Engagement rings are steeped in both history and tradition. They represent the most romantic gesture that a man can make, the commitment to his partner to love them for life. Visit any jewellery store and you will be dazzled by an almost endless display of ring styles and combinations, from solitaire engagement rings to fancy diamond clusters. Just where did the engagement ring begin though? Just how did it become the essential accessory for a proposal of marriage?
The story of the engagement ring is one that is largely cross-cultural and stretches across an enormous span of time. For anyone researching engagement rings either for additional information or for a background knowledge on the subject, a little history will provide some extra detail to one of our most fascinating traditions of jewellery.
With today's focus on "green" issues, it is interesting to discover that amongst some ancient settlers, perishable materials or plant material or leather were laced and used in a similar way as a symbol of a couple's commitment. Only lasting a short time, these could be replaced with wear, something that fortunately does not have to be done with the modern engagement ring.
Less precious metals were commonly used and the Roman's were well known to use Iron for such rings that marked the longevity and endurance of the relationship. Nowadays, we have more precious metals, carefully purified and alloyed to make sure that the finish is exceptional, that they are functional, enduring and more importantly, to make sure that they withstand everyday wear. Most rings are also hypoallergenic, an important consideration today. Gold came into play as the metal of choice, within many cultures carrying wealth in the form of gold. Being used as a form of currency, it made sense to also wear some of this wealth in the form of rings and jewellery. It was once a payment towards the bride that the prospective groom purchased the gold ring with his intention to marry.
The tradition of wearing the ring on the third finger is thought to have originated from the Greeks, who believed the vein that led to the heart, flowed from the third finger of the left hand. This began the tradition of using this as the ring finger and even today, we still wear the engagement ring on this third finger of the left hand.
The use of a singular ring has not always been the sole tradition. Religion has played a central role in culture through the ages and within Christianity, the aspect of the Holy Trinity lead to the adornment of three individual rings on separate fingers. Today, we find the trilogy ring, or three stone diamond engagement ring that can serve a similar function, although for most people, it is purely a design element that is the motivation for the three stone engagement ring, or the personal significance of three diamonds within the engagement ring.
The very first diamond engagement ring that is in the historical record was that owned by Mary of Burgundy given to her by Archduke Maximillian of Austria. This was believed to be in 1477. Who would think that the diamond engagement ring would have such rich and lengthy history. From these individuals, a tradition was born that has been running ever since. With the increase in mining and discovery of rich sources of diamonds in South Africa in the late Nineteenth Century, diamonds became more commonplace for engagement rings amongst wealthier individuals.
Today, it is very popular to have engagement rings engraved with a short message on the inside. This was something as popular in Victorian times, if not more so.
We have been subject to a wealth of marketing for diamond engagement rings and many of the advertising campaigns have become iconic over the years. N. W. Ayers working on behalf of DeBeers produced one of the most memorable strap-lines produced. "A Diamond is Forever," became synonymous with diamonds and DeBeers and has been used ever since. Carrying with it the notion of permanence and endurance, what better gem is there to symbolise eternal love between two people.
M Johnson
Managing Director of http://www.serendipitydiamonds.co.uk
mark@serendipitydiamonds.co.uk
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