Diamond Commitment - How the Diamond Engagement Ring Came to Be

Without a doubt, a diamond engagement ring is considered part and parcel of the whole proposal package these days. Most women would perhaps feel a little cheated if instead of a gold engagement ring, their beloved were to drop to bended knee, declare their undying love and then proffer a cheaper alternative as a token to seal the deal, no matter the sentiment behind it. This reaction is not about greed but about wanting a fitting physical representation of the shared bond, as the ring declares the relationship to the world.

However, the custom itself does not have a particularly long heritage. While it may appear as if the tradition dates back centuries, it really only began to emerge as a common practice towards the beginning half of the 1900s. Despite the first known example of an engagement diamond ring dating back to 1447, when Austrian Archduke Maximilian commissioned one for his soon-to-be wife, Mary of Burgundy, the ritual as a mass phenomena developed as a result of two rather differing yet inter-related events.

Late in the 19th century, large diamond mines were discovered in South Africa which resulted in the prices of these precious gemstones coming right down. This sparked an initial burst of enthusiasm but it was short-lived as the American Depression loomed. These glittering items were an extravagance that people just did not see as essential. Then in the 1930s, with the help of public relations firm N.W.Ayer, the De Beers diamond company launched a massive advertising campaign, enrolling the assistance of Hollywood actresses in wearing diamond engagement bands and getting fashionistas to promote the trend. Their most famous catch-line "A Diamond is Forever" in 1947 especially caught the public´s imagination and by 1965, 80 percent of American women had their very own diamond engagement ring.

This all happened simultaneously with another, more profound social event. Up until the 1930s, under the "Breach of Promise to Marry" act, if a woman were ditched by her fiance then she could sue for the perceived damage to her reputation, amounting to a financial payout. This began to be phased out by the courts and so a replacement was needed to otherwise indicate fiscal commitment on the groom´s part. To be considered marriage material at that time, it was imperative the woman still be a virgin. However, as many would then lose this during the engagement period, they still wanted some economic assurance from the man that the offer was not just an elaborate attempt to get them into bed. The expense of the ring was also an indication that the groom would be able to afford to provide for his wife once they were wed.

Fortunately, nowadays, the ring is seen more as a romantic gesture and a sign of emotional commitment, as women have gained independence. There are a whole gamut of styles and designs available to couples today, from the timeless classics to contemporary engagement rings. Although shapes such as the pear and marquise engagement rings are gaining in popularity, still by far the biggest seller is the diamond round engagement ring. The preferred metal choice is consistently platinum but yellow gold and white gold engagement rings nevertheless retain a fair percentage of the overall market.

Michelle Elkins is a regular writer for The Diamond Store, an online jewellery store providing diamond engagement rings, platinum engagement rings and white gold round engagement rings at prices up to 60 percent less then those on the high street.

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