow this tradition, it is more common than not.) The Egyptians, and through them the Greeks, and finally the Romans, believed that this finger was connected directly to the heart. As such, the Romans named it the “vena amoris,” or “vein of love.”
Rings of plant material were, of course, not particularly long lived, and soon bone or ivory began to be used, before the discovery of metallurgy made it possible to craft jewellery from more durable metals.
By the time the Roman civilisation came into prominence, rings were actually being used as wedding rings for what may be the first time, and represented a legally recognised union. Some theories hold that this particular usage actually arose out of slavery, and that the ring was mark of possession similar to a slaves ankle fetter. In Roman times, the male was not only the head of the household, but the owner of it, and all who belonged to it. A Roman husband literally held the power of life and death over his wife, children and servants. And the wedding ring marked his wife as his property.
The Romans often used iron wedding rings but as coinage of precious metal became more common place, gold wedding rings and silver ones began to be substituted. By the time we reach the middle ages, people were adding gemstones to them, and diamond wedding rings were highly prized for their rarity and beauty.
Despite the brief popularity of silver wedding rings during the Renaissance, gold became so entwined with the idea that silver was relegated to engagement rings for a time. It was even believed that wedding rings not made of gold were unlucky. This belief became so widespread that gold wedding rings were often lent (briefly) to people who could not afford them.
Wedding Rings For Women
Despite modern practice, for almost all of the history of wedding rings, they were worn by women only. Indeed, it was not until the second world war that wedding rings for men became popular, as soldiers were separated from their wives, and wanted to carry a reminder of their bond while away.
The practice increased during the Korean War in the 1950’s, and today 80% of weddings include a ring for both partners, compared to the 15% of men who wore wedding rings in the 1920’s. Mens wedding rings are, according to custom, a broad, but otherwise unadorned band of gold, while womens wedding rings are usually narrower, and may or may not be embellished with gems or engravings.
Modern Wedding Rings
Today, wedding rings come in all shapes and materials, and wedding ring designs are many and varied. Designer wedding rings have become increasingly popular as a means of demonstrating individuality, and wedding ring sets are frequently made to create a continuity between mens wedding rings, and womens wedding rings.
Although antique wedding rings have a following, plain gold is also no longer de rigueur. White gold wedding rings, titanium wedding rings, and platinum wedding rings have become as common as plain gold wedding rings.