History of the Eternity Ring
Eternity rings are often used to symbolise the love and affection that a person has for another individual. Eternity rings are beautiful and can have different meanings according to the giver and the recipient of the ring.
Looking into the Eternity ring’s history you will see that it is very closely related to the wedding ring. It is a ring which is the shape of a circle that is made up of gold, silver, or platinum. It does not have an apparent start or ending, just like eternal love.
The history of giving these rings as related to a couple’s relationship dates back thousands of years to the time that eternity rings were first formed by ancient people. These rings were not decorated the way they are today. They were simply precious metal bands worn about the wrist, neck, or hand.
Many eternity rings are made of multiple strands or plaits, and can come either as an eternity ring with stones set all the way around the band of the ring or if there are stones set only half of the way around. When the stones are set all the way around the ring’s band, the eternity ring is said to be a full one. When the stones only reach around half of the ring’s band, it is called a half, or partial ring.
Ancient eternity rings were based on the idea of a snake consuming its tail. Therefore, the idea of a snake eating its tail has formed the basis for a number of rings that were commissioned dating back to Celtic rings. These rings have in common the idea of eternal love that a married couple will share throughout their lifetime.
Nowadays you will find that most of the eternity rings available will be set in diamonds and can be used in place of a wedding ring if the couple chooses to do so. You will find that many of the eternity rings that are set with only half of the stones feature a head which is raised. That is a departure from the traditional idea of a wedding band type ring.
There are a variety of reasons that someone can choose to give the gift of eternity rings other than in place of a wedding band. Such occasions would be as anniversary present or to celebrate some other special occasion. Some even choose to give this ring on the birth of their first child. It simply takes a little creativity to find the right occasion to share the gift of eternity through a ring.