A beautiful new range of Birthstone Claddagh Rings combine Irish tradition with international meaning.
For centuries, the Claddagh ring has been a symbol of Ireland, particularly for the Irish abroad. It roots the wearer in their own culture and places the Claddagh story at the heart of their lives every day. The ring symbolises love, loyalty and friendship and acts as a connection point for anyone looking for a sense of themselves. Originating in the small village of Claddagh in Co Galway around 300 years ago, craftspeople have reinvented and explored its traditions in all parts of Ireland since.
The Callaghan family in Co Donegal have been handcrafting this ring for over 60 years and now, they have released a new range that fuses the traditional Claddagh ring with birthstones, unlocking a whole new gateway to the heart of the Claddagh tradition. Each ring has a gemstone set in the heart of the ring with beaded crown and silver hands curving around it. Each month has its own birthstone and each stone has its own meaning, history and personality. You can choose to wear the Birthstone Claddagh Ring of your month of birth or collect all 12 and wear a different birthstone each month of the year.
Here’s our guide to the Birthstone Claddagh Ring and the meaning of the stones.
January Birthstone: The Garnet Red Claddagh Ring
The Garnet’s colour
Layers of orange and deep red identify the January birthstone, bringing an elegance and sense of occasion to this Birthstone Claddagh Ring. Its name comes from the Latin granum, meaning seed or grain and unlike many of the birthstones, it’s a group of minerals rather than one single mineral.
The Garnet’s strength
The Garnet represents purpose and can introduce a sense of prosperity into the home of the wearer. Set between the hands of the Claddagh, it reflects the power of giving, promising to pay the bearer back for goodwill or help given to others. This January Birthstone Claddagh Ring is a symbol of protection in the year ahead.
The Garnet’s past
Warriors are said to have worn Garnet in battle and, throughout the world, Garnet has represented life and a prosperous future. The jewels of royalty often contained Garnet and it is one of the nine jewels in Indian Vedic astrology that make up the jewellery style called the Navaratna.
February Birthstone: The Amethyst Purple Claddagh Ring
The Amethyst’s colour
The attractive purple hue of the Amethyst is derived from the presence of iron and other metals in its makeup, bringing brilliant violet shades to this natural quartz. Quartz is the second most abundant mineral on the planet and the semi-precious stones it creates are widely sought after for their colour.
The Amethyst’s strength
Amethyst is a source of creativity and passion, rewarding the wearer with a calming energy and a sense of relaxation. Set at the heart of the Birthstone Claddagh Ring, it combines the ring’s sense of love with a natural protector that is said to help with rebuilding – whether spiritual or physical.
The Amethyst’s past
The Amethyst is a popular gem that has been set into the jewels of royalty and the wealthy for centuries. The violet exudes a sense of wealth and attraction while folklore suggests it can bring the power of prophecy to the wearer.
March Birthstone: The Aquamarine Blue Claddagh Ring
The Aquamarine’s Colour
It’s no surprise that the words Aqua, meaning water, and Marine, meaning the sea, are so easily combined in the name of this birthstone. The colours are like a slice of the ocean, with shades of blues, pale greens and whites competing for dominance.
The Aquamarine’s Strength
Aquamarine is said to deliver strength and a sense of calmness to the bearer. Wrapped in the arms of the Claddagh, the protective aspect is enhanced, and the open hands of the Birthstone Claddagh Ring mirror the freedom to communicate that the stone embodies for many.
The Aquamarine’s Past
Aquamarine will always be linked to myths and legends around mermaids while sailors carried the gem onboard their ships to deliver safe crossings. The gem is said to have been given to brides by bridegrooms after their wedding while in medieval times it is also said that the stone was used to reawaken past love.
April Birthstone: The Diamond Claddagh Ring
The Diamond’s Colour
The diamond is the best-known gem in the family of birthstones, and for good reason. Its natural ability to reflect and capture light on its brilliant cut surface is unique and dazzling. The stone used in this Birthstone Claddagh Ring is cubic zirconia and chosen for its ability to mimic the magic of diamond.
The Diamond’s Strength
Diamonds are natural protectors. Their ability to appear transparent while reflecting the world around them in a myriad of colours is their key. They evoke a sense of power to the wearer and the combination of this stone in the Birthstone Claddagh Ring amplifies the protective elements of the Claddagh itself.
The Diamond’s Past
As one of the hardest and most sought after elements on the planet, the diamond has always featured in jewellery and status. Its lack of impurities allowed it to represent innocence and peace for many cultures.
May Birthstone: The Emerald Green Claddagh Ring
The Emerald’s Colour
The emerald is immediately attractive and quickly catches the eye with its deep shades of layered green. It creates impressions of fertility, youth and independence on the wearer and pushes these feelings outward towards anyone who notices it.
The Emerald’s Strength
Cultures all over the world have prized emerald for centuries. It is said to raise the status of the bearer, providing a sense of calm and security. The green, so reflective of the green of nature, easily captures the power of growth and continuance. Combined within the Birthstone Claddagh Ring, it strengthens the ideas of love, loyalty and friendship the ring embodies.
The Emerald’s Past
Cleopatra is the emerald’s most famous advocate. She is said to have laid claim to all the emerald mines in Egypt and wove the gemstone into her clothing and jewellery. It has been used in the crowns and jewels of kings and queens throughout history.
June Birthstone: The Alexandrite Purple Claddagh Ring
The Alexandrite’s Colour
Alexandrite is a mysterious gem in that in different light settings, can change colour. Its dominant shade is a dark green but in light it appears red or fiery pink.
