History of the engagement ring

When you think of an engagement ring, the first thing that pops into mind these days is a diamond ring, but the diamond ring is rooted in the culture of European royalty and that's not where the history of the engagement ring begins. In fact, engagement rings can be traced back to wedding traditions made popular during the Renaissance era. It was a band of sterling silver inscribed with a poem or "poesy" but even before this, history of the engagement ring points all the way back to the ancient Egyptians.

Some ancient engagements rings were made of bone.

First engagement rings

In ancient Egypt the first engagement rings were made out of hemp, leather, bone or ivory, and were worn on the fourth finger of the left hand. These rings were thought to symbolize the endless circle of love between a couple.

This tradition was picked up by the Greeks after Alexander the Great conquered Egypt in 332 BC. The betrothal bands they wore, though, were usually made of iron, unless you were wealthy. The rich wore more expensive metals including: copper, silver or gold. At times, these rings were engraved with a message or poem which started the tradition of engraving engagement rings and wedding bands.

Today diamond and gold engagement rings are traditional.

Diamond and gold engagement rings

Diamond and gold engagement rings were very rare. The most notable was in 1477 when Archduke Maximilian of Austria bestowed one to Mary of Burgundy. Medieval Italians used precious stones as part of the groom's payment for his bride. They gave a diamond engagement ring because they believed the diamond was crafted in the flames of love.This payment symbolized the groom's intent to marry.

Then in 1518, the two-year-old Princess Mary, daughter of King Henry VIII, was given a diamond ring as a promise for an arranged marriage with the infant son of King Francis I of France.

Poesy Ring

For the most part, regular every-day people couldn't afford an expensive ring as a pledge of faithfulness. In the 15^th through the 17^th century in Eastern Europe, plain poesy rings (gold finger rings with a short inscription on their surface) with inscribed messages made popular betrothal rings.

Gimmel rings

In Ireland, a wedding tradition that began during the Renaissance, included interlocking gimmel rings. One of the rings served as a betrothal ring for the bride, another was worn as a betrothal ring for the groom, and the third ring was held by the best man until the wedding day.

Evolution of engagement rings

Until the late 19^th century, engagement rings among the wealthy were made from colored gemstones. Once African diamond mines made the precious gems more accessible, the Victorians favored a heart-cut solitaire diamond accented with rubies which were a symbol of passionate love, sapphires carried divine favor, or emeralds, which were thought to attract good fortune. Emeralds were historically the sacred stone of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, and Venus, the Roman goddess of passion.

Victorian Era Engagement Ring

Times changed, and with them wedding traditions and customs evolved. Dowries became a tradition of the past, laws changed, and women were able to sue their fiances for breaking engagements. Engagement rings became a source of financial security and were made of rubies, opals, emeralds and turquoise.

Princess cut single solitaire engagement ring

 

Tiffany introduced single solitaire engagement ring

It was Tiffany & Co. who introduced the single solitaire in the U.S. in 1886. This ring style was drastically different than the customary embedded bezel mount. The new cut showcased the jewel's natural shine and quickly became the most requested ring by American brides. It is still the most popular engagement ring setting in the U.S. today, with an estimated 80 percent of modern brides wearing a diamond engagement ring. This popularity can be traced back to the marketing campaign of DeBeers back in 1947 -- "A Diamond is Forever." It embedded the diamond engagement ring into America's mainstream society as the most coveted of engagement rings.

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The day you received your engagement ring is a day you’ll never forget. It’s a story that will pass to friends and family and maybe even generations. The ring holds special memories, but do you wear your engagement ring when you walk down the aisle?

Do you wear your engagement ring on your wedding day?

Many brides-to-be don’t think about what to do with their engagement ring on their wedding day, until that day! Or maybe at the rehearsal. If you’re reading this to find out what to do about your engagement ring on the day of your wedding, relax. You have a number of options.

What to do with your engagement ring on your wedding day?

First, you can wear your engagement ring if you want, but it does tend to make things a little awkward during the ring exchange if you follow wedding tradition. Traditionally, the groom slips the wedding ring onto the ringfinger of the left hand during the vow exchange. Wedding ring tradition also places the wedding ring on the finger before the engagement ring. So if you wear the engagement ring, you might have to pause to remove it with nervous fingers and then slip it back in place after the wedding band is on.

This is one of those personal choices. I think it is an unnecessary risk as I’ve been to a wedding where the ring was dropped and disappeared under pews. Wedding guests hunted for it dressed in their wedding finery. It did create a memory, but if it isn’t the type of memory you want to add to your special day. Here are some alternatives to consider:

• Wear your engagement ring on your right hand for the ceremony. Once your wedding ring is in place, you can move it to your left hand or wait until after the ceremony.
• Make the engagement ring part of the ring ceremony with instructions for the groom to place the wedding band on the finger first, followed by the engagement ring.
• Wear your engagement ring on your left hand, and have the groom place the wedding band on top of the engagement ring. After the ceremony you can put them right. (Talk to the wedding officiant about this plan and ask if any problem exists from a religious standpoint).
• Give the engagement ring to trusted family member, friend, or someone in the wedding party the Maid of Honor to hold during the wedding. You can retrieve it after the ceremony and still have it available for photos. If you choose this option, make a plan for the ring the return of the ring after the ceremony.
• Wear your engagement ring on a delicate chain as a necklace for the ceremony.

From ancient times, the ring exchange is a tradition that represents the commitment two people make to each other on their wedding day. The last option is to omit the ring exchange ceremony and opt for an alternative ritual like handfasting. If you do something like this, you can always choose to exchange vows with a ring exchange privately.

