Rings Jewelry

Unlock the Mystery of Ireland with Celtic Rings

Throughout the world, people study the crafts and language to understand a foreign culture. Every culture expresses their ideas differently. One of the crafts people have been practicing for centuries is jewelry making. The Chinese are known for using jade in their jewelry so it can bring good fortune to the wearer. For the Celtic people, their jewelry truly is an expression of their culture. The commonly found Celtic jewelry worn today include various Celtic rings such as Claddagh rings, Celtic crosses and Celtic knot jewelry.

The traditions behind Celtic rings goes back thousands of years. Used much like other Western cultures, Celtic rings were exchanged between people who wanted to be married. The main difference in many of these rings was that they include interlocking shapes like spirals and loops that made them quite different from other rings.

The symbolism of love and friendship are contained in Celtic rings. The Celtic symbols intertwine on the ring and carry significant symbolism to every couple considering marriage. It is well-documented that the ancient Celts used the symbols of the Claddagh to indicate that marriage is a strong friendship where love prevails throughout any difficulty. As such, Celtic rings have become popular jewelry pieces especially as Celtic engagement rings.

In the case of Claddagh rings, one does not need to be engaged or married to enjoy the beauty of it. This is because the particular way the ring is worn signifies whether or not the person is romantically attached. Unmarried individuals may wear Claddagh rings with the heart facing outward. For attached or married couples, wearing the heart inwards sends the message that one is unavailable. The rich meanings behind the Celtic symbols representing love, connection, family and friendship are ideals that truly never go out of style.

With the growing popularity of Celtic jewelry, beautiful pieces like Celtic rings can be found at many places offline and online. Beware of cheap, mass-market imitations at stores. Make sure you check out the origin of the jewelry pieces being sold so you know that you are getting an authentic Celtic ring. One of the best places is online since it offers the widest range available and it is a global marketplace. You can find jewelers located in Ireland who are willing to ship handcrafted items direct. The advantage of shopping online is often you can customize the jewelry to your exact specifications whereas offline in the brick and mortar stores, there is a limited selection available and customizing a Celtic ring can take a longer time because of their buying channels.

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By Tim O’Malley

Celtic Engagement Rings – Not Just for the Irish

Irish traditions are rich and full of both whimsy and sentiment. This is especially true when it comes to weddings and marriage. The Irish symbolize beautifully the real meaning of marriage with their wedding rings. Celtic engagement rings and wedding bands have a style all their own, but still lend themselves to adding your own personal touches. An antique gold ring with the telltale woven pattern is the perfect symbol of the blending of two lives.

Designing Your Celtic Engagement Rings

Once you’ve decided you love the tradition of the Irish wedding ring, you can design your own engagement ring and wedding bands to incorporate those styles.

First you begin with the precious metal that will hold the pattern and any gemstones. Rings can be fashioned out of gold, silver, or platinum. Jewelers will tell you what material best suits the stones you may be setting within the ring. Platinum for example is the perfect material for setting a high quality diamond since it will not discolour or yellow the stone as gold may.

Next the metal is moulded into the traditional woven Celtic pattern. Even an antique Celtic ring can be remade to suit the new couple’s preferences. It can be carefully resized as to not lose the pattern and it can have personal gemstones added to it.

Rings can be made in many different widths too. For example, if you have a one carat diamond, you will probably want a wider band than a ½ carat diamond would hold. That is true especially if you want to show off the intertwined pattern and not have it hidden by the stone.

Adding gems to a Celtic style ring gives you many design options. You can intersperse small stones throughout the crosses on the weaving or add one centre stone. The stone can be part of the engagement ring with a solitaire placed there, and then have either a plain Celtic band or one with several coordinating stones. The design possibilities are endless.

Making Your Ring a Part of the Wedding Ceremony

It is customary in many Jewish, Christian or non denominational wedding services to exchange rings. To further highlight the reason you chose a celtic engagement ring, you can include a brief message of its meaning on your invitation.

The meaning of the intertwined or woven pattern is symbolic of the blending and joining of two lives into one never ending circle. You can further enhance this message through the music you choose for your ceremony.

Irish or not, using Celtic engagement rings and Irish music will make any wedding ceremony and reception special. This is a day to always remember and the rings you wear will be a part of that memory long after the champagne is gone and the guests have returned home. Keep the feelings you have on that day a part of everyday with the symbolic ring style.

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By Clinton Maxwell

The Cultural Beauty of a Celtic Engagement Ring

The beauty, intricate designs and symbolism of the Claddagh engagement ring and other Celtic engagement rings has built a following among many young couples today. In a world of turmoil, confusion and duplicity, many of the younger generations are revisiting their roots for direction and guidance. The Irish community is rich in mythology, spiritualism and cultural beliefs. The Celtic engagement ring is a sign of deeply held family customs and beliefs.

A Sentimental Gift is Found in the Celtic Engagement Ring

The Celtic engagement rings are known for the sentiment that is symbolized in each ring. The designer usually bases the design of each ring on a wedding sentiment such as “love for all eternity”, “tying the knot” and some other sentiments of love. Then the ring is designed to match and is named after the emotion or sentiment. Most rings have some sort of knot shape or combination of knots to symbolize the union of two lives. The most popular style of Celtic engagement ring is the Claddagh engagement ring.

The Claddagh is Rich in Irish Folklore

The Claddagh is the symbol for the Republic of Ireland, a design that is deeply embedded in the Irish folklore. The image on the ring is that of two hands surrounding a heart with a royal crown placed directly above the heart. The design symbolizes the welcoming hands of a marriage union; a strong and loving heart and the crown represent the proud people of Ireland.

Many Believe Irish Design isn’t “Irish” Unless it’s Made in Ireland

There is a common held belief that jewelry made in the Irish design isn’t real if it wasn’t made in Ireland. There are specific regions in Ireland that are responsible for custom design. So a couple shopping for the symbolism, sentiment and beauty of a true Celtic engagement ring would want to access Irish internet web sites or a visit to a jeweler of Irish heritage. However, keep in mind that in many traditional Irish circles, it is considered bad manners to wear the Claddagh if you are not of Irish descent.

The Claddagh Engagement Ring is Rich in the Irish Culture

The Claddagh Celtic engagement ring usually doubles as the wedding band. While the Claddagh engagement ring is available in a wide variety of styles, the specification to how it is to be worn is absolute. The importance of Claddagh Celtic engagement ring is significant with how it is worn on the young woman’s hand. When a woman wears a Claddagh ring, she must turn the heart inwards if she is unmarried and change the direction of the heart upon becoming betrothed. The heart facing outward tells the world that she is bound is marriage and has given her heart away.

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By Brian Welsch