The Significance of an Engagement Ring

Vena Amoris, the Vein of Love

A ring, characterised by a continuous line, symbolically represents the connection between the spiritual and material world. The physical and spiritual powers derive from its shape, since the perfect circle, just like love, knows neither the beginning nor the end. The history of this deep symbolism reaches back to the times of Ancient Egypt, where more than 6,000 years ago it was believed that a vein of love, called the vena amoris, reaches from the left ring finger directly to the heart.

Eternalising the Shared Future by “Crowning” the Ring Finger

The Roman and the Greek civilisations also wanted to elevate the promise of eternal fidelity with the precise choice of the material from which this delicate piece of jewellery was to be made. At first made from iron and later from gold, the wedding ring symbolised power and permanence surviving all tests of time. Thus, eternalising the shared future by “crowning” the ring finger persists until this day.

However, showing affection is not limited only to people – it also exists in the animal world, with penguins. When a male falls in love, he heads out on several long walks along the beach in search of the most beautiful stone with which he can reveal his affection to his chosen one. After several days of searching, he presents his loved one with a tiny piece of nature in the hope that she accepts his love and spends the rest of her life with him.

Symbolism of engagement and wedding rings

The more we try to describe love, the more we return to the symbolism defined by engagement and wedding rings. We still love to hear stories of romantic proposals and shed a tear when the bride and groom exchange rings during a wedding ceremony.

It is our significant others who, similarly to penguin males, usually devote a lot of thoughtful attention to the selection of just the right ring.