You may have seen people wearing a ring that includes hands, a heart and a crown. What you may not know is that that particular ring carries a lot of significance in the Irish heritage. This ring is called the Claddagh ring. The heart symbol represents love, the crown symbol represents loyalty and the hands represent friendship. So all together, the ring can represent a variety of things.
Claddagh rings are perfect choices for many occasions, including engagement rings, wedding rings, friendship rings and just about anything else that carries significance. The ring provides a good reminder about love, loyalty and friendship since we live in a materialistic world and can sometimes forget about the important things in life.
Origin of the Claddagh Ring
The history of this special ring dates back to the 18th century. The word “Claddagh” is an Irish word that means “flat stony shore.” The Claddagh was actually a small fishing village in Ireland, which was where the Claddagh rings originated.
There are different theories about how the first Claddagh ring came about, but it is generally accepted that the history and the meaning are all the same.
Symbolism of the Claddagh Ring
Claddagh rings can be used as friendship rings, but they generally have a deeper meaning than that. They are most commonly used as wedding rings, engagement rings or for other significant meanings. The Claddagh ring is commonly handed down from mother to daughter or grandmother to granddaughter to carry on tradition within the family.
The way a person wears the Claddagh ring also tells what their relationship status is. For example, if a person were married, then they would wear their ring on the left hand with the point of the heart facing toward the wrist. But if the person wore it the same way, but on the right hand, then it would mean that they are simply in a relationship.
Different Designs of Claddagh Rings
While the Claddagh ring has the same general style with the hands, heart and crown, there are also different variations of the ring. Just like with any jewelry, the Claddagh ring can be unique to your personal taste or style. They can include birthstones, be yellow or white gold or silver and have other different design features that make your ring unique.
However, the overall meaning and symbolism of the Claddagh ring remains intact. Adding different features to the ring can make it more of a personal gift when giving it to someone, while still maintaining the history behind it. And as a side note, these rings are also available to males as well as females. There are only slight ring design differences for males, but the meaning and significance are also the same in male rings.
Why Do People Wear Claddagh Rings?
Because of the strong significance of Claddagh rings to Irish tradition, many people of Irish descent will wear the ring just as a symbol of pride toward their heritage. However, most people wear the ring as a symbol of a certain event that happened in their life.
In addition to wearing the ring as a sign of being married or in a relationship, the Claddagh ring can also be given as a sign of friendship. It can be portrayed as a ring to help a friend open her heart to find true love and also to remind her of the bond between friends. Above all else, the Claddagh ring is usually worn as a way to signify something, rather than just be another piece of jewelry to wear on any given day.
Whether you are of Irish descent or not, the Claddagh ring is a perfect ring to provide and promote some significance in your life. The ring can provide a bond between a mother and daughter or a husband and wife because of what it represents. All together, the Claddagh ring can simply be defined as a symbol to “let love and friendship reign forever.”
The Claddagh ring is one of the most traditional rings in any heritage because it has not altered its design much for over 300 years. As a result, the ring carries some of the deepest significance of any piece of jewelry and people all over the world recognize and embrace its significance.