Genuinely Irish

Jewellery says a lot about the values we want to communicate to others

The Claddagh ring is an instantly recognisable symbol of Ireland. It is associated with what it is to be Irish and to love Irish.

Because it’s so well known, many companies naturally claim that their Claddagh rings are the definite article. As is with many things, however, there are Claddagh Rings and then there are genuinely Irish Claddagh Rings. Sometimes this is hard to spot for the non-connoisseur.

Some Claddagh rings are designed in Ireland but made elsewhere. Some claim to be hand-made but they’re in fact mass produced.

JVD Claddagh Rings are hand made in Joe Duff’s foundry in Galway. They’re made to order, and they feature a special Celtic knot design incorporated into the heart shape, and a softer treatment of the crown. Each ring has its own unique number and comes with a certificate and hand-made gift box.

When you’re looking at Claddagh rings, or you’re browsing a website, here are some questions to ask:

Where are they designed? Is it a unique design or a standard design?

Where are they made?

What parts of the process are done by hand, if any?

How big are the batches of rings they make at one time?

Do they clearly list the weight of each ring? The cost of the ring is related to how much of the precious metal you get, and many providers don’t list the weight

Do the pictures or videos show a squeaky-clean foundry where the rings are supposedly made? If so, there’s probably mot much work genuinely going on in them…

If you can’t find the answers, or the answers are evasive, then perhaps you’re not looking at something genuinely Irish, made in Ireland, hand-made in Galway.

All JVD Claddagh rings come with the JVD ‘maker’s mark’ hallmark, a unique ring number and a hand-made gift box. And Joe Duff’s foundry is dirty, very dirty, filthy in fact…

You can shop the range of JVD Claddagh rings here.