Urban Code Magazine

Archive for the ‘Rings’ Category

No other ring in the history has as beautiful of tory as that of the Irish Claddagh ring.

The story of the Claddagh starts when a fisherman, Richard Joyce, and other crew members were captured by pirates shortly before Joyce was to be married. He was sold into slavery in Algiers and made the property of a goldsmith who taught him the craft. With his beloved back in Claddagh on his mind he fashioned the first Claddagh ring. The hands were to represent friendship, the heart was love, and the crown represented loyalty and fidelity.

In 1698 King Georges III agreed to free all of his subjects. Richard Joyce was once again free. His slave master offered Joyce his daughter in marriage and half of his wealth if he would stay in Algiers. Joyce refused the offer and instead returned home to Claddagh where he found his love waiting for him. Neither of them had married. Upon discovering this, Joyce gave his love the ring and they were married shortly thereafter.

The ring was dubbed The Claddagh because of the village Joyce and his Bride were from. There were others who made the ring much later and added jewels and an intricate crown design. The basic hands holding a crowned heart has never changed. Joyce wanted something that would his love for his Beloved.

The design is the clasped hands of the ‘fede’ or faith rings. These rings date from Roman times and were popular in the Middle Ages. The ring is worn now by many to speak to their Irish heritage. The Claddagh tells the story of two lovers who are separated and yet their love and commitment withstood the passage of time. It’s simple design and my heritage influenced my decision to purchase a Claddagh.

 

There are several ways to cut a polished rock and turn it into a gemstone. Below is a list of the most common cuts and how to know what to look for. This won’t make you an expert but you will be able to tell a round from an oval. Usually the number of cuts, called facets, determines the price. A few definitions are in order:

Facet: the cut portion of the gem.
Girdle: the sides of the gem
Pavilion: the part of the gem above the setting
Crown: the top of the gem

The various cuts:

Round: The most expensive cut stone. This is often used for engagement rings.

Princess: This cut may have 50 facets, 21 crown, four girdle and 25 pavilion or 58 facets, 21 crown, four girdle, 33 pavilion. This is the smallest of the shapes of the same carat weight and tends to be the most delicate.

Oval: The more cost efficient cut because you get more stone by carat weight than the round and still maintain the normal 58 facets.

Emerald: This form of design allows for less brilliance but larger facets. These are called step cuts and reveal mirror like qualities.

Marquise: The name is derived from the legend of the Marquise of Pompadour and it is said the sun king wanted a stone cut into the shape of the mouth of the Marquise. This provides a much larger stone at a normally lower cost.

Trillion: This is a relatively new type of cut. It is designed as a triangle with equilateral sides.

Baguette: Most stones cut in this step fashion are used as side stones. The corners are not beveled as in the emerald cut.

There are other cuts but these are the most common ones you will find in ring settings.

There is a large number of wedding rings available on today’s market and it is important that you take your time when picking one out..

Beauty isn’t the only thing you need to consider when choosing this special ring. Your wedding ring holds greater meaning. It is a symbol of your love for the person that you married, and you should select the ring that you feels best captures the essence of these feelings.

The diamond ring you choose for your wedding should be everything that you feel your love to be – unique, beautiful and durable. And while there are a huge variety of styles and ring settings available, the core features of a truly beautiful diamond remain the same regardless of the style of diamond ring you pick to celebrate your wedding. You will hopefully wear this ring the rest of your life, so choose a style that seems timeless to you.

Selecting a wedding ring isn’t as easy as it looks. You are going to wear your ring for the rest of your life, so it should be something you won’t get tired of in a couple years. You will have to look at and try on many different rings before you come to a final decision and, being an intelligent consumer, you should know what your options are.

First, you will have to decide how much you can afford to spend. Then, with your budget in mind, choose the material you want your ring made of.

And men, you need to take great care when shopping for that special diamond ring! Remember to ask the jeweler for the total carat weight of the largest diamond in the piece to truly understand what you are buying. Don’t pay more for what you are getting.

Class rings are a great way of not only having a living memento to your high school or college years, but also as a way to tie you to your fellow classmates, to increase your sense of belonging to something greater. Class rings are latecomers in the history of rings, coming into existence around 1865, but they have become as much a part of senior year as the graduation ceremony itself.

At one time class rings were generally a single design made by the high school or college, and the only design change would be the graduation year. Today’s class rings are usually at least somewhat customized by each student and can appear vastly different from one student to the next.

 

The most popular color is gold, though that differs depending on the school and company providing the rings. Students have the option of ordering rings made of white gold, silver, or different alloys of other metals. The width of the actual ring and the style can vary quite a bit from one ring to the next.

 

The center stone is traditionally one of the school’s colors, but this is not necessary.  Some students pick a stone in their favorite color, birthstone or favorite gemstone.
The school’s name usually appears on the side, though the year of graduation is necessary on at least one side. This is, after all, the distinguishing mark that shows exactly where you belonged in the long history of whichever institution you attended. The school’s logo, motto, or insignia is also a common choice for design. Many students have their name, initials, or nickname engraved on the underside of the ring.

 

Years from now, you may not remember all the details of your school years, but having a class ring will bring back the feelings of youth and belonging