Let’s Shake on It – The Fede Ring

Memoriam of Love

"The midday sun bore down upon Philoxenos and his wife, Philoumene. Her gaze dropped from his, her weakened fingers brushed against his hand, sensing fear his strong fingers slipped around her hand and in that moment her fear was gone, vanquished by love, commitment and loyalty. Her own hand grasped his, reforging an undying bond."

 

The Bond Eternal

The handclasp was a powerful symbol throughout the Classical Period carried out with the right hand in reverence of Fides, the deity of fidelity. It was seen on coins, mosaics, sculptures, seal of agreements, in oaths of allegiance, and in depictions of marriage, with Juno Pronuba, the deity of marriage resting a hand on the shoulders of the betrothed.

It should then come as no surprise that rings bearing this powerful image first appeared in Ancient Rome and were one of the first symbols of wedding betrothal in jewellery. Their description adopted the Latin phrase “mani in fide” (“hands clasped in faith”), the eventual inspiration, in the 12th Century, for their modern name, the “Fede Ring”.

It was during this time that Fede rings surged in popularity. Their simple yet alluring design of two hands clasped firmly together in eternal union, was crafted using different combinations of metals and even stone. Oftentimes a message or heartfelt poem was inscribed on the inside of the band as a symbol of affection.

Such poetic inscriptions resulted in the nickname ‘posy ring’. Here are a few such poems through the ages:

‘Meet me at midnight’
‘Sith hands and hart with one Consent
let nought but death the Knot prevent’

‘In love abide till death divide’

Shake it Up!

The Fede ring evolved in a number of ways, with the gimmel ring variant dividable into two rings often with a gemstone hidden inside and partners each wearing one of the two parts. Others added new elements such as the Celtic claddagh ring (see our next post), which incorporated a central heart framed in the middle of the connecting hands.

The later Victorian Era saw a public obsession with the perception of hands and their indication of high social status. Delicate was the way to go, which naturally flowed into a boom in the market for beautification via the jewellery worn. The Fede ring was no exception to the trend, incorporating all kinds of precious stones to boost their appeal.

Image: Monroe ~ Vintage Circa 1950s 9ct Gold Fede Ring

 

Together Forever

The Fede ring is still with us today, and although they have without a doubt taken a step back from the decadence of the Victorian Era to a simpler design.

There are a myriad of Fede ring designs for everyone - gold, silver or platinum, with gemstones or without, polished or textured, plain or quirky. History has shown us that not all wedding and engagement rings need to be the same, The Fede ring offers a wonderful message of ancient love and devotion in all it’s forms.