Engraving Ideas: Personalized Rings and Things

No, I am not talking about the wedding ring engravings that spell out the couple’s initials and birthdays or the date of the wedding. Not even the ones that have wedding vows engraved on them or feature memorable quotes, mottos and mantras – what have you. I am talking about all of the above, but from a very different perspective.

In an interview with The Star, John Thompson, director of Birks on Bloor St. W., says that has seen a lot of shy and nervous soon-to-be newlyweds. “I find people take the buying of the wedding bands very seriously,” he says. “The trend now is for something quite plain, and often people have the date and their initials engraved inside – which indicates to me that they intend to wear it a long time, they are taking it seriously, and they want something that they won’t get tired of.”

He added that men are somewhat hesitant about wearing a wedding band, not because of lack of commitment but simply because they’ve never worn a ring before. “A lot of men say it feels kind of strange, and it is their first and only piece of `jewellery.’” (I highlighted the most important parts)

In my opinion, these are very important sociological observations. Most interestingly, if you choose to engrave your wedding rings you are sending a signal to everybody, including your future spouse! The signal that says, “This is a serious thing. We will wear these rings for a long-long time.” The psychological motives behind this may be simple. By creating special memories and unique shared experiences people tend to become closer to each other. Traditionally this is meant to be achieved by having an expensive wedding with many guests. True, this is a sure way to create memories and family ties. We all know, of course, that expensive weddings do not insure against divorces any better than modest ceremonies. Why would a wedding ring engraving create any hopes for a better married life?

As we have already noted, when couples choose to have their rings engraved they display the strength of their commitment. The actual engraved rings reinforce their commitment. While still a part of the wedding ceremony held in public (expensive of not), the traditional exchanging of the rings becomes more intimate and meaningful for the bride and the groom. The memories associated with engraved wedding rings are more personal and enduring than the recollections of a public event that is a wedding. And that’s the reason why engraving your wedding bands has the potential to add lasting value to a relationship.

Now, of course, if you look from this perspective, choosing an inscription for your wedding rings becomes an even more serious task. Wouldn’t it seem that the more personal the message on the wedding rings, the better?

And, speaking of unique and unusual engravings on wedding rings, how does “Lobster” sound to you?

This list contains a few select inscriptions taken from antique promise rings. The spelling of the actual engravings has been preserved, so if you pick one of them it might be a good idea to stick with an “old looking” font. Most engravers these days can easily accommodate such a request. You can also customize these engravings in any way you like (which includes updating the orthography), or simply use the rhyming scheme to create your very own and very special engraved rings. Some of these inscriptions are more fitting for promise rings, some are more suited as engravings on wedding rings. Be warned, most of these little poems have an Elizabethan “ring” to them. I believe that this creates some additional charm. Also, keep in mind that rings can be engraved on the inside , so that the engraved phrases may only be known to you and your loved one.

ALL THINE IS MINE

ALL MINE IS THINE

ALL PERFECT LOVE

IS FROM ABOVE

AS GOD HATH KNIT OUR

HEARTS IN ONE

LET NOTHING PART BUT DEATH

ALONE

AS GOLD IS PURE LET LOVE INDURE

BODY AND MINDE IN THEE I FINDE

BY GOD’S DIRECTION WE JOYN AFFECTION

CONSTANT AND TRUE I’LL BE TO YOU

CONTENTED WITH MY CHOICE

DESIRE AND DESERVE

ENDLESS AS THIS SHALL BE OUR BLISS

GOD SAW THEE MOST FIT FOR ME

GOD’S INTENT NONE CAN PREVENT

I BID ADIEU TO ALL BUT YOU

I DO REJOYCE IN THEE MY CHOYCE

I FANCY NONE BUT THEE ALONE

I LIKE MY CHOICE AND DO REJOYCE

IN CONSTANCIE I LIVE AND DYE

IN LOVE’S DELIGHT SPEND DAY AND NIGHT

KEEPE FAYTH TILL DETH

LOVE EVER OR LOVE NEVER

LOVE IS SURE WHERE FAITH IS PURE

MY GIVING THIS

BEGINS MY BLISS

MY LOUE TO THEE SHALL ENDLESS BE

NO LOVE MORE TRUE THAN MINE TO YOU

NOT THINE NOR MINE BUT OURS

ON THY RETURN FROM SEE

UNITED WEE WILL BEE

PREPARED BE TO FOLLOW ME

REMEMBER HIM WHO DIED FOR THEE

AND AFTER THAT REMEMBER ME

REMEMBER MEE WHEN THIS YOU SEE

RINGS AND TRUE FRIENDS

ARE WITHOUT ENDS

THIS AND I UNTILL I DIE

THY CONSENT IS MY CONTENT

TO GOD’S DECREE WEE BOTH AGREE

TO LIVE IN LOVE I LOVE TO LIVE

TO ME TILL DEATH AS DEAR AS BREATH

TWAS GOD TO THEE DIRECTED ME

UNITED HARTES DEATH ONLY PARTES

VERTUE AND LOVE ARE FROM ABOVE

WHERE ONCE I CHOOSE I NE’ER REFUSE

Also see:

