As many of you know, in addition to my original designer jewelry collection (http://www.jwassoriginals.com/) , I also offer an estate and antique jewelry service to my clients often to accompany their original wedding jewelry suite. One of the most fulfilling parts of this wing of my business is helping my clients select their antique wedding ring, engagement ring, or anniversary ring. There is nothing more romantic than selecting antique jewelry for a special occasion. Just as a handmade designer jewelry piece may very well be a one-of-a-kind piece of art, an antique jewelry item is unique and has history, romantic allure, and sentiment that just cannot be said with a modern day piece. Antique jewelry was handmade with detailing and craftsmanship that is not matched in modern day machine-worked pieces. An antique or vintage wedding ring may be the only one that exists and no one else will have the same piece.
I thought it would be a good idea to write a bit about the history of the wedding ring and give you some information on antique and vintage wedding ring pieces, as well as some tips on what to look for when selecting a wedding ring whether it be an antique jewelry piece or a modern or reproduction piece. Please check back as I will be presenting this as a series and if you miss a post you can always check the archives or email me and I will send it to you via email.
History of the Wedding Ring, The Beginning: Some evidence supports that the tradition of the engagement ceremony dates back to the beginning of time when man and woman resided in caves. The wedding ring, a symbol of ever lasting love and devotion, can be seen as far back as ancient Egyptian times. Egyptians loved fine gems, gold, and silver and were inspirational jewelry designers. To them, as to modern culture, the ring was a symbol of eternity, no beginning and no end. Today this symbol is often adorned with diamonds or colored gems in an eternity style band, a symbol of never ending devotion and love. The ancient Egyptian culture had strong beliefs in the afterlife as evident by their elaborate tombs filled with everything that they needed for life after death. So to the Egyptians life, happiness, and love had no start and no end, just a continuum, so the circular shape of the ring was a perfect token serving as an everyday reminder to them. To be continued…
(Photo: Antique 19th Century Mine Cut Diamond Wedding Ring Available at http://www.your-antique-jewelry.com/)
No comments:
Post a Comment