Best gemstones for engagement rings

Diamonds are precious gemstones. I’ve known this since I was a child because it is my birthstone. I used to joke that I would get my birthstone ring when I got engaged. And that became my reality. I’d never really thought of another stone for an engagement ring because engagement rings were diamond rings. Or so I thought.

 

 

Popularity of the diamond engagement ring

Back in the early 1900s the British owned DeBeers Group opened diamond mines in Africa and diamonds became more accessible. But in the 1930s, the United States fell into economic hard times and the demand for diamond rings dropped. To boost sales, De Beers initiated a marketing campaign that used pictures of glamorous movie stars draped in diamonds. Within three years, diamond sales increased by 50 percent. 

It turns out that the popularity of diamond engagement rings can be traced back to De Beers when they launched the slogan, “A Diamond is Forever.” That was 1947. The diamond's durability (10 on the MOHS hardness scale) carried a message that marriage is forever, and its purity and sparkle became representations of the depth of commitment shared by engaged couples. The meaning associated with the diamond is that of purity, love and fidelity. 

Durability of gemstones

But what kind of engagement rings did we wear before diamond rings? Engagement rings can be traced back to Ancient Rome. The first rings were crafted from flint and bone, and then from copper, silver, and gold in the 2nd century CE. 

As for gemstones they've have been collected by rich and powerful people throughout time as a display of wealth. People in the Middle Ages commonly believed that gemstones held medicinal power that could heal and gemstone rings were used as an antidote for sickness, poisoning, or to ward off evil. Some of these old superstitions are still associated with the modern meanings connected to these rings.

Engagement rings get a lot of wear, and the durability factor of diamonds is one of the reasons they are a popular choice for rings. They are the hardest stone in the world on the MOHS Hardness scale. The most popular gemstone choices other than diamonds include sapphire, ruby, and emerald. Of these, Sapphire and Ruby are the hardest. Emeralds are only rated 7.5 to 8 and will require more care because they can chip or break easier. Other common gemstones for engagement rings include: Aquamarine, amethyst, morganite, opal, and tanzanite. However, many of these stones don’t wear well for people who plan to wear their rings every day.

If you are thinking of selecting a stone other than a diamond, I recommend you choose from gemstones with a rating of 8 or higher for daily wear.

 

Gemstones with MOHS scale number of 8 or higher

Ruby (9): Ruby is among the hardest of the precious stones which makes it a beautiful and wise choice for an engagement ring. These fiery colored gems make a stunning choice when set with diamonds. Most modern rubies are treated to increase their color, transparency, or to mend fractures. With this in mind, I want to point out that vintage ruby  jewelry is less likely to be treated, and may have visible imperfections. 

Ruby meaning: Rubies are thought to have a bold, fiery energy and are attributed with several spiritual properties including healing (mind and body), love, energy, passion, positive visions, vivacity and balance.

1 Carat Natural Diamond And Red Ruby Round Cut Bridal Engagement Ring

 

Sapphire (9): Of the sapphire’s alluring beauty and rich colors, the deep, vivid blue is the most desired traditionally, but sapphires are available in a range of colors, including: fuchsia, green, orange, violet, yellow, and an exceptional padparadscha hue (ancient Sanskrit word used to describe the color of a tropical lotus flower) which is a stunning blend of pink, tangerine and salmon shades. 

Sapphire meaning: heavenly favor, innocence and truth, strength, good health and vitality, and protection against negative energy and spiritual discord.

 

Diamond Sapphire White Gold Ring

Topaz (8 to 10): The most common color of Topaz is blue, but it is also available in colorless, pink, yellow, and peach hues. 

Topaz meaning: Nobility, love, passion, and purpose and because of its fiery energy, this gemstone is also associated with self-esteem and good fortune.

Spinel (8 to 10): Spinel owes its gorgeous color to chromium, much like rubies and emeralds do, and is available in a wide variety of colors: black, blue, brown, green, lavender, red, violet. Red is the rarest color and so more expensive. Blue is the second rarest. 

Spinel meaning: A stone of hope, revitalization, and joy of being alive.

Alexandrite (8.5): Alexandrite has excellent durability and doesn’t have the tendency to break when struck. When it comes to color, this stone is unique. Its ability to absorb different wavelengths of light in varied ways depending on the direction of incidence of the rays or their plane of polarization, often result in the appearance of different colors depending on the direction of view. For this reason, alexandrite is defined as a color change variety of gemstone that switches from one color appearance to another, depending on the particular type of lighting. Typically, alexandrite displays a blue-green hue in daylight, while it appears red in incandescent light. The rarest specimens of color-change alexandrite have either yellow green or plain green color.

Alexandrite meaning: Alexandrite is thought to bring luck, prosperity, intellect, and balance between the physical and the spiritual. As an engagement ring it can bring you into the balance of who you are.

14k White Gold Genuine Emerald Swirled Engagement Ring

 

Emerald (7.5 to 8): Emerald isn’t as tough as ruby, sapphire or topaz but it has fair to good durability. However, emeralds are brittle due to their inclusions and may chip or even break if knocked around. This means it requires more care in wearing than the harder gemstones, but with proper care an emerald will last for generations. 

Emerald meaning: The emerald symbolizes truth and love. In ancient Rome it was considered the gemstone of the goddess of love, Venus.

Aquamarine (7.5 to 8): Aquamarines are hard, but also brittle. They are a shade between green and blue which often display conchoidal fractures when broken or chipped. 

Aquamarine meaning: Aquamarine represents trusting and letting go. In ancient times, this gemstone was thought to be the treasure of mermaids and sailors used it as a talisman to bring good luck on the open waters.

Benefits of gemstone engagement rings

Gemstone engagement rings open the opportunity to let your personality and uniqueness shine along with your ring. Plus, it will cost you less than a diamond engagement ring. However, understand the risks associated with the gemstone of your choice so you know how to care for it.

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