Articles

History has it that Pope Innocent III was responsible for the customization of two ring types that are very popular today: wedding and engagement rings. It was him who insisted that there should be a waiting period between engagement and marriage. Since both of these events were treated as contracts, the rings were symbolically used in order to seal the deal legally. Prior to the 13th century, it was only the engagement ring that was given as a token in Europe, though the history of wedding ring was far older.

Almost five thousand years ago, the Egyptians used reed or hemp rings as representations of eternity, a circle that has no beginning and no end. The stone cut types that we know today such as the princess cut was still not popular during those periods. During the biblical times, great dowry gifts were given in the betrothal of couples. It was therefore assumed that rings, especially those that are considered as precious metals, were substituted for expensive dowries.

In the course of the Roman reign, rings were used to seal deals and denote ownership. High ranking senators used gold rings that signified their positions in the community, while iron rings were used by ordinary citizens. The rings worn by ordinary citizens were related to the large iron rings used inside the household as key holders. Hence, it has been speculated that if a Roman citizen gave his bride an iron marriage ring, he was actually giving her access to his household and all his material goods.

In 16th century England, the use of wedding ring was officially moved from the right hand to the left hand. It was speculated that this change was done in order to justify the position of a woman in the society, considering that the right hand was deeply regarded as the hand of power. The placement of the wedding ring on the third left hand finger was rooted from the idea that such finger was supposed to be the place where the love vein or vena amoris is situated; therefore, as the ring is symbolic of love, it was officially worn in the third left hand finger as it is directly connected to the heart. Today, most countries wear wedding and engagement rings on the left hand, though there are also countries that traditionally wear their rings on the right hand such as Poland and Ukraine.

For Puritans, rings were symbols of heathen so they did not used it for their wedding ceremonies; instead they make use of marriage thimbles to seal their wedding vows. The Victorians were the ones who welcomingly embraced the custom of wedding rings and accentuated them with flowers and hearts. On the other hand, the Edwardians accentuated theirs with leaves and other decorative patterns, which paved way for the introduction of art deco rings. It was then that the use of gemstones were integrated on rings, and more likely the use of stone cut types such as the princess cut and emerald cut had truly began.

Wedding and engagement rings were first worn by men during World War II. The first men to wear such rings were the soldiers going off to war; they used the rings as reminders of their waiting wives and partners. Today, most wedding ceremonies are also considered as double ring ceremonies. This means that both the bride and the groom are given wedding rings to symbolize their commitment and love for each other, though wearing of engagement rings are still appropriated for women.

This article tackles the brief history of wedding and engagement rings from its humble beginnings until the World War II. It also speaks of how the marriage ring and engagement ring were used during the past. It also discusses the importance of these rings during various ceremonies, how gem stone cut types such as princess cut evolved and incorporated in these important jewelries.