There's A Certain Ring To It
The following is an extract from my article for Alice Made This. Read it in full here.
From a simple style accessory to a lifelong promise and bond, the ring is one of the most versatile pieces of jewellery one can wear.
Dating back to almost 2300BC, the ring was likely first introduced to society as a status symbol, and token of rank and identification; adorned by inhabitants of ancient Mesopotamia and passed down throughout the ages. The colours yellow and gold represented the sun, which would go some way to explaining why jewellery discovered in Egyptian tombs were often made with the precious metal. Although only a handful were discovered, these rings were apparently made in the style of modern-day signet rings.
The Ancient Greeks would adapt this using silver and more accessible materials, and worn for general adornment rather than strictly societal status. As trade routes began to expand from the Silk Roads to around the world, rings, being the versatile pieces they are, began varying in size and style, from simple bands to ostentatious bejewelled wonderments decked out with various gems—the rarer the jewel, the more important the wearer Religious, artistic and geographical eras would further influence the design, and to an extent, saturate its significance.
Going against the grain and bringing the ring back to its rightful place as one of the most significant pieces of jewellery one can own, however, is one of the hardest working craftspeople you’re ever likely to meet. Alice has created a variety of different rings in a plethora of styles and metals that will work their magic—whatever the occasion, whatever the weather.