Claddagh Ring Meanings

Not only is a claddagh ring has a rich history, as does much jewellery, but it also is one of the best and most popular ways to represent your feelings for the one you love. It’s a perfect gift you can give to symbolize your affection to the other person.

In its own feature, a claddagh ring represents a heart held by two hands and a crown is raised above the heart. In every claddagh ring, the heart symbolizes love, the hands represent faith and the crown above is for loyalty. These three parts are unchanged in every claddagh ring and so is their meaning. The first claddagh ring was made as a show of love between two hearts that were oceans away from one another.

Richard Joyce made the first claddagh ring for his lover. The meaning of a claddagh ring is therefore woven around this story. Richard returned to his love in claddagh when he was set free from slavery. Some narrators also write that Richard actually went to his lover in claddagh with the first claddagh ring.

As a jewel symbolizing love and friendship, a claddagh ring has become amazingly popular these days as a wedding or engagement ring, a birthstone ring or even a valentine’s ring. But the way a claddagh ring is worn on, represents different meanings to different people at different occasions.

If you believe and follow the tradition that surrounds the claddagh ring, you must know the way you wear a claddagh ring. The way this precious jewel is worn represents a different meaning about your status and relationship. The meaning of a claddagh ring goes even beyond its visible features.

The meaning of a claddagh ring as worn by you represents different status when worn on the right hand or the left hand. Further more, the direction of the heart’s crown has its own meaning when its worn such that it directs upward towards your finger nail or downward towards your knuckles.

The claddagh ring is one of the most meaningful jewels ever created. The story and meaning of claddagh ring is significant in every way.

Claddagh rings on right hand

It shows that your heart is still available or open to love if the ring is worn on right hand with the crown facing outwards.

Wearing claddagh ring on your right hand with the crown facing your knuckles (inwards) represent friendship prior to the wedding. It shows that your heart is taken.

Claddagh rings on left hand

Wearing claddagh rings on the left hand means entirely different. Claddagh ring worn on the left hand facing the wrist represents a relationship which is about to reach a wedding. It shows that your heart is been taken. A claddagh ring is worn exactly the same way during a wedding ceremony.

You can say that the moment a relationship grows and reaches a marriage, the left hand becomes the ideal place to wear a claddagh ring.

Since the very first claddagh ring, the meaning of a claddagh ring remains the same. It represents love friendship and loyalty. With this deep meaning, the significance of a claddagh ring is that it’s obviously a perfect choice for weddings and engagements. In Ireland, this ring is passed traditionally from mother to her daughter on her wedding day.

The claddagh ring has now gone beyond being a traditional Irish wedding ring. Its design has been adapted to have traditional stones and gems. The three symbols of a claddagh ring, the hands, the crown and the heart have been handed down from Celtic ancestors over hundreds of years and that’s the reason why it’s so cherish today.

Types of Claddagh Rings

Claddagh rings are a type of Irish rings that have an extremely ancient history deeply rooted in tradition. If you want your partner to feel special, then a perfect claddagh ring would be the gift you were looking for. These rings also are sometimesreferred to as faith rings. Today I’m going to some different styles and categories of a claddagh ring.

No matter what different styles are available, the identity of a claddagh ring that is the heart, two hands and the crown always remains the same. Its identity is something that makes a claddagh ring what it really is.

Many store purchase their Claddagh jewellery through wholesale jewellery stores.

Different styles

While all claddagh rings are very much similar to one another, there are some variations in style between different rings. One of the variations is that of the gem that is to be mounted on the ring. Some use the birth stone of their beloved like emerald or amethyst, or some just like the claddagh ring with a diamond. The claddagh rings made from diamonds are also called engagement claddagh rings.

Another option that you can opt for is the band. You’ll find different types of claddagh ring’s band made of different types of metal. They include metals like gold, silver, sterling silver and platinum. There are different styles available for both men and women. Another popular option you’ll see is to have a special encryption written on the band of a claddagh ring.

Some versions of a claddagh ring features three interlocking rings joined by a tiny bolt. This style is called gimmel or puzzle ring, and has been famous since the 1400’s.

Claddagh engagement rings

A stunning diamond claddagh ring will surprise your loved one. In this ring, the central diamond is available in different sizes and is surrounded by claddagh symbols. Whether the encryption is engraved on the band itself, or the ring is a classical claddagh design with an added, central diamond, you can be sure that your choice will be presented proudly before your friends and family.

A claddagh ring made of a diamond in the center is classical and beautiful. And it truly expresses your love to the other person every time it is worn.

Claddagh rings for men

You can choose a claddagh ring for your guy as well. There are two types to choose from: the classic claddagh ring that can be worn with its crowned heart facing in either direction as well as claddagh wedding band. It has a classic wedding band design that is engraved with the symbls of the claddagh.

Many men have been wearing claddagh rings since ages to show their Irish heritage. Like JFK, Jr. and Bono have been seen wearing classic claddagh rings.

Claddagh birth stone rings

Claddagh birthstone ring is a lovely gift idea. It is fairly inexpensive type of claddagh rings that is due to the use of semi-precious stones rather than very expensive ones and silver rather than gold.

A silver claddagh birthstone ring can really express your love by adding a little personal touch to the gift of a claddagh ring. The central heart in the claddagh ring is a faceted and heart shaped birthstone of your loved one. If the birth stone of your partner is an expensive gem like diamond or emerald, you can find inexpensive silver claddagh birthstone rings featuring diamond or created emerald.

So, these are the famous types of a claddagh rings. There have been several types of claddagh rings made over the years, but the original identity of the claddagh rings, the heart, hands and the crown always remains the same. The rings were originally made of gold, and were family heirlooms, passed down to daughters from their mothers.

