Love, loyalty and friendship... the Irish Claddagh ring is the perfect choice for Saint Valentine’s Day this year for the man or woman in your life.
Saint Valentine’s Day on 14th February is a day to celebrate love and friendship. Whether you’re in a long-term relationship or want to mark the start of one, an Irish Claddagh ring is definitely a gift to consider this year for a husband, wife, boyfriend, girlfriend or that special person in your life. The Claddagh ring can also be a beautiful choice of engagement ring.
Rather than choosing a generic piece of jewelry, the gift of a Claddagh ring will bring added meaning to the day and ensure that you get your message across in a beautiful and heartfelt way.
Love, Friendship and Loyalty
There are three distinctive dimensions to the meaning of the Claddagh ring, which is Ireland’s most famous ring. The Claddagh design incorporates a heart in the middle of the ring to symbolize love. There is then a crown on top which represents the importance of loyalty in relationships. The heart and crown are then encircled by hands to symbolize friendship.
The story of the Claddagh ring or ‘Ring of Claddagh’ originates from the tiny fishing village of Claddagh in County Galway and dates back to the mid 1600’s.
There is a Claddagh ring to suit all budgets and all styles. The first step will be to decide whether you would like silver, yellow gold or white gold. There are various sizes to suit men or women and the ring can be tailored to the right fit. When you are presenting your token of love or friendship, there are a number of different ways that the recipient can wear the ring to signify their romantic status...
Ways to wear the Claddagh Ring
When the Claddagh ring is worn on the right hand with the heart facing towards you, it means that you are in a relationship. If you are still single, the way to wear the Claddagh ring is on the right hand with the heart pointed out.
If you are married, the correct way to wear the Claddagh ring is on the left hand with the heart towards you. If you have received a Claddagh ring as an engagement ring, then you wear it with the heart pointed outwards (away from you) and also on the right hand to signify your status.
Style and Embellishments
While the Claddagh motif is unmistakable, there is a wonderfully wide range of settings and variations and embellishments and styles available and in addition to rings, there are also earrings and pendants available if you would like to make the gift extra special with some matching pieces.
The Claddagh heart is available in gold or with the addition of jewels such as beautiful green emeralds or bright blue sapphires. The Claddagh motif can also be embedded in to an eternity ring which is perfect for everyday wear and is always a well-received gift.
If you would like an additional focus on Irish history and heritage it is also possible to bring in an additional design element to the band of the ring by adding a Trinity knot motif, which is a traditional Irish design that originates in ancient Irish relics such as the Book of Kells or there is a perfect Saint Valentine’s Day choice for those who want to celebrate their Irish heritage with a ‘Mo Chroi’ design which translates as ‘My Heart’.
The Claddagh ring bears one of the most romantic messages that is associated with jewelry and is just perfect for the most romantic day in the calendar: “With my hands I give you my heart and crown it with my love”.
Celebrate love, friendship, loyalty, style and shared heritage with the gift of a Claddagh ring for Valentine’s Day 2016. The Claddagh – a perfect Valentine’s Day gift from Ireland for the person who has captured your heart.