History of puzzle rings as wedding rings

Puzzle Rings, also know as “Turkish wedding rings” or “harem rings”, have always served as a very unique style of engagement ring or wedding ring over the years.

Traditionally, they are fashioned from anywhere between two and twelve separate rings, woven together to made one larger ring.

Each separate ring is also interconnected with at least one other part of the overall piece. With such an unusual design and concept, they have always done wonders to catch people’s attention and imaginations. The history behind the use of puzzle rings as engagement rings or wedding rings can be just as unusual and unique as well.

So where does this tradition come from?

Legend of the Turkish Nobleman

One of the most common myths surrounding the first use of a puzzle ring as an engagement ring takes place in Turkey. It was said that a wealthy Turkish nobleman had the first puzzle ring commissioned by the royal jewellers.

He wished to present the unique ring to his wife, who he cherished above all else, as a wedding ring. While she was rumoured to have found the ring delightful and intriguing, he had ulterior motives in its design. Because the nobleman was required to spend a substantial amount of time away from his home and his bride, who was rumoured to be one of the fairest in the region, he wanted to ensure that she was, in fact, remaining faithful to him during his absences.

If she was having an affair without his knowledge, it would have been necessary to remove her wedding ring when meeting with her lover in order to avoid the stigma of being an adulteress.

The puzzle ring, also referred to as a Turkish Wedding Ring at times, was designed to unravel if it was removed from his bride’s finger. According to legend, only the nobleman and the jeweller who designed the ring knew the proper steps to manipulate the individual elements of the ring to make it whole again.

Unfortunately, this is where the legend ends.

No one knows for sure whether or not the Turkish bride remained faithful to her husband or not. While once the most widely accepted origin of the puzzle rings uses as a wedding ring, the story has been highly disputed over the years and is no believed to be mostly fictional in nature.

Historians actually believe now that the legend was fabricated by locals in order to encourage military personnel stationed in Turkey to buy the unique weddings rings to take to their loved ones back home. If it was nothing more than a marketing ploy, it definitely seems to have worked.

Did Puzzle Rings Evolve from the Gimmal Ring?

Further research into the origins of the puzzle ring as a wedding ring or engagement ring indicates that the design was actually derived from that of a gimmal ring, or twin ring.

A gimmal ring was typically made of two separate rings, one for each of the couple to wear during their engagement. Upon marriage, the two rings were joined together in order to create the bride’s wedding ring. At times, a third ring was used and held by a close friend of the betrothed couple.

This person would stand as a witness to the marriage proposal and, at the wedding itself, present his ring to be joined with the other two to represent the keeping of the intentions vowed during the engagement.

Puzzle Rings and Gimmal Rings in History

One of the earliest known uses of a puzzle ring or gimmal ring being given as a wedding ring was the ring presented to Catherine Bora by Martin Luther when they were wed in 1525.

The puzzle ring was also notable for the inscription it bore which has become a standard part of several wedding vow variations. Inside the ring was carved “Whom God has joined together, Let no man put asunder”. Giving puzzle rings as weddings rings also increased in popularity during the Renaissance period due to their whimsical nature and toy-like charm.

While the exact original of the puzzle ring or gimmal ring as a wedding rings remains unclear, the unique nature of the ring itself still makes it a excellent choice for couples looking for wedding rings that stray from traditional designs.