The History of Wedding Rings

In the history of wedding rings, there are literally hundreds of years between antique wedding rings of the past and contemporary wedding engagement rings of the present, and a world of difference in materials and craftsmanship.

We know, the gold wedding band, is the iconic symbol of love & intimacy that your true love places on your wedding ring finger at christian wedding ceremonies.

Through The History of Jewelry what is not so well known, is that Antique Jewelry which doesn't cost the earth, has developed its own language, free from culture and racial discrimination. Take for example, the meaning of the Promise Ring...

Find out About the Sexual Reference of Wedding Rings...

Medieval Wedding Rings

Let's step back in time and briefly retrace the history of wedding rings.

The Christian betrothal ring was usually of gold from the 2nd century onwards. It was not always plain but sometimes inscribed with a legend. White gold wedding bands were unheard of during the Middle Ages.

Although medieval emblems of devotion and early Christian Roman gold marriage rings, have been found, it wasn't until the 12th Century, that Pope Innocent III, (b.1160-1216), one of the greatest Popes of the Middle Ages, first declared that marriages would take place in the church and that wedding bands should be exchanged during the service.

The symbolic linking of the couple that is expressed in the "dextrarum junctio" or the joining of hands, persisted from ceremonies from Roman times. Traditional vows still include the line, "I give you this ring as a sign of our marriage".

Around 350 later, King Edward VI affirmed which finger should be the wedding ring finger. He decreed, that the third finger of the left hand be designated as the "official" ring finger, however it was the ancient egyptians who first designated the third finger of the left hand, as the vein in the third finger, goes directly to the heart.

In Ancient Egyptian mythology, the heart ruled the head. Practicality may also have played a part though, as there's generally not as much wear and tear on finger rings worn on the left hand. (if you are right handed)

In 1549, the Book of Common Prayer records in black ink, that the left hand was officially the marriage hand. In many European countries however, brides wear their wedding rings on the right hand.

Ah-Ha! Antique wedding rings were now officially part of the wedding ceremony!

In the history of wedding rings, both a woman's and a man's wedding ring represents the sealing of the marriage and is a sign of commitment to one another.

And what better way to seal a marriage than by choosing a symbol of the past born amidst romance and age-old wedding traditions!

If I had to choose between an antique diamond engagement ring or a modern 'a facette perfette' diamond engagement wedding ring, well, I think you know what I 'm going to say.

Even if the brand-spanking new diamond engagement ring was set with hearts-on-fire diamonds, cut according to Marcel Tolkowsky's "ideal" mathematical formula, named after the eight tiny hearts visible through the pavilion of a hearts-on-fire diamond.

According to Diamond Lore, modern, new diamond cuts are mathematically more perfect than antique diamond cuts, but brand spanking new diamond wedding jewelry, is not every girl's best friend. Modern, perfect diamond cuts, remind some people of a dental office - clean, precise and without soul.

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