Celtic Wedding Rings

Celtic Wedding Rings

Celtic wedding rings have become increasingly popular over recent years as people appreciate their symbolism and also want to incorporate their heritage into their marriage.  Ireland is a great Celtic nation and the skills of the ancient Celts live on in Ireland today through many arts as can be seen in our Celtic wedding rings.  The quality of Irish Celtic Wedding Bands is second to none.  We have put together this information on Celtic Wedding Bands for you to help appreciate the quality of our wedding rings and to give you some history about Celtic jewelry.

Brief History of Celtic Jewelry Making

We thought we should start with a brief history of Celtic jewelry craftsmanship, which spans several thousand years.

The enchanting style created by the ancient Celts who settled in Ireland , many over 2,000 years ago, can be rivaled by the ancient Egyptians only.

Celtic craftsmen adapted ideas from nature to produce intricate designs based on simple motifs using gold, bronze, and silver. They created wonderful ornaments that were remarkably sophisticated. Triskeles, Spirals, Animal Motifs and later Irish and Celtic crosses were woven into Celtic Knotwork designs. These knotwork designs were weaved into rings, torcs, bracelets, earrings, brooches and pendants.

Between 2000 BC to 500 AD, gold and silver were used to make, beautifully crafted, personal jewelry such as Lunulae, collars, fibulae, torques, bangles and brooches. This Celtic jewelry was traded across the Mediterranean because of its beauty and craftsmanship. Examples of these are on display today in the National Museum of Ireland.

Symbolism of Celtic wedding rings

We are often asked about the meanings of the symbols on our Celtic Wedding rings.  Each of the symbols on the Celtic wedding bands is based on the great artwork from manuscripts to Celtic Crosses produced by the Celts.  Below we give you a summary of each of these symbols together with an example of the symbols on one of our rings.

Celtic Knotwork

Celtic Knotwork as you can see from the above Celtic wedding ring is a series of 2 interconnecting unbroken lines that go entirely around the ring.  The unbroken line symbolizes the Celts ideas of eternal life and the intricate relationship of humanity with both the divine and the natural worlds.  The interlaced lines can also represent the way in which the lives of the bride and groom are to be intertwined for eternity.  The symbolism of the Celtic Knotwork on your Celtic Wedding Ring is a beautiful way to celebrate the start of you lives together as husband and wife.

The Trinity Knot

The Celtic Spiral

The above Celtic Wedding Band features the Celtic Spiral symbol. The clockwise  spiral (starting from the middle) is strongly associated with water, power, and independent movement. The spiral is repeated continuously around the ring with the tails of the spirals interlacing.  

Our Celtic Wedding Rings

All of our Celtic Wedding Rings are made to the very highest standards by craftsmen with many years experience.  The choice of your wedding ring is a very personal one and we provide the best images and information so you can make an informed choice. 

What material, 14k or 18k or Platinum?

Gold itself is a yellow metallic element but, in its pure form, it is too soft to be used for jewelry purposes.  Therefore gold needs to be alloyed with other metals to provide the best combination of strength, appearance, and resistance to tarnishing.

It is usual for gold to be mixed with other metals to produce an alloy, which is simply a mixture of two or more metals. The traditional way to describe the proportion of gold in alloys is in "Karats". A Karat is ¹/₂₄, that is 1 part in 24 by weight. 18 Karat is therefore ¹⁸/₂₄ or ³/₄ gold.

While 14k gold is an excellent gold alloy some experts feel that 18k is the best choice in terms of long term wear, holding its color better and it never tarnishes.

Irish Vs American Alloys

Theoretically, one would think that Ireland and the US would offer similar quality. Currently, US law is still using a law about two centuries out of date for testing alloys accurately. American jewelers are allowed a half Karat tolerance. Fairly natural, this tolerance can be taken and used illegally supply sub-standard alloys, and this adds to their profits. A jeweler in the US may even go without inspection for years.

This is not allowed under Irish law and 14k must contain 14/24 gold as there is no tolerance for under Karat.  Each item of jewelry must be tested independently by the Assay office in Dublin Castle and the inside of the ring is then stamped with the appropriate hallmark.

Platinum

Platinum, like gold, is a 'noble' metal, which means that it does not oxidize, or corrode, when it comes into contact with the atmosphere. It is hypoallergenic and resists tarnish. Platinum is very rare, requiring as much as ten tons of ore to produce a single ounce. Gold, by contrast, requires 3 tons of ore to produce a single ounce.  

Due to the hardness and durability of platinum, it requires the addition of only minor amounts of other metals for use in jewelry. This means it is an alloy of very high purity.

All our platinum Celtic Wedding Rings contain 95% platinum.  

Conclusion

We hope you have enjoyed reading about Celtic wedding rings and we trust that it will help you make the right choice for you your wedding rings.

Our beautiful range of Celtic Wedding Rings is the right choice for your special day!