The Claddagh ( Irish: fáinne Chladaigh) traditionally seen as an Irish ring, represents love, loyalty, and friendship (the hands represent friendship, the heart represents love, and the crown represents loyalty). 
Each item begins as a piece of sheet metal, copper, bronze, brass or nickel.  After a pattern is transferred to the metal, the piece is etched in a salt-water solution.  Each piece is hand cut, sanded, and polished. A patina may be applied or it may be hand painted with dye oxide.  A clear polymer coating is applied.