Bow Rings 

Rings take many forms and shapes, they feature numerous kinds of gemstones from diamonds to emeralds; they serve many purposes, to spice up the dressing, to pop the question, to say your vows, to celebrate; The list is endless. There are a lot of rings to choose from in the market. The one stunning form we would be looking at is the bow rings. Once you set your eyes on one, you’re sold. There’s no going back. I’m sure you’re wondering what this ring we're going on about looks like. You may think you have the picture in your head because of the name but there’s so much you’re yet to learn. 

What Are Bow Rings? 

Now, this one isn’t hard to figure out. You’ve probably got the picture in your head already, a ring with a bow. It can feature bows in many forms. Many times these bows have knots and ribbons attached to them. The bows may even feature gemstones! They make quite the fashion statement. 

What Is A Bow? 

A bow is a knot tied with two loose ends and two loops. It is used on clothes, shoes, ribbons, hair ties, and finally as a motif on rings. The bow is a rather beautiful motif. It works for all genders as people utilize it in various ways such as bow rings. The bow didn’t originate in the 21st century though. Even though that in this time the love for bows is ever blossoming. It started many years ago, centuries even.

Origin Of Bows 

It is believed that bows have been around far back into 2500 – 2600 BC.  The golden ribbon is on display at the metropolitan museum of art.  However, ribbons, as we know them today, were initially found in the  16th to 17th centuries. In these times, it was very popular for men and women to wear bows in their hair. The lock of hair that usually bore the bow was grown longer and rested upon the chest. These were called love locks as they were directly in front of the heart and had romantic significance. 

The use of bows can as well be traced to the French aristocracy in the  18th century. Marquise De Fontage, a mistress to Louis XIV is believed to have begun the trend of trying up your hair in bows. One day when  Marquise was riding her horse, her hat flew off her head. So she took a ribbon off her dress and used it to tie her hair in place, in a bow. At the time, it was considered immodest to leave your hair free. 

The use of bows has since been on the increase, even for men. Many people attribute the creation of the bow tie to Pierre Lorillard. In 1886,  he designed the tuxedo as we’re familiar with alongside a black bow tie.  The use of bow ties shifted to the female in the 1920s through the 1930s, this was thanks to Marlene Dietrich and Katharine Hepburn.  Over the years the bow has featured in many designer collections whether clothes, art, or jewelry like bow rings. 

Origin Of Bows In Jewelry 

Again in the French royal court of Louis XIV, gold and silver were shaped into two loops that resemble bows. They were sometimes engraved with gemstones. These adorned bows were put on necklaces and brooches to further embellish them. These jewelry pieces are called Sevigne; named after Marquise de Sevigne, a woman famous for the amusing letters she wrote to her daughter recording important events in French history. 

Napoleon III, who was the first president and last monarch of France,  gifted his wife a bow brooch. The brooch was initially meant to be a  belt buckle and consisted only of the loops. However, Empress Eugenie was out for much more glamour, she had it further encrusted with diamonds and added tassels. This historic piece of jewelry is on display at the Louvre in France. 

Further in time into the Edwardian era, bow jewelry was created with better forms and flexibility. The advanced jewelry-making techniques at the time made this possible. Also during this time, bows began to appear in jewelry other than brooches and pendants like necklaces,  rings, and earrings. 

The history of bows is indeed fascinating. This rich history certainly makes bow rings more desirable.  

What Do Bows Symbolize? 

Bows are packed with meanings. They symbolize: 

• Union 
• Remembrance 
• Femininity 
• Strength 
• Love 
• Beauty 
• Purity 
• Innocence 

These symbolisms attached to a bow make it the perfect motif for a  ring. You can gift it to someone or yourself for any of the above symbolism mentioned. You can use it to say I love you. You can use it to say, you are strong. You can use it to say, you are beautiful. Or you can just buy or gift it simply because the ring looks attractive to you! Whatever you decide to do is worth it. 

