The Claddagh or Claddaugh Ring has a very special meaning and has many different stories of how it was originally designed. The most common is that a young fisherman from the city of Claddagh named Richard Joyce was to be wed to a young lass in his village, but the week he was supposed to be wed he was captured by pirates. The story says that Richard was sold to a Moorish goldsmith who taught Richard the trade which is where Richard designed and made the ring. Richard later returned to his village (some say the King demanded it others say he escaped) and found out that his lady had not wed. They were wed and Richard gave Margaret the ring he had made while being a slave as her wedding band.

This much is known for sure and that is that the Claddagh ring has been around for many years and is worn as a wedding band with special meaning. Scots and most European people where the wedding ring on the right ring finger. The hands mean friendship, the heart means love and the crown means loyalty. At times the heart is represented with a stone. The Claddagh ring is worn on the ring finger of the right hand as the wedding ring finger.

At some point it was decided that not only married women should wear the Claddagh, we think this started in Ameirca and the following tradition was started:

The Gimmel ring is less well known of but has very similar meaning to the Claddagh; the Gimmel ring has two inter-joined hands covering over a heart. The Gimmel ring was worn as a betrothal ring symbolizing the couple’s promise of a future together. The woman was presented with one of the hands, the man wore the other and a witness wore the heart. At the wedding ceremony the three rings are reunited into one and worn as the bride’s wedding band and is worn on the ring finger of the right hand as is traditonal.

There is an older version of a wedding ring called the Torque which you can find out about here.

Pictures are coming soon.