A gimmal ring, or gimmel ring, is a ring with two or three hoops or links that fit together to form one complete ring. The name gimmal comes from Latin ''gemellus'', twin, via Old French. They were known as joint rings in Elizabethan England. In the 16th and 17th centuries, such rings were fashionable in England, Germany, and other countries, and were often used as

betrothal An engagement or betrothal is the period of time between the declaration of acceptance of a marriage proposal and the marriage itself (which is typically but not always commenced with a wedding). During this period, a couple is said to be ''fi ...

rings. The engaged couple would wear one hoop each and rejoin them to use as a wedding ring. With triple link rings, a third person could witness the couple's vows and hold the third part of the ring until the marriage. An early gimmal band, consisting of two interlocked rings sculpted to form a single ring, is to be found in the

Victoria and Albert Museum The Victoria and Albert Museum (often abbreviated as the V&A) in London is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.27 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and nam ...

, dated to 1350.

Henry III of England Henry III (1 October 1207 – 16 November 1272), also known as Henry of Winchester, was King of England, Lord of Ireland, and Duke of Aquitaine from 1216 until his death in 1272. The son of King John and Isabella of Angoulême, Henry a ...

met the Count of

Gynes The gyne (, from Greek γυνή, "woman") is the primary reproductive female caste of social insects (especially ants, wasps, and bees of order Hymenoptera, as well as termites). Gynes are those destined to become queens, whereas female workers ...

in 1202 and gave him a gimmal ring set with a ruby and two emeralds.

Martin Luther Martin Luther (; ; 10 November 1483 – 18 February 1546) was a German priest, theologian, author, hymnwriter, and professor, and Augustinian friar. He is the seminal figure of the Protestant Reformation and the namesake of Lutherani ...

wed Catherine Bora in 1525 with a gimmal ring inscribed "Whom God has joined together, Let no man put asunder".The Power of Love, Levi, Karen editor,1988, Diamond Information Centre, London Around 1600, the gimmal ring began to sometimes incorporate the clasped hands of the

fede ring A fede ring is a ring in which two hands clasp, as if in friendship, love or betrothal. The design was used in Ancient Rome, maybe earlier. It became prominent in the Middle Ages, from the 12th century onward. The name "fede" is from the Italian ...

and a third symbol, a heart, was added, sometimes with a third shank. Designs involving clasped hands, and sometimes a heart, remained popular after the

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history The history of Europe is traditionally divided into four time periods: prehistoric Europe (prior to about 800 BC), classical antiquity (800 BC to AD ...

.Similar imagery is found on other love rings, including

claddagh ring A Claddagh ring ( gle, fáinne Chladaigh) is a traditional Irish ring in which a heart represents love, the crown stands for loyalty, and two clasped hands symbolize friendship.George Frederick Kunz (1911). Rings for the Finger: From the Earlie ...

s. The Benjamin Zucker collection in the Walters Museum in Baltimore contains two elaborate gimmal rings incorporating small hidden enameled sculptural details visible only when the bands are separated. By the late 18th century, multiple shanks of five or more were made, sometimes collected at the back by a pivot, so they hinged like a fan.

Cultural references

There are several references to gimmal rings in Shakespeare's plays, including a joint-ring mentioned in '' Othello''. Robert Herrick's poem ''The Jimmall Ring or True-Love Knot'' (1648) is founded on a gimmal (jimmall) ring. A gimmal ring is important to characters in

Dryden '' John Dryden (; – ) was an English poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright who in 1668 was appointed England's first Poet Laureate. He is seen as dominating the literary life of Restoration England to such a point that the per ...

's '' Don Sebastian'' (1690), which includes the passage:

A curious artist wrought 'em, With joynts so close as not to be perceiv'd; Yet are they both each other's counterpart.

References

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Sources

* Diana Scarisbrick, Takayuki Toyama, Kanji Hashimoto, ''Historic Rings: Four Thousand Years of Craftsmanship'' (2004)
Gimmel ring
Rings (jewellery)

Cultural references

See also

References

Sources