The history behind the very romantic tradition of men presenting the women they love with engagement rings is a bit less appealing than what happens now. In reality the earliest forms of engagement rings were more practical rather than romantic and were largely a sign that the woman was considered to be owned or part of the man’s property.
Most historians agree that the first engagement rings to be routinely used by a particular culture came from the Romans. Roman men would provide a ring, usually of a type of steel, to a woman as a way to keep her heart pure. The reason the third finger of the left hand was used comes from the belief that a vein ran directly from the heart to the hand through this finger. The rings were meant to keep the woman betrothed or true to her partner to be.
The Middle Ages saw the continued use of engagement rings, although they started to look a bit more like modern engagement rings. Diamonds were still so rare as to be impossible to get, so other precious gems such as emeralds or rubies were used. Only the very wealthy were able to afford these rings, but they were highly prized.
The first actual gift of an engagement ring with a diamond is attributed to Archduke Maximillian of Hamburg in 1477. He presented his betrothal ring to Mary of Burgundy and is largely credited with starting the diamond engagement ring tends. Soon everyone that could afford diamonds was including them on the betrothal rings. Poorer, average people continued to give rings that featured symbols, which is were the tradition of the claddagh ring started.
After diamond mines in South American and Africa were discovered and went into production in the 1800s and 1900s, diamonds become more available to the average working person. Smaller sized diamonds were now affordable, and marketing engagement rings became practical.
Diamonds are some of the hardest gems, resistant to almost any type of damage. While the saying diamonds are forever was a marketing slogan, it is also one of the reasons they become so essential in engagement rings. Since there were many different qualities of diamonds on the market, the next step was to develop some type of grading for the stones.
Certified diamonds are now available in all reputable jewelry stores and wholesalers. This certification is actually the physical description of the stone that allows grading to occur and proves the diamond is, in fact, exactly what the jeweler claims it is. Buying certified diamonds is important both for peace of mind but also for appraisal and insurance purposes.
While the history of engagement rings may be more practical than romantic, they are now a true and lasting symbol of love and commitment. Buying engagement rings with certified diamonds helps to protect your investment and help you determine the ring that is just right.
