The oldest documented exchange of engagement rings dates back to nearly
5,000 years ago in ancient Egypt when a never-ending band was linked to eternal
love.
Later, for the Romans, a young lady’s acceptance of a ring constituted a legal
agreement to marriage and meant that the girl was no longer available. These
ancient engagement and wedding rings were not made of gold, but rather of
simple, crude bands of iron. In modern times, the gold engagement ring is
regarded as a potent symbol of love and marriage that sends out a message about
the person’s marital status.
Over the centuries, traditions have changed. Not only have the materials of
engagement and wedding rings changed, but the fact that men, too, now wear a
ring symbolizing lasting love, fidelity, and commitment. The early tokens
indicating the sealing of a marriage contract were certainly different from what
we now know as an engagement ring and wouldn't have turned too many heads or
invoked the green-eyed monster. They had little beauty and no brilliance. Today
these simple hoops of iron have been replaced with precious metals such as gold,
silver, and platinum, which are much more attractive.
Although diamonds were discovered in India at the beginning of the 9th century,
it wasn't until 1500 onwards that brides-to-be would be wearing these special
stones on their engagement and wedding rings. Even then, diamonds would be
restricted to the wealthy and royalty.
Since their discovery, diamonds have been prized stones for their beauty and
brilliance as well as for their extreme hardness. The word “diamond” comes from
the Greek word adamas, which means “unconquerable.” Some cultures believed
diamonds to possess magical powers along with their other properties, which
makes them perfect as a representation of the marriage bond.
When more sources of diamonds were discovered in the 19th century, they became
more available and consequently fashionable, especially when set in engagement
rings.
Over the years, styles of engagement rings have varied greatly, but some classic
designs seem to be perennially popular. The single diamond solitaire is one
favorite. Nobody can resist the big sparkler. The style with three stones has
also remained popular. The three stones are believed by many to signify “I love
you.”
Although some ladies choose other precious gemstones such as rubies, emeralds,
opals, or sapphires for their engagement ring, the diamond is still at the top
of the list. As the song goes, “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend.”
In the fashioning of the ring itself, platinum has become popular, although it’s
very expensive compared to gold and silver. Recently many engagement rings have
been made from titanium and zirconium, not only because are these metals are
attractive, lightweight, and durable, but also because they hypoallergenic.
These metals lend themselves well to modern styles and they can be heat-treated
to produce wonderful color effects. This feature is used to make unique rings,
with no two pieces ever looking exactly the same.
Because of their hardness, stunning tension-set diamond rings can be made from
titanium and zirconium. This effect would be much more difficult to achieve with
soft precious metals, which are prone to wearing and scratching over the years.
Wearing increases the likelihood of the precious stones becoming loose and
getting lost.
In most traditions, people wear the engagement and wedding rings on the third
finger of the left hand. This is reversed in some European countries. The reason
for wearing a wedding ring on the third finger of the left hand is thought to
date back to a belief in ancient Rome and Egypt that a vein ran through that
finger ran straight to the heart. Many women wear three rings on the third
finger of their left hand: their wedding ring, an engagement ring, and an
eternity ring. |