Styling Your Bow Rings 

When it comes to styling these rings, you need to learn about all the embellishments available for these rings. It doesn’t have to feature just a plain simple bow. You can always spice it up. Of course, if you’d rather go for a minimalist ring that’s an amazing choice. We’re going to be answering all the questions you may have as regards styling this gorgeous ring. 

Can I Put A Gemstone On My Bow Ring? 

The answer is simple, yes. You can practically put gems on every kind of ring. If you are interested in gemstones for your bow rings we have a  beautiful collection at Goldia. In addition to that, we will briefly explain the common gemstones used in fine jewelry.

• Diamond: We’re pretty much familiar with diamonds at this point.  We see them every day, colorless, sparkling gemstones. They legit make everything look better. 

Diamonds are the hardest gemstones on the earth. On Moh's scale of hardness, the diamond measures a whopping 10. It is less likely to chip or crack in your rings. Not to mention the stunning beauty the diamond offers to the rings.  

Not all diamonds are colorless or only slightly colored; some have deep shades of black, pink, yellow, or brown. So if you’re to go a  different path from the usual colorless diamonds, “fancy”  diamonds are for you. Although they typically cost a lot more. 

• Emerald: Now this gemstone is adored by many jewelry lovers. It is characterized by a deep shade of green. Emerald belongs to the beryl family alongside Morganite and Aquamarine. It is relatively soft in comparison to diamond; its score is 7.5 on Moh's hardness scale. This means jewelers have to be extra cautious when working with it. 

Aside from emerald being more valuable with deeper shades of green, it is known and typically desired for its inclusions. Some people may not like this but a lot of people love this singular feature of emeralds. If you’re one of those people, then put emeralds at the top of your list when searching for stones for your bow rings. 

• Aquamarine: This cousin to emerald is known and loved for its gorgeous blue hues. It may occur naturally with green tinges but it is heated aggressively to diminish the green. The reason is that blue aquamarine is much higher in demand.

Just like its cousin, aquamarine's value increases as the shade of blue deepens. A beautiful pastel blue or vivid blue will make the perfect addition to bow rings. 

Aquamarine is durable and can withstand everyday wear. This is because its hardness score ranges from 7.5 – 8 on Moh's Scale.  This is true when aquamarine is well cared for. 

• Sapphire: This gemstone is a member of the corundum family. It is commonly found in blue but can also exist in yellow, green, or pink variants. The color of sapphire is completely dependent on the number of trace elements present in the stone. If you love beautiful color variations like sapphire offers, then this is the stone for you. 
• Ruby: Ruby is simply corundum with a very high chromium composition, hence, a deep shade of red. In terms of hardness,  this stone is second only to diamonds; it has 9 on Moh's scale. So,  if you’re going for vivid colors and durability, rubies are a  wonderful choice. 

Do not forget to consider the quality of the gemstone you are purchasing for your rings. Check for: 

• Cut: We are sure you will agree with us that the only way to make your bow rings better is to ensure they sparkle elegantly. This is certainly not possible if the gemstone is cut poorly. The facets will not reflect the light that the gemstone has properly. No colored and white light means no sparkle, no sparkle means a dull and lifeless gemstone. To prevent this make sure you get a gem graded as “excellent” or “very good” by the GIA.
• Clarity: This is not something to bother about for emeralds and some colored gemstones. However, you must get high-graded gemstones on the clarity scale ranging from “flawless” to  “included.” You should get a grade that appears eye-clean. If a VS1  grade appears eye clean it’s no use going for a grade higher than that as it only calls for more money. 
• Color: With diamonds, colorless and fancy colors are the most valuable. While in other gemstones, the deeper the color the more the value. This depends on what shade you want for your gemstone. If you are on a budget but want a colorless diamond,  we recommend you go for slightly colored diamonds on the scale,  they are more affordable and will show no signs of color to the naked eye. 
• Carat: As with color, the higher the carat the higher the value.  Carat does not mean size. It refers to the weight of the gemstone.  Two equal carat gemstones may appear to be different sizes because of the nature of their cut. You should not be so bothered about carat weight that you neglect the other important C's. 

