Claddagh Rings

Claddagh rings have a crowned heart held between two hands. The heart symbolizes love, the hands symbolize friendship, and the crown symbolizes loyalty. Claddagh Rings are a traditional gift of love. The name comes from the Irish village of Claddagh outside Galway.

Claddagh rings are often used as traditional Irish engagement rings or wedding rings. They are also a traditional friendship or promise ring.

A claddagh ring worn on the right hand, with the point of the heart worn outward toward the fingertips, signals that its wearer is single. A claddagh ring worn on the right hand with the heart pointing to the wrist means the wearer is in a relationship. A claddagh ring worn on the left ring finger means its wearer is engaged or married. In some references, the ring is worn with the heart's point facing in for engagement and out for marriage and in others the ring is worn with the point facing in for both.

The distinctive design was created in the 17th century but it is based on Fede rings which originated in Roman times. Fede rings are adorned with hands or clasped hands. Some Fede ring designs are puzzle rings, with a hand on each ring that become clasped hands when they are worn together.

Claddagh rings are traditionally worn by both men and women. Before 1840, the style was generally worn by men. Today, it's more popular for women.

"Fenian" Claddagh rings are designs without the crown, a variation created in Dublin, possibly to remove what might be considered a reference to the British monarchy.

With a little care, your fine jewelry will keep its good looks forever. The best way to clean your jewelry is by soaking it in a bowl of warm water with a few drops of ordinary dish detergent. If needed, use a soft brush where dust and soap can collect. Then just rinse and pat dry with a soft cloth.

You won't have to clean your jewelry as often if you put it on after applying hairspray, perfume, and cosmetics. Be sure to remove your jewelry before strenuous activities like sports. Keep jewelry away from chlorine and other household chemicals. Always make sure it is dry and clean by wiping with a cloth before putting it away.

To protect the beauty of your jewelry, don't keep it in a tangle in a jewelry box. Remember, gems can scratch metal or each other. When you travel, make sure your jewelry pieces don't rub against each other in your bag. Store each piece separately or wrap each one in tissue paper or a soft cloth.

We want you to love your Gemvara jewelry, so we offer a 101-day no-questions-asked return policy. If you aren't satisfied with your unique Gemvara jewelry creation for any reason, you can send it back in its original unworn condition for a full refund. Each returned piece must have its original tag attached, so leave the tag on until you are sure you love it. If you love it but it doesn't fit, no problem: we offer one free resizing as well.

We stand behind our exceptional American-made quality with a one-year warranty on the craftsmanship of our jewelry. Because the earth is precious too, we make our jewelry from conflict-free gems and recycled precious metals.

We're so convinced that you will love the Gemvara experience, we make it even easier by offering free shipping too. (We're all about making more happy customers. Also have we told you how nice you look today?)

If you have any questions at all about our unique jewelry customization process, our products, or an order you've placed, give us a call at 1-800-436-8803, click to chat, or email us at customer-care@gemvara.com. You'll see for yourself why our customers rave about our personal service.