Wearing The Symbol Of Eternal Love
Wearing a wedding band is rich in symbolism. The shape of the wedding, an unbroken circle, reminds the wearer of the eternal commitment the couple make to each other. The tradition of wearing this symbol of eternal love may have been a sign of identification. Two people wearing the same wedding bands clearly identified their mutual commitment to each other. As time passed wedding bands went through several changes in materials from which a wedding band was made to the styles in which it was created.
The Gold Wedding Band
Gold, as everyone knows, is a valuable mineral ore which can increase in value or remain of static value. It rarely decreases in value. Gold value is determined by the weight of the gold content in wedding bands. Gold wedding bands may be 10, 12, 14 or 18 karat gold weight with the highest gold weight having the most value. Originally, presenting a gold wedding ring during the marriage ceremony indicated the couple's first life investment as well as their first significant mutual possession of value. In times of economic austerity, gold wedding rings could be sold to help prevent a difficult financial situation. Also, gold wedding bands were an intimate symbol of the desire to bestow a truly valuable offering to a spouse.
Wedding Ring Styles
Though simple gold wedding bands are the most popular, styles have changed from narrow bands to wide and from bands of gold to bands of titanium, platinum, silver and jewel-encrusted bands of white gold. Men as well as women wear wedding rings. Although, men traditionally prefer wide masculine bands. A wedding ring is worn more often by women than men. The reason for this is that men tend to work in jobs where the wearing of jewelry may be prohibited due to workplace hazards or chemicals that can break down the material content of the ring. Although rings may be exchanged at a double ring wedding ceremony, there are many wedding ceremonies where only the bride is presented with a wedding ring.
Tastes In Jewelry Affect Tastes In Wedding Ring Styles
Women traditionally love to wear jewelry. This may affect tastes in wedding ring styles for women. Women may choose wedding rings for the pure simplicity of the symbol of her wedded state. Or, women may choose a wedding ring as a jewelry accent for her wardrobe.
