The Three Elven Rings

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Galin

I know the scene at Galadriel's mirror is suggestive of invisibility, but why should the Mirdain or Celebrimbor care to make the Three invisible before Sauron's plan was revealed? and yet not their wearers; why go only that far, considering that if 'invisibility power' were even part of the scenario, the Three were the most powerful in any event (though preservation power was admittedly key with these).

Even though Sam did not recognise Nenya for what it was, I don't think that suggests the ring itself had properties of invisibility. It was dark at the Mirror; Frodo saw the starlight glint on the ring's stone, and, having borne and worn the One, he knew what Nenya was.

The use of the Three by their keepers wouldn't seem to require the rings being invisible for secrecy to be maintained. The books say the Three were simply not used openly, nor were they discussed. If the rings themselves were invisible to all but their bearers, or the bearer of the One, why couldn't the Three have been used "openly" during the time of the watchful Peace, say? Who would have known?