With the above information, you should be on the right path to picking the gemstone for your bow rings. 

What Metal Should I Get My Bow Rings In? 

The preferred choice of metals as with most rings are precious metals.  They are typically very durable, suited for everyday wear, and gorgeous. Let’s take a look at the precious metals you can consider getting your rings in. 

Gold And Its Alloys 

Gold is a gorgeous metal and is in high demand. However, gold is too soft to hold its shape in jewelry; it certainly cannot be used to make a  bow motif in a ring. For this reason, gold is alloyed with metals like nickel, silver, zinc, copper, and palladium. These alloy metals improve the strength of gold and sometimes change its color. 

• Rose Gold: This alloy is made up of gold and copper. It has a  pinkish tinge. Its color depends on the amount of copper present in the alloy. Silver can also be added to lighten the pink color of the metal. It has a distinctly romantic feel, perfect for bow rings. 
• Yellow Gold: Copper again makes up the alloy alongside gold.  However, it is only present in little quantities. This is because the natural yellow color of gold is to be retained while simply strengthening it. 
• White Gold: This is an alloy that has a silvery hue. This is a result of the gold being alloyed with white metals. To further emphasize its silver color, this alloy is plated with rhodium. Rhodium is a  white hypoallergenic metal plus it is very durable. 

Platinum

This is a white metal that is hypoallergenic and very durable. It has a  beautiful luster and should be polished every once in a while.  Platinum is usually more expensive than the alloys of gold.  

Gold alloys are suitable for everyday wear and you can get warm and cool sensations from them. So, there is no need to spend that extra money on platinum. 

When Should I Get A Bow Ring? 

As a result of the meanings packed in bow rings and their outstanding beauty, the ring can serve many purposes. 

• Engagement: For one, if you’re looking to propose to that special someone but want something away from the traditional solitaire, halo, and whatnot. You can get a bow ring with gemstones. It’s certainly not a ring you’d find on every engaged person’s finger. Your partner would die for this! To emphasize that it is an engagement ring, you should make the gemstone the center of attraction. The bow would just be an additional design. 
• Anniversary: It is very popular to get your partner rings on your marriage milestones, mostly with gemstones attached. A nice way to spice up your anniversary ring would be to include the bow motif. Strikingly stunning. 
• Birthday: Of course, there are many choices for a birthday gift.  That makes it all the well overwhelming sometimes. You may not have to search too much, simply get the birthday celebrant a ring with a bow symbol. To make it more special add their birthstone. 

• Holidays: During festive times, you may not find the right gift to get someone, or yourself even. We’re going to say it again,  you don’t have to look too far, get a bow ring! 

You are the one who gets to decide when to purchase this ring, we’ve only given a few instances. The rings work well for any event, occasion, or celebration. 

How To Care For Bow Rings 

Even with the many bends and twists of the metals and possible numerous gemstones, it’s not a difficult process to clean these rings. 

• Simply take warm water, and mix mild detergent or dish soap into it. 
• Soak the ring in this mixture for a few minutes.  
• After which, scrub the ring’s shank, and gemstones with a soft bristle brush. Make sure you get rid of every visible dirt. • Rinse the ring under running water. We advise you do this in a  bowl as your ring can easily fall from your hand and into the drain. 
• Use a fiber-free towel to carefully pat dry the ring. 

Carry out the cleaning process regularly and your ring will appreciate it.

How To Store Your Bow Rings

The best way to store these rings is to separate them from every other piece of jewelry. This will preserve its life and maximize its durability. If you store jewelry pieces together, the harder gems and metals will inflict numerous, undesired scratches on the softer jewelry. 

You should store the rings in a jewelry box; fabric lined and divided into compartments. If you don’t have the jewelry box, simply wrap the rings in a soft cloth before popping them in the drawer. 

In addition to the maintenance techniques highlighted above, you should take your rings for proper inspection at the jewelry store, every once in a while. Preferably, once a year. 

Bows are gorgeous additions to your everyday wear. They make quite the fashion statement. Certainly, these bow rings are sure to turn heads.