As any bride will know (and any bridegroom should), jewellery plays a special part of any marriage, and indeed any romance. Gifts of jewellery have come to symbolise gifts of love – from engagement and wedding rings to anniversary presents and eternity rings. But where did this tradition start?
Image source: https://flic.kr/p/gSbjQ
Many historians believe that ancient Egypt is where women began wearing rings as a sign of commitment and marriage. The circular shape symbolizes eternal and infinite love. Egyptian brides also wore wedding rings on the third finger of the left hand, as they believed this finger contained a vein that was connected directly to the heart.
Egyptian wedding rings were made of woven reeds or hemp, which didn’t last very long, resulting in rings carved out of bone or ivory.
People began wearing metal rings- usually made out of iron- during Roman times. But rather than these rings symbolizing love, they were thought to reflect possession – the woman was now owned by the man. Which is rather less romantic.
During the 13th century, Bishop Durant dubbed the ring ‘a symbol of the union of hearts. After this, the practice of using a ring during a wedding ceremony became so popular in England and Ireland that grooms would rent a ring for the day if they were too poor to buy one.
Today, wedding rings are typically gold or platinum and are often engraved. But it’s only in recent years that men have started wearing them too. This tradition seems to have started during World War 2, as many men chose to wear rings to remind them of their wives back home. Indeed the fact that Prince’s William’s decision not to wear a wedding ring made headline news, shows how normal it has become for men to wear wedding rings.
But it’s not just on their wedding day that couples exchange jewellery. All through a courtship, the developing relationship is often marked with increasingly valuable gifts. They may be given as birthday or Christmas presents, or as tokens of love on Valentine’s day.
The wedding anniversaries associated with jewellery used to be those from the 25th upwards (silver). But in today’s modern world, it usually begins much sooner and can include anything from necklaces to cufflinks to earrings.
Of course, wedding and engagement rings are usually worn every day. But what do we do with the rest our jewellery when we’re not wearing it? Well, using a jewellery display in your bedroom is one option.
Most western women will be given a jewellery box as a young girl, and fill it with mementos and trinkets over the years. From your first pair of earrings to gifts from friends and family. As the years progress, the jewellery tends to become more expensive.
Many of us still keep it all hidden away in jewellery boxes, but there is in increasing move towards hosting pieces on shelves or dressing tables. This is particularly true of a piece of jewellery which holds sentimental value, so it can be seen regularly, even if it is too valuable to wear every day. Or, if a man is passionate about collecting watches, he may want to keep these on display too.
