Claddagh Engagement Ring, Wedding Rings and Sets
Vintage jewelry from Ireland: claddagh, celtic knot and emerald rings.
A story from Ireland tells that the first claddagh ring was made in 1675. The ring was designed by a famous silversmith while he was held in captivity. When he was released, he brought the ring home with him and gave it to his sweetheart as a symbol of enduring love. To this day, a claddagh engagement ring is a meaningful way to express your love and honor your Celtic heritage.
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Claddagh Ring Meaning
The meaning of a claddagh ring is love, loyalty and friendship. The popular design is a set of hands holding a heart with a crown on top. Each symbol has it’s own meaning:
The heart symbolizes love.
The crown symbolizes loyalty.
The hands symbolize friendship.
Meaning of an Irish Claddagh Ring
The Irish claddagh ring is most often used as an engagement ring or wedding ring. It can also be used for promise rings, friendship rings or family rings. When I was younger, my grandmother used to bring claddagh jewelry back every time she visited Ireland.
Because of the symbolism and the story, my claddagh ring is a piece that I still treasure. If you’re looking for a meaningful way to honor your own Irish heritage, claddagh engagement rings or wedding bands are a wonderful choice.
Wearing a Claddagh Ring When You’re Engaged
Although there’s no real history behind it, a modern tradition is to wear the ring in a certain way to show your relationship status:
Engaged couples wear claddagh rings on the left hand, with the crown side towards their wrists.
Married couples will turn their ring, so that the crown points down, towards their fingers.
Single people will wear a claddagh ring on their right hand, with the crown side towards their wrists.
People in a relationship will wear their ring with the crown side turned towards their fingers.
Claddagh Rings With Gemstones
If you’d like a gemstone on your engagement ring, you can find beautiful designs with a diamonds, sapphires or other stones set in the heart or the crown.
Diamond Claddagh Engagement Ring
If you’d like a diamond ring, you can find claddagh rings with diamond solitaire center stones. Or you can find diamond accents, like pave or side stones. If you’re looking for affordable engagement rings, you can find beautiful rings that feature small diamonds set in the design.
Emerald Claddagh Engagement Ring
Green emeralds are a wonderful way to symbolize Ireland. You can find claddagh rings with emerald solitaire or accent stones from sellers on Etsy:
Sapphire Claddagh Engagement Ring
Blue sapphire is a classic stone for an engagement ring. The stones are beautiful and durable enough to last a lifetime. If you’re on a budget, you can find affordable engagement rings with lab created sapphires. Lab created sapphires are exactly the same makeup as a natural stone. But lab created stones are less expensive and can be better for the environment.
Bridal Set Claddagh Rings
If you’re wearing a claddagh as your engagement ring, a regular band might not fit next to it. One way to be sure your engagement ring and wedding band fit perfectly is by choosing a bridal set. You can find beautiful matching sets in every price range.
Unique Bridal Sets From Etsy
If you’re looking for handmade or unique jewelry, Etsy is a great source. You can find claddagh sets with gemstones in every size and color, including alexandrite, moissanite and emerald:
Claddagh Wedding Rings
If you’d rather choose a traditional engagement ring, but still honor your Irish heritage, you can wear a claddagh wedding ring. Look for a ring with a traditional band shape and it’ll look fantastic next to another ring.
You can find claddagh wedding rings in every material from stainless steel to traditional yellow gold. If you’ don’t want to wear gold or steel, you can even find silicone wedding bands with a claddagh design.
Claddagh Wedding Band For Women
Claddagh Wedding Band For Men
Claddagh Wedding Ring Set
For a romantic choice, some couples decide to wear matching wedding bands. You can find his and hers sets made with the same claddagh design on Etsy:
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Pinterest Pin of a gold and diamond claddagh ring.
