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All About Claddagh Rings

By: Tim O'Malley

Let's start with a little background about these mysterious Celtic rings and how they came to be known as Claddagh rings.

The name Claddagh comes from one of Ireland’s oldest fishing villages just outside Galway City, in the Western part of Ireland. A fisherman by the name of Richard Joyce was captured while fishing near his village by pirates and brought to Tunisia. Sold into slavery, he quickly learned the craft of jewelry making from his master who was a skilled goldsmith. While as a slave, he longed for his loved one back in his old fishing village. He was later released from slavery in 1670 when King William III ascended to the throne.

Now a free man, Richard decided to return back to the fishing village, Claddagh, where his true love lived. Upon reaching home, he found his true love was still unmarried and patiently l waiting for him. He made the first set of Claddagh rings and used them for the wedding to his one true love.

The art behind a Claddagh ring is well-documented. It is a design that is centuries old with each symbol in the Claddagh ring having great meaning. There are three parts that make up the overall design of a Claddagh ring. First, the two hands in the design represent friendship. Second, the heart in the design represents love. Third, the crown in the design symbolizes loyalty. When these symbols are combined together, they make perfect engagement rings as well as wedding rings amongst couples. It serves the purpose as an outward symbol of a person's marital status. It has grown so popular that you can now find non-Irish couples using these as Celtic wedding rings and Celtic engagement rings.

While commonly used between couples contemplated marriage or getting married, these rings also make great gifts between close friends. In such as case, the Claddagh ring is gifted along with the saying "Let love and friendship reign".

After you own a Claddagh ring, be sure to wear it the correct way. Doing otherwise is considered a sign of disrespect for the long-held tradition. It also further diminishes the true meaning behind these wonderful rings for which it is intended. This is because the way a Claddagh ring is worn carries deep significance. It can be used to signify a persons availability for a relationship. When the ring is worn on the left hand with the heart turned inward, it shows the person is married and unavailable. When the ring is worn on the right hand with the heart facing outward, however, it shows that the ring wearer is unattached. If the heart is turned inward, it shows the person is already attached and in a relationship.

Claddagh rings are made with different precious metals. For those on a budget, mass market silver Claddagh rings make a good choice as a friendship gift such as a promise ring. Silver though, do not a good choice for engagement rings and wedding rings unless you want to offend your future life partner by gifting them one. Platinum is also found in some Claddagh rings and this metal tends to be more expensive because of the rarity. White gold and yellow gold make excellent choices for a mid-range quality jewelry buy. You will want to customize Claddagh rings because these rings are not resized easily because of their inherent design

There you have it. A quick run down of what you need to know about these Claddagh jewelry.

Article Source: http://www.newagelivingarticles.com

By Tim O'Malley for Shanore.com, a Claddagh rings jeweler based in Ireland. Buy Celtic jewelry from an Irish jeweler. All Celtic rings are customized.

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