Wedding ring . Its ancestor is the metallic ring that the spouses exchanged in Ancient Rome . This ring represents the circle of life and eternity. Later, under Christian influence, gold replaces iron .
Summary
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- 1 History
- 2 Origin
- 1 In Medieval times
- 3 Meaning of the ring
- 4 News
- 1 Location in hand
- 2 Diamonds
- 3 Gold
- 4 Platinum
- 5 Silver
- 5 Sources
History
This ceremony was already observed by the Romans before the introduction of Christianity and was also known to the Jews. The use of the rings was widespread among the Romans, not for mere decoration, but in order to seal the letters, instruments and other elements, since they each had their seal open and they used to give each other in the celebration of their contracts instead of garments and earnest money, because it was something they always had on hand.
From this came the custom of giving the husband his ring to the wife as a pledge and sign of the contracting betrothal, signifying at the same time with this delivery that he was entrusted with the custody of the message. With effect, it was used to give the ring to the woman not for decoration but to seal things in the house, since it was practical to secure with the seal the coffers, drawers and other utensils in which the provision of groceries was kept in the pantries to avoid all subtraction and loss by the slaves.
So, the ring was a sign of the promise of marriage and with its delivery and receipt the husband was assured to the wife, joining with this garment their hearts. For this reason, Christians used to engrave on him the sign of faith, which was held as a symbol of mutual love and harmony; and from there it was believed that the putting and taking of the most immediate finger on the little finger of the left hand also came, because there was a vein in the finger that reaches the heart, as Saint Isidoro said.
The wedding ring in Pliny’s time was made of iron and had no stone, but in the second century of the church it was already made of gold.
Origin
When life was rough and rather short, husbands performed a rite to ensure that the spirits of their wives did not leave them too soon. The husband tied his wife’s ankles and wrists with herbal cords, believing that this act would keep his spirit within.
In fact, it is said that the first engagement ring with a diamond and the characteristics of the one currently delivered, was the one that in 1477 the Archduke Maximillian of Austria gave to Mary de Burgundy. But it is the Egyptians who established wearing it on the third finger of the left hand. The reason? They were convinced that the ‘vein of love’ started from the heart and ended in that finger. The alliance is put on the same finger of the headband. That is why it is convenient that they have a relationship in size, gold color, material, style, shape, etc.
Years passed and as religious beliefs evolved, the meaning and material of the strings also evolved. Now the brides only “tie” their fingers with the wedding ring and the bride and groom also adopted this practice. The grass became first leather, then stone, metal, and finally today gold and silver .
Once the bride and groom accept the vows of fidelity at the ceremony , both wear a ring , which must be worn on the ring finger, these wedding rings have the names of the bride and groom and the date of the ceremony engraved on the inside as a souvenir . It is customary for newlyweds to carry them until death separates them.
The custom of exchanging rings, alliances, during the wedding ceremony comes from very old. Its origin is clearly pagan but the Church ended up adopting it and including it among its rites. As far back as ancient Egypt there was a custom of exchanging this type of alliances.
The Catholic rite marks that before the wedding the engagement ring must be delivered. It is a symbol of commitment, of the decision to share a life in common. In addition to this symbolic value, the engagement ring had, and still has, a more prosaic meaning. A good ring of great value indicates that the husband has a good purchasing power, and therefore will be able to support his new family without problems. Traditionally gold and diamonds were used for this type of ring; these are pure and long-lasting substances, as future husbands expect their love to be.
In Medieval times
The groom had to pay a dowry to ask for his bride’s hand. Precious stones were often included in this payment as a symbol of their desire to marry and although this practice eventually ceased, the gift of a precious stone as a symbol of that desire remains to this day.
During the Middle Ages, the custom of giving spouses objects made with certain materials began to celebrate each anniversary of marriage.
Meaning of the ring
The custom of giving the engagement ring arises among Roman knights, who secured their marriage contract with a piece of iron in the form of a ring that the woman kept until the promise of marriage was fulfilled.
The tradition of such a jewel wearing a diamond became so popular that special cuts and mounts were made to increase the whiteness and brilliance of the stone
The couple give each other a circular alliance, as a symbol of eternal love, representing in the ring what has neither beginning nor end.