The Alexandrite’s Strength
The newness of this stone encourages a sense of good luck and fortune to come. It was particularly prized by world famous jewellers, the Tiffany family, when it was discovered and they have since championed the gem in their own jewellery design. The ability to change colour makes this stone a wonderful complement to the Claddagh and its role in rooting people in Ireland while creating new lives all over the world.
The Alexandrite’s Past
The Alexandrite is the newest gemstone among birthstones. It was discovered in Russia in the late 1800s while searching for emeralds. It was named after Prince Alexander of Russia. Since then clusters of this gem have been found in other countries including Brazil, Sri Lanka and Mozambique.
July Birthstone: The Ruby Red Claddagh Ring
The Ruby’s Colour
The colour of ruby is astonishing, with deep reds, pinks and light reds layered upon each other. It is a colour of attraction and power and has come to symbolise both in modern life areas like fashion, design and food. The blood-like colours of ruby give it a virility that allows it to stand alone.
The Ruby’s Strength
As a birthstone, ruby is said to increase passion and love, making it a perfect complement in the birthstone Claddagh ring, which prizes love so highly. The combination of these two elements can only help build the sense of loyalty and respect that is prized within relationships.
The Ruby’s Past
Ruby’s were always prized as being the most powerful gem and were fashioned into amulets to ward off evil and illness. The stone has been written about in literature throughout the world and were said to be carried by kings and warriors to battle.
August Birthstone: The Peridot Yellow Claddagh Ring
The Peridot’s Colour
Peridot is a brilliant green colour with slices of lime and burnt yellow underpinning its calming shades. It is found in areas where the earth’s plates meet and which are, or once were, hotspots for volcanic activity.
The Peridot’s Strength
Volcanoes destroy and create at the same time with lava forming new land as it cools. Consequently, peridot is often linked to ideas of rebirth and growth. It’s also often suggested that it can help the wearer cast off old burdens while holding on to those things you love. Its position here at the heart of the Birthstone Claddagh Ring makes this idea even more tangible.
The Peridot’s Past
Hawaiian folklore believes the peridot gem to be a gift of the goddess of the volcano, Pele. Others believe that some of Cleopatra’s most famous emeralds were in fact peridot while the elaborate shrine in Cologne Cathedral, the Three Holy Kings, is adorned with peridot.
September Birthstone: The Sapphire Blue Claddagh Ring
The Sapphire Colour
Blue is the dominant and most sought-after colour of sapphire, although it can come in other colours too. The blue cut sapphire is a myriad of shadow and light layers with a mysterious sense that the light is locked within it.
The Sapphire’s Strength
Sapphire has been worshipped across cultures and countries for centuries. It is said to embody serenity, peace of mind and prosperity. The combination of these ideas within the story of the Birthstone Claddagh Ring is a wonderful way to capture a sense of the importance of truth, love and loyalty.
The Sapphire’s Past
It was decreed that the rings of popes should contain sapphire as it reflects the depth of knowledge a pope must hold and the sense that there are depths to their role that are unseen. Persian rulers are said to have believed the sapphire controlled the blue of the sky.
October Birthstone: The Zircon Pink Claddagh Ring
The Pink Zircon’s’s Colour
Pink Zircon represents the October birthstone in this ring. It’s an alternative October birthstone to Tourmaline. It is a beautifully layered rose pink stone that catches the light and shade of this elegant gem.
The Pink Zircon’s’s Strength
Set at the heart of the Birthstone Claddagh Ring, this gem is said to protect against negative or unwelcome energy and is often worn to evoke growth within the life of the wearer. It is said to attract success and build confidence in the wearer and so makes a wonderful companion to the Claddagh.
The Pink Zircon’s’s Past
Zircon can be worn as a talisman and is one of the oldest minerals on the planet. Its name is said to come from the Persian word Zargun meaning gold coloured, although it comes in many colours
November Birthstone: The Topaz Yellow Claddagh Ring
The Topaz Colour
Pure Topaz is colourless but it changes depending on the mineral impurities it picks up in the earth. The topaz in this Birthstone Claddagh Ring is yellow and this is often the most prized colour, representing the sun.
The Topaz Strength
Topaz is said to bring a soothing presence to the wearer. It’s often considered a source of recharge and a way to unlock a former sense of motivation. It’s about love and joy and so is a great companion at the heart of the Birthstone Claddagh Ring which is itself rooted in love and trust.
The Topaz Past
Topaz has been revered for many centuries. The Egyptians believed that topaz represented the sun god Ra. Indian cultures saw it as a talisman that would ward off evil while bringing long life and prosperity. Before it became more commonly sourced, it was a favoured stone of royalty all over the world.
December Birthstone: The Zircon Light Blue Claddagh ring
The Zircon’s Colour
The blue zircon at the heart of this Birthstone Claddagh Ring is the alternative birthstone for December. It shouldn’t be confused with cubic zirconia. This naturally occurring gem comes in a number of colours but the brilliant blue is the most sought after.
The Zircon’s Strength
Zircon is held as a great boost to creativity and confidence and is said to convey a sense of peace while attracting good fortune. It is a wonderful stone to have at the heart of the Birthstone Claddagh Ring as, like the Claddagh, it is wrapped up in a belief in security and success through protection.
The Zircon’s Past
Some Zircon dates back as far as 4.4 billion years and overall it is considered to be among the oldest mineral on earth. It was said to have protective powers by travellers in the 11th century and was worn as an amulet in many cultures.
