The traditional gold wedding ring is – perhaps even more than diamond rings – an icon of modern western marriage. Even in Japan, where there is no historical tradition to wear a wedding ring, young couples are opting in favour of slipping a band of gold onto that fourth finger.
The meanings attached to the traditional gold wedding ring are numerous and largely obvious – love, commitment, support in partnership and so on. Of all wedding jewellery, none will see as much life as the gold wedding band.
Yellow Gold
The small percentage of copper included gives yellow gold its sunny hue. Similar to yellow gem stones, yellow gold represents the bright optimism of the future at that moment the ring goes on. And truth. Combined with that optimism is clarity of the truth – in important component of any marriage.
Rose (Pink) Gold
The slightly elevated level of copper in rose gold gives the sunset-like hue to this shade of wedding band. The connotations of rose gold are based around acceptance, longevity of memory and contentment within a marriage.
White Gold
Largely for reasons of fashion, most contemporary gold wedding bands and their trusty sidekick diamond rings are set in white gold (or platinum) White gold contains no copper, and as such it’s connotations rest firmly upon purity, undiluted love and commitment.
Of course the notion that wedding jewellery such as wedding bands and engagement rings really hold any greater significance than that which the wearer bestows upon them is arguable.
The contemporary marriage is however one of options – the option to marry in a wetsuit, create bespoke vows, marry at dawn, complete the service with a bungee jump – options! In such cases, the opportunity to add a little extra meaning via wedding jewellery is certainly a nice… option!