It was ancient Egyptians over 5000 years ago who introduced the concept of the ring. Tied to the idea of eternity, the ring, being circular in shape, was considered the perfect expression of the concept.
Having no joins and being the same shape as the sun, Ra, the supreme deity, the circle that forms the ring represents the never-ending, and the void in the middle for the unknown.
The Egyptians used them to represent intelligence and superiority and also used them to symbolize the idea of love. These "rings of love" could be constructed from just woven reeds or leather or could be forged from gold and other precious metals, yet all still have the same message, the eternal commitment of the heart.
Partnership Rings
From the ancient period onwards, the ring has been the main signifier of love between two individuals. From the notion that a female belonged to a male in Egyptian and Roman culture to the statement of Pope Nicholas I that it signified a man's intent to wed, engagement rings have existed.
By the fifteenth century, the idea that they represented two lovers joined with interlocking rings, the expansion of meaning from ownership to love stories, crystalized and carried into the modern era.
Traditionally, the band has been gold, but the diamond's rise has only become ubiquitous since the end of the Second World War. Fortunately, colored and unique stones have started reclaiming their heritage in the last ten years, but the shift is slow.
Modern Loss of Uniqueness
Cliches abound both in objects and words, none more so than with the modern lover's ring. Lovers' narratives are conflated into binary images of clear stones set in gold. Do we all need to embrace the diamond because it is just what is perceived as defining your commitment to another?
Morally reprehensible, environmentally damaging, and often nothing more than a gaudy display of wealth, the diamond should long ago have been cast into the bin of unwelcome lovers' tokens. Yet, despite the awful backdrop to the diamond, it remains the most common engagement stone. So much is this the case that you often need a magnifying tool to appreciate its presence.
Conformity clearly means as much as love to the giver of these rings. Yet, since when was there any conformity in love?
How to Reimagine Your Ring Choice to Tell Your Love Story
The stone is the focal point, but the circle of metal on which it is mounted carries equal if not more meaning. By finding the precious materials that contain the means and image that you most want to send in your message to your lover can make it as a symbol more personal and more powerful.
The eternity that the circle denotes, together with its reference to power, the power of love when exchanged as a partnership ring combined with a gemstone that is distinctive to yourself makes the gift more priceless than the most expensive diamond. Rather than narrating the story society dictates, you instead tell your own.
Not About the Cost But the Message
Lovers entwined, a partnership of equals, a story that is exclusive to just the two partners. The essence of a relationship is in the individuality of its narrative, how two people have reached the point that they want to make a statement or lifelong commitment to each other.
Rings, as we have noted, have long signified the love between partners. However, the rise of the diamond, prized for its rarity and a marker of affluence, has stolen this identity in the gift of a ring.
Today, the bitter legacy of the ruined lives and landscapes of diamond mining has removed what value its concept of rarity has in your love story. Beyond this, the notion of cost makes the token more about ownership, back to the original idea of the engagement ring in Roman times, than the relationship partnership expressed today.
Why Moss Agate
Stones like moss agate rekindle the message of the symbol a lover's ring should have. Uniqueness, a deep meaning, and a long history are strong cards for it to play. The gifting of a ring with an agate stone as your token of engagement or partnership tells a story about two people, the originality of their love.
Its design options are far more abundant as a precious stone than other, more commonly used gemstones. Sizes and shapes allow the ring manufacturer a broader canvas with which to explore ideas. Metal choice also can be more expansive with the variations in color allowing any precious metal to be paired.
The resultant rings forged by renowned jewelers, such as ifshe.co.uk, will be totally unique, with the meaning of strength, fortune, and invincibility infused into its symbolism.
Conclusion
Love is a defining emotion that all humans will experience. Love for and from another is never the same. Expressing this emotion through the gift of rings has long been central to making a statement of commitment for the world to witness.