History of Claddagh Rings

Today the meaning of Claddagh rings and the importance of wearing Claddagh rings has spread far and wide. These rings are probably the most culturally rich pieces of jewelry ever recorded up till now. It has a historical background that’s about 300 years old. It can’t be said for exactly who created the first claddagh ring and when. Similarly, the question of its name after the village claddagh will probably remain unanswered even in the future.

The design of a Claddagh ring and even the way this ring is worn is deeply rooted with Irish tradition. And that’s the main reason why jewelers strive to keep the tradition still alive and produce the world’s best Claddagh gold and silver rings, as well as other costume jewellery. These rings are often considered as heirlooms and passed from mother to daughter or between friends and relatives.
A small fishing village in Ireland, named Claddagh was where the tradition of claddagh rings first started. The word claddagh itself is derived from an Irish term “An Cladach” which means “a flat stoney shore”. The village of claddagh was an ancient village way back there but now modernization has changed all that but still the tradition of claddagh rings is alive there. It’s not only alive, but also it’s growing even stronger and popular in different parts of the world.

There are two types of statements or stories regarding the first occurrence of the claddagh rings:

Statement 1:

Margaret Joyce had a lot of money left from her late husband. His name was Domingo de Rona. He was a wealthy and rich Spanish merchant who traded with Galway in Ireland. She later married the mayor of Galway in 1596 and used her inherited money to construct many bridges in Connacht. The first claddagh ring was actually her reward and was dropped in her lap by an eagle.

Statement 2:

A native of Galway, named Richard Joyce was captured by the Algerians and was sold as a slave to a Moorish goldsmith. Later in 1689, William ||| of England demanded the release of all British slaves and hence this person got freedom too. The goldsmith offered him a major portion of his wealth and also his only daughter in marriage. The condition was for him to stay at Algiers. But Richard refused all these tempting offers and returned to his country with the first claddagh ring.

In 1984, when Galway celebrated its Quincentennial as a mayoral city, the people of Galway presented a specially commissioned 18 carat gold claddagh ring to the president Ronald Reagan. Apart from that, celebrities and royals like Queen Victoria, Prince Rainier and Prince Grace of Monaco and American president John F Kennedy as well as actor turned politician and US president Ronald Raegan have been seen wearing claddagh rings at various occasions. Some celebrities who wear these rings include John Wayne, Winston Churchill, Walt Disney and Julia Roberts.

These are the two stories about the first formation or the occurrence of the claddagh ring found in the history. It’s all up to you whether you believe the first one or the second one. Or even you don’t need believing in any. It’s something for sure that claddagh rings are of great significance both in the history and the modern times.

The claddagh ring has a special significance and importance now in modern times. The true meaning of these rings implies love (the heart), friendship (the hands) and loyalty (the crown). Back in the history, the claddagh rings were noticed when the Irish Famine of 1847-1849 caused many to immigrate from Ireland and then these rings spread along with the immigrants to different parts of the world.

How to Wear a Claddagh Ring

Claddagh is a traditional ring from Ireland which is normally given as token to symbolize love and other commitment related to dear ones, therefore how to wear claddagh ring depends on ones engagement and is widely used on weeding. This ring is suitable worn by both men and women.

With over 300 years dating back history, these rings are probably the most culturally rich piece of jewelry ever recorded in history. The ring had undergone through a lot of major changes that basically kept and retained its value therefore being the only rich enough to convey the sign togetherness. Apart from being engagement or wedding rings, these rings are also good gifts for birthdays, valentine’s days, and mother’s day and many other events. The word claddagh comes from the Irish term which means a flat stony shore. The first claddagh ring was created by Richard Joyce; a slave from claddagh village as a gift for his love, its distinctive design features two hands clasping a heart and usually surmounted by a crown.

Their deferent elements correspond to the qualities of commitment and donate love, friendship and togetherness given. The mounting crown on the ring represents and donated loyalty. All this symbols combine at times with the cross to symbolize faith which is this meaning and symbols of the claddagh rings that makes them an ideal choice for a gift occasionally like weeding and engagements. These rings are best worn and usually given by mothers to daughters on their weeding days.

People around the world wonder how to wear a claddagh ring and when to wear it, there is a speciality and significance in relations to the rings symbols. The direction of the crown or heart on the ring points depends on purpose to signify. Wearing it on your right hand with the heart facing outwards symbolizes that you open to love or not engaged and worn on the right hand with the heart inwards to symbolize your plan to being in love. When worn on your left hard and heart facing inwards, this meant that you have committed yourself to another person forever and basically is worn as a wedding ring. When one is not interested in starting a relationship, how to wear the claddagh ring also convey your status. It is worn on the right hard with the crown pointing towards the heart. Once a person enters into a relationship, it remains on right hard but is turned so that the heart faces the wearer. This statement connotes that your heart is now taken and no longer open to others.

Claddagh rings are worn by both men and women therefore the rings are made in deferent sizes and weight. The size of the gemstone used increase in size depending on spouse status a man or woman where the male ring is normally the heavier one. Metals like silver gold and platinum are the popular secured for the claddagh rings.

The meaning of the claddagh ring and how to wear it, is woven around the history of Richard Joyce. After return to his lover from slavery, he brought her the first claddagh ring. Ever since the first ring was made over 300 years ago, the meaning of this ring has been love, friendship, commitment and royalty and its significance obviously is a perfect choice for relationships and engagements.

Wearing a claddagh ring sends a message about your status and relationship therefore is a must one to observe when planning for a claddagh ring. This ring has become immensely popular in many world generations. There are made with the highest quality sterling silver with all gemstone options and flawless artistry that is provided for the gold version of claddagh rings.