Women's History Month: Her Wedding Ring

Was the woman you're researching married? Have you thought about her wedding ring?

Image by Arek Socha from Pixabay 

The Gemological Institute of America writes on its blog that rings were first designed by the Egyptians. They used rings to represent eternity. Wedding rings start to evolve in the Middle Ages and include gemstones and interlocking bands.

According to GIA, wedding rings weren't the only thing exchanged by a couple. In colonial America, where the Puritans saw rings as frivolous, husbands gave their wives a practical gift, a thimble. Some women cut off the top of the thimble, which then could transform the thimble into a ring. 

So when did women start wearing diamond wedding rings? GIA says there are writings dating to the 15th century that mention diamond wedding rings.

What type of wedding ring did your mom, grandmother or great-grandmother own? Did she wear a simple band or did she have a ring with a diamond or other gemstone? Did she have an engagement ring? Did she wear both rings regularly? Have you looked in catalogs or online to learn more about that ring?

Women's History Month 2023: Her Jewelry Box

Where did your mother and grandmother keep their jewelry? 

Even women who lived simple lives may have had a few pieces of jewelry that were given to them or that they inherited. 

From the collection of Gena Philibert-Ortega

Jewelry boxes have been around for centuries and provide jewels a place to be kept safe and clean. With the Industrial Revolution and later mail-order catalogs, jewelry boxes were easily available to women and could be made from any number of materials, such as metal.

What jewelry boxes did your mother or grandmother have? Do you remember what they held? Sometimes jewelry boxes have other important items stored within. Did you inherit a jewelry box?