Style Guide: Trendy Irish Wedding Rings

Trendy Irish Wedding Rings

You don’t have to have red hair, a thick Irish brogue, or even have ancestors from the land of Eire to love the look of an Irish wedding ring. Celtic rings have seen a rise in popularity because whether you choose a Celtic knot or a Claddagh ring, all of these styles are symbols of fidelity and enduring love. It’s an auspicious start to a life together. Irish ring styles date back centuries and are beautiful, symbolic representations of love and history, whether or not you share a genetic connection to the Emerald Isle.

Claddagh Rings for Your Devotion

One of the most popular styles for Irish rings is the iconic Claddagh ring, which features a central heart held by two hands and topped with a crown.

The hands stand for friendship, while the heart symbolizes love, and the crown, loyalty. The history of the ring itself is murky -- many argue that it has been worn since Roman times, while the official story dates to the 17th century. Richard Joyce, who hailed from the Galway town of Claddagh was kidnapped and sold into slavery. While in servitude, he learned the skills of jewelry-making and goldsmithing from his master. When he was finally released, he returned home to find his long lost love. Joyce didn't know whether his love had waited for him, but he discovered she had. He presented her with a Claddagh ring as a symbol of her unflagging devotion. Thus, the ring is a beautiful symbol of eternal love.

Eternal Love & Celtic Knot Rings

The second most popular style of Irish wedding ring is Celtic knot bands. The design of Celtic knots date back to the ancient Celts and can be seen as interior decorations in historical buildings in the British Isles, as well as adornments on Christian books and statues. They are most famous for their appearance in the Book of Kells, now housed in Dublin.

Trinity Knot Wedding Band

The two most common forms of the Celtic knot are the trinity knot and the braided knot. The trinity knot is a looping pattern that comes to three points and forms a triangular shape in the middle. This is meant to represent the Holy Trinity, but can also symbolize earth, water, and air or life, death, and rebirth. The cyclical loop is meant to be a symbol of endurance.

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Celtic Heart Wedding Band

Braided knots are more complex and cover the entire band, which uses the basis of an eternity band, but replaces the diamonds with a pattern. Celtic knots are popular not only because their intricate style provides a beautiful adornment for the band, but because they symbolize eternity and infinite love -- a stunning ring to reflect a couple’s commitment to each other.

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Best Ways to Wear Irish Wedding Rings

There are many ways to wear Irish wedding rings from sticking to wholly traditional designs to creating a one-of-a-kind customized ring.

You can wear a claddagh ring four different ways with different meanings:

On the right hand with the crown facing out symbolizes you are single
On the right hand with the crown facing in says you’re in a relationship
On the left hand with the crown facing out symbolizes an engagement
On the left hand with the crown facing in tells people you are married.

Be sure to use the language of your ring to say what you mean.

Celtic rings with Gemstones & More

Many choose to enhance Celtic rings with gemstones. As previously mentioned, you can replace the central heart in a claddagh with a heart-shape or round-cut solitaire stone--many opt for diamonds, though a pink or red heart would be the most traditional option. You can also create a pave heart with a collection of small diamonds creating a solid swathe of sparkle and bling.

Other options including covering the entire band in diamonds or dotting parts of your design with diamonds or gemstones. Many like to include emerald gemstones in their design as a nod to its Irish roots.

No matter how you choose to wear your Irish wedding ring, one thing is certain. You’ll have a beautiful piece of jewelry with a rich and meaningful history, symbolic of great love, and maybe even your personal heritage.

Celtic knot pattern