Sauron Never Touched the Elves' Rings
Louie V.

To Corey D.'s "Question of the Rings":

The Elves developed the skill at making rings of power. Sauron, under the guise of friendship, learned from the Elves. When he created The One, the Elves were suddenly aware of his purpose, that being domination of the rings. Sauron's hands never sullied the rings made by the Elves, and they were therefore able to hide them from him. They could not have been successfully hidden otherwise. If you'll recall, the concern among the Free was that if he regained The One and exerted his power, then The Three would have been revealed to him and all laid waste. He gave rings to the Nine, and they were immediately under his power. Had he created The Three, the same fate would have befallen those rings as well. They were hidden so he COULDN'T handle them.