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The origin of weddingrings dates so far back to before recorded history, making this one of theoldest continuous traditions that still exists. And while the wedding ringitself has seen many changes in terms of material used and styles incorporated,the original meaning of the ring hasn’t changed much. It still remains one ofthe most meaningful pieces of jewelry you’ll ever own.
Let’s take a look atthe meaning of wedding rings.
The Symbolism ofthe Circle
Since ancient times,circles have represented infinity, eternity and equality. A circle has no endand no beginning, no prominent feature that stands out. It’s a continuous loopthat looks exactly the same from all angles. The opening in the middle of thering represents a door to the future.
As such, the veryshape of the wedding ring is full of meaning some of which are:
- Equality
- Continuity
- Eternity
- Totality
- Wholeness
- Completion
- Perfection
- Timelessness
- Enteringthe future
- For thereligious, the circle represents God. According to Hermes Trismegistus, ‘Godis an infinite circle whose center is everywhere and whose circumference isnowhere’.
These meanings areideal for a couple about to start a new chapter together.
The Symbolism ofthe Wedding Band Metal
Wedding rings havetheir origin in Egypt where in the very beginning, when wedding rings were justbecoming a thing, they were made out of woven reeds or hemp. Because reeds andhemp weren’t durable, they would subsequently be replaced with rings made outof more durable materials like bone or leather. For the Egyptians, the ringsrepresented eternal commitment and love.
Later on, metal wasused to create wedding rings, giving the wearer an opportunity to showcasetheir status as well. Iron and bronze were affordable and durable options forwedding rings while gold and silver were worn by the upper classes. It was onlyin the 1800s when many gold mines were discovered around the world, that goldbecame common for wedding rings. Yellow gold remains the classic wedding ringchoice while platinum has become one of the top choices but is more expensive.
Here’s a quick look atthe meaning of the metals:
- Silver – represents wisdom, purity, serenity andtranquillity.
- Gold – represents love, illumination, positivity,passion, wealth, prosperity, glamor and grandeur.
- Platinum– true love, strength, purity,rarity and everlasting love.
Today, there’s a range of alternative metals used for wedding bands, including tungsten, titanium, palladium, cobalt, Damascus steel and mokume gane. Each has its own pros and cons to offer.
Enter Diamonds forWedding Bands
Diamonds weren’t usedin wedding bands until around the late 1500s and even then, they were onlypopular among the upper classes. Only royalty and nobility could afford thisexpensive stone. These rings were typically used as betrothal rings, which werethe precursors to today’s engagement rings. However, incorporating smalldiamonds into wedding bands became popular and continues to this day.
Diamonds symbolizestrength, integrity, loyalty, purity and fidelity. It’s also the strongestgemstone out there, making it ideal for daily wear.
Symbolism of theRing Finger
The wedding ring is commonly worn on the fourth finger of the left hand(although this can vary depending on the region and culture you’re looking at).In the past, the Romans believed that a vein, called the Vena Amoris (the veinof love), ran directly from that finger to the heart. Because of this, itbecame tradition to wear the wedding ring on this finger as it was seen as aconnection between to the heart.
Unfortunately, there is no such vein connecting the fourth finger to theheart. But while science tells us this today, the tradition continues.
The Wedding RingStyle Contributes to Its Meaning
While we’re on the topic of the meaning of wedding rings, we can’t dismiss the meaning that the style of the ring gives to it. There are many wedding ring styles available, each with its own pros and cons and symbolism. Here’s a quick look:
- Eternity band – this ring style features diamonds oranother gemstone surrounding the entire circumference of the ring. This ringstyle represents eternal love, equality and passion.
- Infinity band – like the eternityband, this style showcases the figure-8 infinity symbol which representstimelessness, endlessness and togetherness for all time.
- Wishbone band – also called thechevron ring style, wishbone wedding bands symbolize hope, good luck, fortune,joy and positivity.
- Claddagh wedding ring – these traditionalIrish wedding bands feature two hands holding a heart, with a crown perched ontop. The hands represent friendship, while the heart symbolizes love and thecrown represents loyalty.
- Five stone wedding ring – five stones couldrepresent particular traits in a relationship like commitment
Overall Symbolismof a Wedding Ring
You’ve likely seen the movie scene where someone took off their weddingring to fool an unsuspecting person into believing they were single. This isbecause wedding rings make a strong statement and point out your relationshipstatus. It’ll define how other people respond to you and reveals somethingabout you.
The wedding ring has come to represent marriage, and wearing a ringrepresents your commitment, loyalty and faithfulness to your chosen partner. Whilethe ring is a representation of all these things it’s also a reminder of yourpartner’s commitment to you.
Wrapping Up…
Each individual aspectof a wedding ring is full of meaning and taken together, this results in ahighly meaningful piece of jewelry. The shape of the ring, the metal it’s madeof, the gemstones incorporated into it, the finger it’s worn on and the styleit portrays all contribute to the overall meaning of your wedding ring.
Even today, after allthis time, wedding rings continue to carry weight and meaning, and aresentimental, emotional and highly meaningful pieces of jewelry to be worn.
