Are you curious about the origin, customs and traditions behind giving engagement rings?
Engagement rings aren’t just a trend but date back to the Roman times, and before.
Today they are used as a symbol of love and commitment. The ring is considered a symbolic representation of an everlasting bond. That, however, was not always the case.
Those of you shopping for engagement rings in NZ, and elsewhere might appreciate a brief history.
Ancient Times
It is believed that the ancient Egyptians invented the engagement ring, which carried over into Greek culture. This is a bit murky, as the history of the engagement ring can only be reliably traced back to ancient Rome.
In the second century BC, the Roman bride-to-be was given two rings. A gold one which she wore in public and one made of iron that was worn at home during chores.
Early in the Roman Empire, the use of gold was restricted to the ruling classes. The privilege of wearing gold was extended to freedmen, under Justinian, around 535 CE.
Middle Ages
In 1215 Pope Innocent III instituted the banns of marriage. These banns or proclamations are the public announcement of an impending marriage between two people.
The purpose of the banns is to allow opponents of the marriage to raise any ethical or legal concerns about the upcoming wedding. These could include previous marriages, that were not dissolved, lack of consent, or the couple’s being closely related.
Renaissance
The diamond made its first significant appearance in 1477. Archduke Maximilian presented a diamond to his betrothed Mary of Burgundy. This influenced nobles and wealthy merchants and landowners to give diamonds to their loved ones.
Victorian Era
In 1852 the Kohinoor diamond was re-cut and made part of Queen Victoria’s crown. This triggered a worldwide demand for diamonds With the increased demand, came greater efforts to locate and mine diamonds.
Diamonds were discovered in South Africa in 1866. By 1872, South African mines were exporting more than 1 million carats per year.
As production increased, the cost of diamonds came down. This allowed people of more modest means to be able to buy diamonds.
20th Century
In 1938 De Beers began a marketing campaign that would have a significant impact on engagement rings. The campaign persuaded the consumer that an engagement ring is indispensable and is the only acceptable stone for an engagement ring.
The campaign was so successful that sales of diamonds rose from $23 million in 1939 to over $2.1 billion in 1979.
Today
The diamond remains the top choice for engagement rings. Today lab-grown diamonds have disrupted the traditional diamond industry. As much as 20% of that market is now lab-grown or synthetic diamonds.
The GIA has been rating synthetic diamonds since 2007, providing a sense of security for buyers of the new stones.
The two main factors when considering a diamond purchase are price and size. The quality of the diamond comes in third. This makes lab-grown synthetic diamonds very attractive for many young couples.