A man presents his prospective bride with an engagement ring upon
acceptance of his marriage proposal. Anthropologists believe this
tradition originated from a Roman custom in which wives wore rings
attached to small keys, indicating their husbands' ownership.
In 1477, Archduke Maximillian of Austria commissioned the very first
diamond engagement ring on record for his betrothed, Mary of Burgundy.
This sparked a trend for diamond rings among European aristocracy and
nobility.
The sentimental Victorians popularized ornate engagement ring designs
that mixed diamonds with other gemstones, precious metals and enamels.
Often these rings were crafted in the shapes of flowers and were dubbed
“posey rings.” Diamond rings crafted during the Edwardian era continued
the tradition of pairing diamonds with other jewels, commonly mounted in
filigree settings.
In 1947, De Beers launched its now classic slogan, "A Diamond is
Forever." This campaign spurred even more sales. The implied durability
of a diamond conveyed the meaning in the American psyche that marriage
is forever. A diamond's purity and sparkle have now become symbols of
the depth of a man's commitment to the woman he loves in practically all
corners of the world.The opening of the DeBeers mines in Africa made
diamonds more accessible. In the 1930s, when demand for diamond rings
declined in the U.S. during hard economic times, the De Beers Company
began an aggressive marketing campaign using photographs of glamorous
movie stars swathed in diamonds. Within three years, the sales of
diamonds had increased by 50 percent.
Diamonds still signify the celebration of a union and cherished
memory, though more cuts make more styles an easy option for diamond
lovers.
The History of Popular Cuts
Over the years, the most popular cut for diamond engagement rings has
always been the round brilliant, consisting of 58 facets that divide
the stone into a top and bottom half. Runners up include the princess
cut, the emerald cut and the oval cut, with the cushion cut quickly
gaining popularity as a recent trend.
Source: American Gem Society
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