During the medieval period, the wearing of brooch was very fashionable, with the buckle pinned at the neck as a fastener. Brooches of annular form were used by both men and women from the 12th century onwards, becoming extremely popular during the 13th and 14th centuries. Usually they were made of bronze or silver, and in some cases even gold.
Such brooches were in use in Anglo-Saxon times, and, owing to their simplicity and ease of use, remained commonplace until at least 1400 AD.