October 20, 2009
Marriage Bands
Wedding rings as a sign of being married have been around almost as long as man has existed it seems. For thousands of years, since the time of the ancient Greeks and Egyptians, the giving of a ring has been associated with marriage. In fact rings along with other token symbols were often used as a pledge for important agreements and this happened with the important agreement of marriage too.
Marriage rings have been made up of a variety of materials over time, often depending on what people could afford, such as horse hair, leather, wood, iron and silver. But ultimately the gold wedding band has been the best preference, mainly because of its value, purity, rarity and durability
The shape of the ring, a circle, represents perfection and a love that has no end, a perfect symbol of the trothed undying love of the couple. The unbroken circle is an age-old symbol of eternity and for marriage, everlasting love. In addition it is a token of the commitment and love that the couple have for one another as also a symbol of possession. Not of a man possessing a woman, which some might think, but rather it is the a symbol of the woman’s possession of something valuable that is given to her by her fiancee. Hence the relevance of using a precious metal, such as gold or platinum and often the inclusion of a diamond or precious gem. The diamond in diamond wedding rings traditionally represents innocence in the bride.
The traditional placement of the ring on the hand is on the third finger, a tradition carried on from ancient times when the third finger was seen to be linked to a vein or artery that ran from this place directly to the heart, known as the seat of love. The right hand is not as near as the left hand to the heart and, since the heart is the seat of love it became the tradition to wear the wedding band on the hand that was nearest to the heart. In some places, though, the ring is worn on the right hand instead, as right handedness is traditionally associated as a symbol of righteousness.
Most of us today use wedding rings as a way to go public about our intentions and commitment to share a loving relationship with one special person for life. Wedding rings symbolize commitment and eternal love
Nowadays too, how the ring looks, its attractiveness, and how much it is worth, are all important factors that go into choosing a wedding ring that fits the occasion. Including a precious gem like a diamond into the wedding band, both men’s and women’s alike also seems to be an up and coming trend. people are no longer settling for the usual plain band oin yellow gold, narrow for the lady and broader for the man , but are being offered much more creative and personalized choices, designed to suit an individual’s taste and preferred style, perhaps encrusted with. The marriage ring is a very important and emotional piece of jewelry that needs some thought before purchasing because it is hopefully going to be around for a very long time
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