Ideas for Engraved Rings. Part 1: Latin Quotes on Engraved Wedding Rings, Promise Rings and Purity

Promise Rings: History and Meaning

Here I have a few ideas that might provide inspiration for creating customized engravings on a promise ring, a wedding ring or a purity ring. The first set I am publishing contains Latin quotes. What needs to be said at this point is that looking for Latin quotations on the internet can be a very dangerous thing. There is a lot of bad Latin out there, so to speak. Some translations are dubious to begin with, but after being copied multiple times, they become detached from their context. Eventually people who have no business dealing with Latin compile them and post them for everybody’s pleasure. To give you a vivid example a must quote a page entitled “Latin Love Quotes: Latin Proverbs on Love and Relationships”:

Each quotation offers words of wisdom in English followed by its Latin translation. Latin is the root of the romance languages and it shows. When people think of a Latin lover, they think of a red-hot lover.

The person who wrote this clearly has no idea what she was talking about. The term “romance” in its colloquial sense has very little to do with Romance languages. This usage stems from a literary term describing love stories that were popularized by medieval authors who wrote in a vernacular sometimes referred to as “Romance” (as in romanice scribere ). Similarly, Latin lovers have nothing to do with the language of Ancient Rome. But all this could be forgiven if the quotes cited were actually correct. But they are not! The original text of the famous quote from Virgil Love conquers all is given as Amor tussisque non celantur, actually meaning Love and cough are not concealed. I can only pity someone who used this phrase for their wedding rings or a tattoo! You have to always verify the quotation you are using for an engraving, using a few independent sources. Obviously, I have checked the phrases below the best I could.

• Ab hinc – From here one
• Amor est vitae essentia – Love is the essence of life. (Robert B. Mackay)
• Amoris vulnus idem sanat, qui facit – The same person who causes the wound of love, heals it. (Publilius Syrus)
• Bona fortuna – Good luck.
• Da mihi basia mille – Kiss me with a thousand kisses
• De die in diem – From day to day.
• De novo – Anew.
• Deo adjuvante – With God’s help.
• Deo favente – With God’s favor.
• Domine, dirige nos – Lord, direct us
• Dominus illuminatio mea – The Lord is my light
• Dominus providebit – The Lord will provide
• Dulcius ex asperis – Through difficulty, more sweet.
• Esto perpetuo – May it last forever.
• Ex amore vita – From love, life
• Finis amoris ut duo unum fiant – It is the goal of love that two shall become one.
• In aeternum – Forever.
• In omnia parati – Prepared for everything (plural) .
• Junctis viribus – By united efforts.
• Laus Deo – Praise be to God.
• Manus in manu – Hand in hand.
• Mirabile visu – Wonderful to behold.
• Ne cede malis – Yield not to evils.
• Nec mortem effugere quisquam nec amorem potest – No one is able to flee from death or love (Publilius Syrus)
• Non est ei similis – There is no one like him (her).
• Oculi amorem incipiunt, consuetudo perficit. – The eyes initiate love, habit completes it. (Publilius Syrus)
• Omnia vincit amor; et nos cedamus amori – Love conquers all things; let us too surrender to love . (Virgil). The word order is sometimes changed to “Vincit omnia amor” and “Amor vincit omnia”.
• Pactum serva – Preserve the faith (the contract).
• Pignus amoris - A token of love.
• Puris omnia pura – To the pure all things are pure.
• Quod Deus iunxit homo non separet – What God has joined together, let man not separate.
  
• Quos amor verus tenuit, tenebit – True love will hold on to those whom it has held. (Seneca)
• Si vis amari, ama – If you wish to be loved, love . (Seneca)
• Sine cura – Without a care.
• Spero melior - I hope for better things.
• Tamquam alter idem – As if a second self. ( Cicero about a true friend)
• Ubi amor, ibi oculus – Where there is desire, there is the eye
• Ubi concordia, ibi victoria – Where is the unity, there is the victory. ( Publilius Syrus )
• Ut ameris, ama! – To be loved, love! (Martial)
• Velle est posse – To be willing is to be able.

It must be noted that in ancient Rome there was no distinction between “U” and “V”, there was also no special letter for “J” (“I” was used). The distinction between lower-case and upper-case letters is also a relatively recent innovation. Consequently, it is customary to only use upper-case letters in modern Latin inscriptions and engravings, replacing u’s with V’s, and j’s with I’s. So, if you plan to order engraved rings with the inscription “Junctis viribus” it will look best like this: IVNCTIS VIRIBVS. However, these conventions have become more relaxed in modern times. You can choose the style of lettering based on the design of the wedding rings that you want to engrave. I may be able to provide an advice in some more complicated cases.

See Also: Engraved Dedications for your Friends and Family. In Latin!