Wedding or engagement rings are some of the most popular pieces of jewellery worldwide and form an integral part of our lives. Although, the practice of wearing these fine pieces of jewellery has been around for a very long time, its origins are far from being connected to any kind of romance. Historically, the wedding ring was a part of the exchange of valuables at the moment of the wedding as families of both bride and groom were anxious to ensure the economic security of the young couple. As such, it was a part of the marriage contract to exchange wedding rings, thus it was a matter of business more than one of the heart and love!
So the exchangingof wedding and engagement rings tradition as we know it today didn’t have very romantic or glamorous beginnings, or even the Church behind as initially the Christian Church strongly opposed it. But in timewedding and engagement rings became more and more popular up to the point than the Church’s opposition couldn’t put an end to it. Hence, today Christian marriages or marriagesin most other culturesare incomplete without engagement and wedding rings.
Many cultures around the globe have different traditions associated with Engagement and Wedding Rings. Initially, it was only the women that wore engagement rings in order to indicate they’ve been ‘spoken for’. However, today in some countries even men have started wearing engagement rings to show solidarity of feelings with their partners.
Although most people go for diamond or other gemstones placed on gold, silver or platinum as the ideal engagement or wedding ring, some try to keep it simple like and choose simple wedding bands, with no jewels or any other adornments. In some parts of India like Bihar, Hindu women wear a bichiya (toe-ring) along with a finger ring as a symbol of marriage.
I find that a most interesting piece of information about the wedding rings is connected to the actual finger on which it is worn. In ancient times, people had the wrong notion that the left index finger had a so called vein of love (vena amoris)connected to the heart and hence the tradition of wearing the ring on that finger. Although now scientists have deciphered no such vein exists in the human body, it still tells us that people have always looked at a way to give a romantic meaning to this practice.
Whatever the ring signifies for each of us, its existence and the continued usage of engagement and wedding ringsseems ‘diamond-solid’ and it’s hard to imagine a time when people will stop wearing and offering jewellery whether for love or for tradition’s sake. Still, it should not be considered a ‘must-have’ item in allromantic relationshipsand marriagesbecause many feel no need to express their love this way and surely we need no metal to strengthen our relationships and marriages; still, wearing engagement and wedding rings makes for fun long-lasting tradition, and quite a statement!
At Juliet&Oliver, all romantics and those looking to get married can find beautifully crafted Handmade Jewelry. We hope you enjoy this fun and informative infographic from www.JulietOliver.com
