An Essential Guide to the History of the Engagement Ring
We have put together an essential guide for you that contains the best information and history ever on engagement rings.
The earliest known history of the engagement ring
The origins of the engagement ring date back thousands of years to the time of the pharaohs. Since time immemorial, unusual engagement rings and wedding rings made of iron have taken the form of very straightforward, basic designs. The Egyptians, however, were the first people to give engagement rings to one another at around 2800BC. These rings were plain bands. The significance behind this was that the band represented a never-ending circle of love for one another. Egyptians had unyielding spiritual views regarding eternal life after death and the passing from one dimension to the next. We know this from archaeological excavations that discovered mummies that had these thin wire gold or silver rings on the third finger of their left hands.
And so the tradition continued, and it was the Romans that made the act of engagement into law, that being that a lady's acceptance of commitment was legal and binding, no longer looked upon as available for marriage in the eyes of Roman law. For the record, these days it is entirely legitimate to break an engagement.
Diamonds and engagement rings
Engagement rings are best known for their diamonds, and it was the Greeks who, at one time, gave meaning to these stones. Adamas is the Greek word for unconquerable, which also signifies the perfect sign of the unity of marriage. Diamonds were believed to hold many other properties in older times, including magical powers. Over time, folklore and legend have made them the perfect symbol of a marriage bond.
Engagement rings continued to be worn by women in these times, and in the nineteenth century, diamonds became more readily available to buy due to new sources around the world. The discovery made them very fashionable. The diamond engagement ring was brought up to date with a stone setting. The single sparkler or diamond solitaire engagement ring has remained one of the most attractive designs throughout the history of creating engagement rings.
The diamond is still the favourite among precious gemstones for ladies getting engaged. As the song says & diamonds are a girl's best friend. Love and romance, symbolised by diamond rings, tell stories of how Cupids were tipped with diamonds. Diamonds were supposed to contain a power that no one could resist and make you fall in love. We have more information on diamonds in The ESSENTIAL information YOU NEED TO KNOW about diamonds' article.
Modern engagement rings
On into the twentieth century, and newer technologies arrived on the scene, but not until quite recently, titanium is a very recent case in point. Tension-set titanium rings can create unique engagement rings, as designs not available in gold can be crafted in titanium, thanks to its high tensile strength for setting diamonds.
Diamonds, however, are quite expensive as a first choice. Why not consider buying a sapphire as a cheaper alternative to an engagement ring?
Over the years we have been trading, we have become increasingly aware that sapphire engagement rings are becoming a popular alternative to diamond rings. Sapphires come in many colours, just like diamonds, and below we shall explore some facts about them in depth. The most attractive colour we sell is blue sapphire, known as the gemstone of the heavens because ancient civilisations believed the earth was encompassed by a giant blue sapphire. Sapphires are available in the following colours: pink, purple, blue, yellow, and orange. The blue sapphire is available in various shades from ocean to midnight blue. Blue is also the birthstone for September.
Again, it was the Greeks who named the sapphire, sappheiros, and in Latin, it was called sapphirus. Sapphires were believed to embody strange powers, and priests used them to help them understand dreams. A sapphire was also supposed to keep you from thinking evil thoughts and to live a more spiritual lifestyle. The Greeks symbolised the blue sapphire with their god Zeus, the god of the skies. The sapphire was also worn to keep the heart in good shape, sustaining strength and honour. It was, therefore, significant if the colour faded in a sapphire, as this meant your partner might have cheated on you. The Sapphire has come to symbolise endurance and longevity.
Did you know that a sapphire has the second hardest surface known to man, with diamond coming in at first? We know this from the Mohs scale, which tells us that a diamond measures a ten while a sapphire measures a nine.
With this vital information, we know that sapphires can be tension-set in our titanium engagement rings. The pink heart-shaped sapphire ring we sell an excellent example. A fact many people might not know is that the red sapphire is a ruby. Rubies have a lower clarity value than sapphires. A sapphire can be a suitable stone for an engagement or wedding ring, and many women regard it as an ideal alternative to a diamond, as it symbolises love and longevity. The blue sapphire is a versatile stone for jewellery, not just for those born in September. A sapphire offers our customers the opportunity to purchase a beautiful, precious-stone ring that is more affordable than a diamond ring.
Additional reading
Most Crucial Planning Advice Ever on Choosing your Wedding Rings