In the 9th century , Pope Nicholas authorized the consideration of the giving of rings as the formalization of the relationship of the couple. Today, the custom has been maintained and the ritual is incorporated into the Catholic wedding and some others. In civil weddings, the couple can also make use of this tradition.
The rings can be made of various materials, but the most common are gold and diamond. When the couple commits to marriage, the groom usually gives the bride a solitaire with a diamond, although another stone may be used.
At the time of the ceremony rings are exchanged and from that moment, the bride begins to wear her solitaire together with the wedding band . The wife wears her rings on the right ring finger by first placing the wedding ring.
The wedding band should be placed on the ring finger, as tradition links it to the heart. Once in place, it should never be removed again. This alliance symbolizes the love of the couple, and taking it away represents the rejection of that love.
But, just before the wedding begins, the bride must remember that the solitaire should be passed to the right hand, so that the groom can easily place the wedding ring during the ritual.
The groom gives the ring to the bride to symbolize their endless love, for its circular shape. Although there are many materials, the most common are made of gold and diamonds, which means that love will be as strong and pure as those materials. It is worn on the ring finger by the old belief that the vein in that finger reaches the heart
Present
For centuries, the husband has placed a gold wedding band on his wife’s finger. Not so long ago, the future wife gave her boyfriend the measure of her finger and did not see the wedding ring until the day of the wedding . Today, the surprise effect disappeared: the couple goes together to choose rings for jewelry, which is an advantage since now you can choose the one that you really like.
Location in hand
This changes a lot depending on the specific geographical area of where the couple is and even the religion they practice. In the United States, for example, alliances are carried out the other way around in Spain, but it is that not even in all regions of Spain it is carried in the same hands. In Catalonia , Valencia and somewhere else it seems that they wear the engagement ring on the right hand and the married ring on the left, while in the rest of Spain it is the other way around.
The diamonds
The alliance is now allowed to have diamonds. They are a symbol of eternity. More traditionally, diamonds are generally reserved for the headband. When you go to buy the engagement ring you have to know about the characteristics of it. Specify the stones you have and the quality of the metal in question.
Gold
Engagement and wedding rings can be made in gold (indistinctly in yellow, white or red gold), in platinum (metal more valuable than gold) or in silver , if you prefer.
When we say that a jewel is gold, it is understood that it is pure or 24-carat gold. 24-karat gold is soft, so it mixes with other metals to increase its hardness and durability. It is not customary to make 24 gold rings, because they would be very soft and easily deformed. When a jewel is not 24 karat, it must have a mark or statement indicating its karat classification. This indicates what proportion of gold is mixed with other metals. For example, 14 karat (14K) gold contains 14 parts gold, mixed with 10 parts base metal. The higher the karat, the higher the proportion of gold.
When the piece is said to be solid or solid gold, it is indicated that it is made with gold of any carat but that it is not hollow. If you are told that it is gold plated, it is that the piece is covered in gold on a metal base. Gold plating is worn as the part is used, depending, of course, on the thickness and quality of the plating.
Platinum
Platinum, meanwhile, is a precious metal that costs more than gold. It is usually mixed with other similar metals, known as the platinum group metals. They are: iridium, palladium, ruthenium, rhodium and osmium.
Quality marks for platinum are based on parts of a thousand. For example, the Platinum 900 brand means that 1,000, 900 parts are pure platinum. The abbreviations used are Plat. or Pt. A piece that is 950 platinum is simply marked as platinum. If it is less, then the amount of pure platinum it contains is marked. In some proportions the amount of the metals of the platinum group that the piece contains is detailed.
Silver
Silver is the least used in wedding rings. Its value is cheaper than gold and platinum. When we speak of a piece of silver or fine silver, we are indicating that it contains 92.5% silver. Sometimes they are marked with 925, which means 925 parts out of a thousand are pure silver. Some jewels are silver plated, that is, they have a silver coating on the base metal. Silver pieces require superior cleaning care than gold and platinum.
When looking for a ring that will last a lifetime, quality should be considered. Quality in structure, design and metal of your choice.
