Claddagh Seal

An emblem of love, friendship, fidelity, and enduring devotion. The Claddagh has carried its message for centuries: two hands holding a crowned heart. Its form descends from the ancient fede ring, whose clasped hands symbolized faith, fidelity, and the joining of two people. Over time, the three elements of the Claddagh have come to carry a beloved meaning of their own: the hands for friendship, the heart for love, and the crown for loyalty. In modeling her Claddagh, Kathryn Hastings gave particular attention to the crown, drawing inspiration from the magnificent jeweled insignia known as the Irish Crown Jewels, the lost regalia of the Order of St Patrick. The reference lends the familiar emblem a more ceremonial character, connecting a private expression of devotion with the grandeur of Irish decorative history. Kathryn released the seal on her own birthday and wedding anniversary, a date that brings the symbolism of the Claddagh especially close to home. It marks both the life we are given and the love we choose, then continue to choose through the years. Pressed into wax, the Claddagh becomes a tiny testament to enduring affection: friendship, love, loyalty, and the promise of a bond faithfully kept.