About that band of honour

The wedding ring, though one of the small items, is one of those that lasts for as long as your marriage, therefore, choose yours wisely, Stella Nakakande tips.

The wedding ring, originating from ancient Egypt, was meant to be in gold (any other material was bad omen), to occupy the middle finger believed to have a vein that connects to the heart. Today, it comes in varied makes and Shamie Raza of Trust Jewellers at Kamu-Kamu Plaza, says the quality of the rings is utmost when one makes a choice.

Choice
“That’s a memory of the wedding for all time, something you will show to your children and so it should be genuine,” she says. Raza adds that for her customers, it is often a choice between gold and silver, one often dictated by how much one has to spend, with gold, of course, being more costly because of its durability.

Size
“We measure the size of one’s finger,” she says, adding that this is not a hindrance because they have a workshop where a particular ring can be narrowed. In addition, for those that gain weight over time, the ring can also be widened to fit just right.

The nature of the ring
Raza explains that sometimes her customers opt for the engagement ring to be their wedding ring. She says traditionally, the engagement ring had a stone on top, a feature that differentiated it from the wedding band. But in this ‘dot.com’ era, she says, some people want rings with stones, a trend that is becoming acceptable.

Care for the ring
“We advise that one takes the ring back to a jewellery shop for polishing and cleaning every after three months.” At home, this can be done using a hard brush, detergent, and warm water. She adds that the first step after preparing a bath of detergent is to drop the ring in the warm water for five to ten minutes. After this, retrieve and brushe it. Thereafter, the ring is polished. This is done for both gold and silver.
For safe keeping, there are jewellery boxes that have a provision for the ring.

Changing the ring
According to Fr. John Wynand Katende of Namugongo Parish, it is okay for one to have their ring changed and if they do, they have to take it to a Priest for blessing as the previous one. They also have to inform the other partner prior to the purchase because, after all, it is the spouse that gave them ring. “It would be better you go with your spouse to choose the ring.”

fullwoman@ug.nationmedia.com