The Wedding Rings

The origins of the golden wedding ring are lost in the mists of time. However, the popularity of this precious metal, symbolising the union of two people, endures for ever, because gold’s unchanging nature is ideal for the fashioning of rings.

Historically the wedding ring, in the shape of a closed circle to signify continuity, denoted a sign of authority rather than an ornament.

The Egyptians, the Phoenicians and the Babylonians wore it on the fourth finger of their right hand, which became the ring finger, or hung it around their necks.

In ancient times ‘snake rings’ were very common; the Greek rings of this type were open, with a setting depicting two rams’ heads facing each other. On Roman rings the setting took the form of two snakes. The Hindus, always very fond of gold jewellery, wore heavy rings which were open on the inside and tightened on the finder by slight pressure. Later in Italy during the 16th Century, lovers wore a ring known as the ‘Ricordini’ on the little toe of their left foot. The ring was given to them by their beloved. Their shoes were cut out to show their proof of love.

In olden times the wedding ring was exchanged when the couple got engaged. In the middle Ages the wedding ring was once again worn on the ring finger.

It was said that this fourth finger is in a straight line with the heart. The moment when the husband gave the ring to his wife was of utmost importance: if the ring stopped at the beginning of the finger without passing the second joint, the woman, it was said... would dominate the household; if it slipped to the base of the finger, the husband would be lord and master. Shrewd girls took care to crook their little finger, so that the ring caught on the second joint.

It was in 1554 that Mary Tudor made the plain wedding ring fashionable, declaring she preferred to be married with a ‘plain hoop of gold like other maidens’.