Have you ever wondered how to buy wedding jewellery?
Well you’ve come to the right place!
Here at Woods Jewellers in Coulsdon, we have a team of in-house experts including Goldsmiths, a Valuer, Gemmologist, CAD Jewellery Designers and dedicated Sales Staff. Click here to see more about our team.
Every member of the Woods team is able to help you come to decisions about your wedding rings. We have many samples you can see and try on, and can provide on the spot prices for a large variety of metals, widths and designs.
Our on-site designers can create something truly unique for you, or maybe a matching set for you and your partner. We can also engrave a special message, initials or a date on the inside of your band to be cherished forever.
Whether you want something totally quirky and unconventional, or something more traditional. We assure you, we can find the perfect wedding set for you.
What Does A Wedding Ring Symbolise?
Have you ever thought to yourself “why do we exchange wedding rings?” It’s a good question, with a very interesting answer, and a vast colourful history.
A circle is the perfect symbolism of something that has no beginning and no end – it is eternal, and symbolises infinity, timelessness and wholeness. Therefore, it is the perfect symbol of marriage and eternal love.
The tradition of exchanging wedding bands actually dates back thousands of years.
A Quick History; about Wedding Rings.
The beginning
We don’t know the exact date that wedding rings began to be exchanged within ceremonies, but many historians believe that the roots of this tradition were planted around 6,000 years ago in Ancient Egypt. Primitive wedding bands were most likely made from hemp or reed, these then likely developed into Iron bands and eventually into Gold.
Why the left hand?
Ancient Egyptians also believed that the ring was a symbol of eternal love. They considered that wearing your wedding band on the ring finger of the left hand had a vein connected directly to the heart, the “vena amoris” - “the vein of love”. However the wedding ring is not always worn on the left ring finger, in some cultures (some parts of Asia, Russia and India) it is worn on the right ring finger – or on a different finger entirely! In other parts of the world the ring is worn on the left hand until the ceremony, and then swaps to the right part after marriage (or vice versa).
Through time to now
The use of weddings bands can be seen throughout history, passed along from Ancient Egyptians to Ancient Rome (although they weren’t always quite so romantic about it!) The tradition then saw Medieval Europe, through to The Renaissance, where puzzle (puzzle-like rings that fit together to form one single complete ring) and posey (rings inscribed with poetry) began their journey. Mid-Century America furthered the custom – WW2 playing a crucial role in men wearing wedding bands to remind them of their wife back home. This bring us to modern day, where wedding rings come in a large variety of styles, shapes and sizes, and the exchanging of them has become an important part of the ceremony.
Popular Metals Used In Wedding Rings
Here at Wood Jewellers, we would suggest suggest Platinum, White Gold or Yellow Gold are the best options for your wedding jewellery, and here's why...
Durability
Platinum is a very dense metal which means it has excellent resistance to wearing away. A wedding ring made in Platinum could be worn for decades and barely lose any thickness at all. The downside of Platinum is that it tends to lose its high polish and sharp edges fairly quickly. This is not because they are being worn away but, more accurately, they are being moulded like clay around the surface of the ring. This can result in small ‘bruises’ and dents on the metal surface that over time creates its own unique finish called a patina. It is this particular characteristic that can mean some design elements are better in Gold.
When comparing to 18ct White Gold it is also worth noting that it is purer in composition - with 950 parts Platinum to every 1000, 18ct White Gold is 750 parts to every 1000). Platinum is also naturally anti-allergenic.
Although not as dense as Platinum, Gold is intrinsically strong and fine details have more rigidity. If a design features hand engraving, mill grain or square edges, these details will be retained by White Gold better than Platinum. The downside of White Gold is that it is more susceptible to wearing away. If you have ever seen an old Gold ring, it is likely you would have noticed that it has become very thin due to the metal wearing off over time.
Colour
Platinum is naturally white and so will not become "creamy" in colour as White Gold does over time. White Gold is made by combining pure gold (which is yellow in colour) with alloying metals such as Palladium. Because of the yellow metal content, White Gold is actually slightly grey/off-white in colour. This can be corrected by a surface treatment called Rhodium plating.
Rhodium plating is the application of a very thin layer of a metal called Rhodium that is electrically plated on to the surface of the White Gold to change it to a brighter white colour. This plating wears off over time and needs to be reapplied throughout the life of the jewellery. The plating can last around 3 years if you take good care of your jewellery, although this really does depend on each an every single person and cannot be guaranteed.
Pairing
When choosing your metal, it is important to keep in mind any future purchases of jewellery too. Any jewellery that may rub up against each other, like an engagement ring and wedding ring, will ideally need to be made of the same metal, in order to ensure that one is not wearing the other away over time.
However, bear in mind that when you come into Woods Jewellers you can always rely on our staff members to address these questions for you. Leave it to us, we can take the stress out of wedding ring shopping!
Perfect Match
When shopping for an engagement ring it is often worth baring in mind how it will work with a wedding band. Here at Woods Jewellers we offer matching sets, a large variety of wed fit engagement rings (rings that will sit alongside a straight wedding band|) and fitted wedding rings (wedding rings bespokely made to sit perfectly with your engagement ring)
Design Options & Ideas
Options for wedding rings are rapidly evolving and expanding. Here at Woods Jewellers we are excited to offer a large selection, ranging from; plain bands in a variety of widths, metals and profiles, to diamond set bands, engraved patterns, wishbone / fitted designs, 2 or even 3 tone and completely bespoke one off designs to your specification.
Click here to see some examples of wedding rings.
Finding Your Ring Size
Easy! Pop in store and we'll fit you for your perfect ring size.
Remember, this is just a guide. For the most stress-free way to shop for an engagement ring or wedding rings, just pop into us at Woods Jewellers in Coulsdon.
Our team of expert professionals will help you every step of the way. From bespoke to ready to wear, with our on-site workshop we can do, well, pretty much anything!
From the Team at Woods, we can't wait to see you soon!
Happy Shopping!
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