Quote:
Originally Posted by Galin
With reference to the Three: '... included the healing of the real damages of malice, as well as the mere arrest of change.' JRRT, draft letter 181
The powers of the Elessar: 'For it is said that those who looked through this stone saw things that were withered or burned healed again, or as they were in the grace of their youth, and that the hands of one who held it brought to all that they touched healing from hurt.'
And considering Galadriel's comments to Celebrimbor (or Gandalf), with respect to fading and death, I think it's possible that Nenya essentially did the job of the Elessar, and so she handed the latter on.
The Elessar of Celebrimbor was said to be the greatest of his works: 'save the Three Rings only' and its light said to have less power than the original (within the conception of two Elessars, as there are two internal conceptions proposed).
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In the Silmarillion, it is said that the chief powers of all the rings alike was the slowing of decay. But then Tolkien goes on to say that Sauron desired the Three, because they possessed the greatest powers and those who bore them could ward off decay and postpone weariness. This gives me the impression that the other 16 rings could possibly "slow" decay/time (as well as enhance their bearers' natural powers) but not to the extent that the Three could. Can we safely assume that the Three could completely "arrest" time and decay, whereas the 16 lesser rings could only "slow" time, or don't even have that capability at all (except for Sauron's extra hocus pocus), hence the Three's loftier rank over the 16?