Love, Friendship, & Loyalty = a Claddagh Ring
About three years ago I received a beautiful Claddagh ring for my birthday from my boyfriend. We were shopping around for my birthday and even though we had only been dating for about 4 months he told me he really wanted to get me a ring. I was a little bit surprised but also happy, as it was a promise ring. We were browsing in Fred Meyer Jewelers and I saw this Claddagh ring and immediatly fell in love.
I am not Irish, nor is my boyfriend but I really liked the concept and history behind the Claddagh ring. My boyfriend did as well so he was intent on getting me one. The Claddagh rings history is based in a couple of stories and the one that is most probably near the truth is that of Richard Joyce. Joyce left his town for work in the West Indies, hoping to marry his true love when he returned. His ship ended up getting captured and he was sold as a slave to a Moorish goldsmith. While he was there he forged a ring as a symbol of his love for the girl that awaited him back home. The ring consisted of two hands holding a heart and on top of the heart sat a crown. The hands stood for friendship, the heart love, and the crown loyalty. The expression that is associated in the giving of this ring is "Let love and friendship reign." Pretty neat huh? Even if this isn't the true story I still love the concept and idea of the ring and appreciate it.
The ring that we picked out is 14k white gold and it has etchings in the gold in certain places that makes it sparkle so it's not just a shiny gold. I love how it sparkles when light hits it in different ways. The ring has held up brillantly for the last three years. It has stayed on my hand the entire time and has only been taken off during the brief time that we were broken up.
I believe the ring cost somewhere around $150-$200, I don't remember exactly. They did offer my boyfriend a service plan if anything were to ever happen to the ring but we denied that. I have had no problem bringing my ring into ANY jewelry store and having them clean it for free. I always get compliments on the ring when I do that. It is a beautiful ring and has beautiful symbolism and I will cherish it forever.
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This is a beautiful and ancient symbol of clan love and loyalty unto death. These were given in ancient times as tokens of these virtues, and worn with great pride. Thank you for sharing the story of your ring.
My husband gave me one of these years and years ago when we were dating!
I have one of these rings in gold. I love the story behind this style of ring. I'm Irish and it means alot to me!
I love the story of the claddagh. I have a necklace with the claddagh design and love it.
Sounds beautiful, thanks for sharing the story with us.
I have seen this design... very meaningful.
My wife has a ring like this. Do you know that you are supposed to wear it with the pointed side of the heart towards you if you are in love? Otherwise, it means that your heart is not yet given to anyone. :)
I love the claddagh too, and have a couple of claddagh rings, and a Belleeck claddagh vase. Rancosto's right -- point out means you're looking, point towards yourself means you're taken!
thank you so much for the history of the claddagh ring - my first exposure to it