Wedding Rings – Their History

“Fides,” in Latin—that’s where the term “wedding band” comes from. Today it means fidelity, but in ancient Rome fides was both the loyalty a citizen owed the state’s laws and the name of the deity embodying loyalty. From the earliest times, wedding rings have represented a shared life plan. Long before Rome, in Egypt, rings signified something beyond mere ornament. Pharaohs wore bands sealed with images of sacred animals like scarabs or inscribed with hieroglyphs. The Greeks, too, adorned their rings with carvings, engravings, and cameos, experimenting with ever more precious materials.

Gold, silver, and iron were the Romans’ metals of choice for jewelry, with each metal reflecting one’s social rank—from free citizens to slaves. In the Middle Ages, Christians used rings to symbolize the consecration of office: kings and bishops received them at coronation or installation. The pope’s “fisherman’s ring,” stamped with the papal coat of arms to seal official letters, remains an unbroken symbol of papal authority until it’s ceremonially destroyed upon his death.

Once known simply as “jewels,” rings were a lavish status symbol. By the 16th century, it was common to wear multiple rings on each finger. Even during the barbarian era, luxury rings marked engagements, usually preceded by other precious tokens. For example, among the Romans the gift of the anulus vinculum (wedding ring) was preceded by the anulus pronubus (betrothal ring).

Originally worn only by men, rings soon became fashionable among Roman matrons, who paired them with small keys to signify authority over the household. In the 1700s the modern custom of engraving the couple’s names and wedding date inside their gold bands took hold—ensuring a message of lasting commitment.

It’s customary for the bride to wear her wedding ring on the left ring finger, replacing the engagement ring. The groom—or sometimes the best man, pages, or bridesmaids—presents and carries the rings to the altar. The ring cushion’s fabric and color should match the bride’s dress and the wedding’s overall theme. Folk wisdom also advises never buying the engagement ring and wedding bands at the same time—said to bring bad luck—and never wearing the wedding band before the ceremony.

Just as marriage vows create an unbreakable bond, the ring’s circle symbolizes eternal love. Traditionally in yellow gold—echoing church arabesques and saintly halos—rings can also be crafted in white gold or platinum, with woven or inlaid designs. Personal taste varies, but many still value a link to the past.

Why the left ring finger? During the ceremony, the officiant touches the first three fingers of the left hand and blesses “In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,” then places the ring on the fourth finger. Legend also speaks of the vena amoris, the “vein of love” that supposedly runs directly from the left ring finger to the heart. Romantic as that sounds, in many Northern European cultures and parts of Latin America the ring is worn on the right hand—and in old England it was sometimes worn on the thumb.

Allow about thirty days to have your rings made. Plan ahead to meet your budget and style preferences, and don’t forget the interior engraving: each ring usually bears the other’s name and the wedding date, a service often included in the price.

The classic band remains popular—flat or gently rounded—while the French band is thin and domed. The Mantovana is heavier; the Sardinian features delicate filigree. The Jewish band is enamel filigree; the Ossolana from Val d’Ossola evokes purity, prosperity, fertility, and an enduring bond. Modern designs include interlocking bands, and the Irish Claddagh Ring, with its hands, heart, and crown, continues to symbolize friendship, love, and loyalty.