Although gypsy rings were traditionally given to commemorate friendship, or as a gift to a young girl, they were also given as gifts from husbands and lovers. While uncommon as an engagement, they do make a wonderfully unique and timeless alternative.
The Gypsy ring has a dark history harking back to the days of highwaymen, when the Victorian upper classes would shirk ostentatious ring designs and set their diamonds and gemstones in thick bands of gold to conceal their true wealth, hiding their jewels from any preying bandits.
Another name is a hammer setting. A gypsy setting is when the diamond or gemstone sits flush with the surface of the metal. This setting has been around a very long time. The gypsy setting is a very secure setting.
The difference between a bezel setting and gypsy setting is that the metal on a bezel setting will almost seem to come up over the gemstone, whereas in a gypsy setting the gemstone is sunk into the metal, so the gemstone sits below the surface of the metal. A gypsy setting is also known as a flush setting.
Historically gypsies wore coins mounted as jewelry, because keeping their savings safe as they traveled from area to area was difficult.
The dress of Romani women emphasizes the cultural tradition of displaying your wealth as a sign of good fortune. Romani women tend to wear golden necklaces, bracelets, and headscarves, all of which are often embellished with golden coins.
Gypsy setting is also referred to as 'Shot Setting', 'Burnish Setting' and also, and most commonly, 'Flush mount setting'. Gypsy setting is when the diamond or gemstone appears to sit flush with the surface of the metal – similar to a Bezel setting where the crown of the diamond is the only exposed area.
Rom (man) and romni (woman) also mean "husband" and "wife." Roma avoid Soviet ceremonies and have their own interesting wedding ceremonies, which are strictly observed, even in big cities. These ceremonies blend Orthodox wedding ritual and Gypsy custom.
noun. 1. Also called: guard, keeper ring jewellery. an extra ring worn to prevent another from slipping off the finger.
The Roma Chakra was adopted in 1971 at the First World Romani Congress as the official symbol of the Roma people. The symbol honours the Roma's Indian heritage. The sixteen spoked wheel reminds the Roma of the wheels of the Vardo, or Wagon, which was home for Roma families for more than a hundred years.
Talk to older relatives for clues and family stories. Old family photos can help to identify Gypsy heritage. Photographs taken at gatherings such as hop picking or fairs might be a sign, although these were often annual events which brought together families from many backgrounds, not just Gypsies and Travellers.
Genetic studies based on Y-chromosome markers and mitochondrial DNA confirmed the South Asian origin of Roma. Y-chromosome marker M82 (H1a) and mtDNA haplogroups M5a1, M18 and M35b, which are characteristics of South Asian ancestry, are typical in Roma populations [8, 9].
Although gypsy rings were traditionally given to commemorate friendship, or as a gift to a young girl, they were also given as gifts from husbands and lovers. While uncommon as an engagement, they do make a wonderfully unique and timeless alternative.
Traditionally, signet rings were worn on the pinky finger and used by gentlemen, particularly gentlemen involved with business or politics, as a seal to sign important documents. Engraved with the wearers family crest, the signet ring would be dipped into hot wax before being used to print a signature.
Moonstone. Moonstone has an ethereal shine which many cultures throughout history have likened to the light of the moon. It's thought to bring good fortune, and milky white varieties of moonstone also represent the color of the crown chakra. Moonstone is commonly set as rings so you can easily wear it wherever you go.
Couples marry young - girls at around 16 or 17, and boys between 18 and 19. They're not supposed to marry non-travellers but marriage to second cousins in families is common. Once married, the man rules the roost.
One of the Oxford English Dictionary definitions of Gypsy is, 'term for a woman, as being cunning, deceitful, fickle, or the like … In more recent use merely playful, and applied esp. to a brunette.
Roma (Gypsies) originated in the Punjab region of northern India as a nomadic people and entered Europe between the eighth and tenth centuries C.E. They were called "Gypsies" because Europeans mistakenly believed they came from Egypt. This minority is made up of distinct groups called "tribes" or "nations."
In comparison with other studied groups from Ukraine (mainly Ukrainians but also other minorities) Djaczenko found that Gypsies have the lowest cephalic index, the widest nose, darkest pigmentation, and the most dense beard. Generally those features are rather alien to Eastern European populations.
The two groups of Gypsy Americans about whom scholars know the most are the Rom and the Romnichals. Many of the Rom came to the New World from Russia or Eastern or Central Europe; the Romnichals came from Great Britain.
The term 'Gypsies and Travellers' is difficult to define as it does not constitute a single, homogenous group, but encompasses a range of groups with different histories, cultures and beliefs including: Romany Gypsies, Welsh Gypsies, Scottish Gypsy Travellers and Irish Travellers.
The Greek Roma man and woman both have brown hair and brown eyes. The Roma — sometimes referred to as gypsies, although the term is now considered derogatory — are part of an ethnic group who live mostly in central and eastern Europe.
Most Eastern European Roma are Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, or Muslim. Those in Western Europe and the United States are mostly Roman Catholic or Protestant. In southern Spain, many Roma are Pentecostal, but this is a small minority that has emerged in contemporary times.
Their lifestyle is comparable to what it was five hundred years ago. The task of the Romani woman is to take care of the children, to maintain the household, and to hold together the extended family. As mother, she knows precisely the details of her children's lives, including all of the stupid things they do.
The “Chakra”
The “Chakra” appears in the center of the Roma flag and it is the official emblem of the Roma. It resembles the Hindu chakra. This logo was chosen deliberately in honor of the Indian heritage of Roma.