Wedding bands – why do they exist?

By Nikki Boer

The history of the wedding band dates back about 4800 years to ancient Egypt. The Egyptians believed rings had links to the supernatural and the circle was their symbol for eternity - an appropriate symbol for eternal love.

The first wedding bands were fashioned from sedges, rushes and reeds surrounding the River Nile, which was considered to be the bringer of great fortune and life. The Romans modernised this idea soon after by using iron for their wedding bands because of its durability. But iron rusts and plant matter rots so thankfully, these have now been replaced by gold, silver or platinum.

The wedding band is most commonly worn on the third finger of the left hand as it is believed that a vein, the vena amoris, runs directly from that finger to the heart.

Previously it was only women who received wedding bands. The Romans believed that a woman’s acceptance of a ring was a legally binding contract. Today, most men choose to wear rings as a token of their commitment, although this tradition is relatively new only beginning in the mid-20th century.

When talking about current trends in wedding bands Nicholas Theocari of Melbourne’s MDT Design says: “White gold is very hot right now.” According to Nicholas, 18 carat gold is pretty much the industry standard in Australia; he describes it as the “Rolls-Royce” of wedding metals. The top three most commonly requested kinds of wedding band for Nicholas are: 18 carat white gold, 18 carat yellow gold and platinum.

Gold, when found in the ground, is 24 carat but it is too soft and malleable to be functional. Most jewellers sell 18 carat gold wedding bands because they are 95 per cent pure gold alloyed with copper and silver. The platinum look is also popular, which is why the cheaper option of white gold is so common. White gold is plated with rhodium, which gives the gold its white, platinum-like appearance.

Wedding ring prices vary according to the metal, weight and setting of the ring but as a guide, MDT’s prices range from about $250 for yellow gold to $900 and above for platinum.