Jewelry has been used to woo and proclaim love for millennia. It forms an important part of the wedding vows and it acts as a symbol for people that you are married and off the market so to speak. There is a long history and a great deal of symbolism that is associated with the various types of jewelry that is given and worn throughout marriage.
Wedding rings have been used since before Roman times, when it is thought that they were made out of leather or plant fibers. In Roman times they were made of metal for the first time, since this was much longer lasting. The unbroken circle of the wedding band is meant to symbolize eternity and it is even thought that having a wedding band that is broken by filigree or stones could bring the marriage bad luck. The wedding ring has traditionally been worn on the ring finger of the left hand because this finger has a vein called the ‘vena amoris’, which leads to the heart.
Engagement rings are a later tradition than wedding rings and they date from around the 9th century. At this time the Pope Nicolas I decreed that men seeking betrothal would have to provide a gold engagement ring to their future wives as a type of proof of his ability to provide financially for his future spouse.
Placing gems into engagement rings did not become customary until later on. The first diamond engagement ring was given to Mary of Burgundy in 1477 and it has been much lusted for ever since.
When diamonds became more accessible during the industrial revolution, they started to become popular in engagement rings. Since this time solitaire engagement rings have been the most popular types of rings as they symbolize love and purity, as well as the fact that they sparkle like crazy.
There is a lot of variety in the types of engagement rings that are chosen these days from big diamonds to modern designs and pink or champagne colored diamonds. The settings and cuts of the rings are also very different with princess cut engagement rings becoming very popular as a ring choice by men and women looking for their engagement ring.
The eternity ring is another marriage related item of jewelry that has a surprisingly long history. These days they are given mostly as wedding anniversary gifts, however as far back as four thousand years ago they were given by the Egyptians as symbols of everlasting love. In the past they were represented as a snake with its tail in its mouth, these days they tend to be a cluster of smaller gemstones that flatter the wedding and engagement rings.
