An ESSENTIAL GUIDE to the History of the Engagement Ring
We have put together for you an essential guide which 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, an engagement and wedding ring made from iron, were in the form of very straightforward and 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 their 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 ladies acceptance of commitment was legal and binding, no longer looked upon as available for marriage in the eyes of the 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 means the perfect sign of the unity of marriage. Diamonds were believed to hold many other properties in older times including magical powers. Folklore and legend dictated through time that they make the perfect symbol for a marriage bond.
Engagement rings continued to be worn by women from these times and in the nineteenth-century diamonds became more readily available to buy due to further sources located around the world. The discovery meant they became 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 of all the precious gemstones for ladies wanting to get engaged. As the song says "diamonds are a girl's best friend." Love and romance symbolised with diamond rings tell stories of how Cupids tipped with diamonds. Diamonds were supposed to contain a power that no one could resist and made 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 make unique engagement rings as designs not available in gold can be crafted in titanium due to its high tensile strength for setting diamonds.
Diamonds, however, are quite expensive as a first choice, therefore why not consider buying a sapphire as a cheaper alternative for an engagement ring?
During the years we have been trading we have become more and more aware of how sapphire engagement rings are becoming a popular alternative to diamonds when buying a stone set ring. Sapphires come in many colours just like diamonds and below we shall explore in depth some facts regarding them. The most attractive colour we sell is blue sapphire which is known as the gemstone of the heavens because ancient civilisations believed the earth to be encompassed by a giant blue sapphire. Sapphires are available in the following colours including 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 that 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 to sustain 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 due to the Mohs scale that tells us a diamond measures a ten while a sapphire a nine.
With this vital information, we know that sapphires are therefore capable of being 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 lesser clarity value than a sapphire. A sapphire can make a suitable stone for an engagement or wedding ring, and many women look upon them as an ideal alternative to a diamond as it is a symbol of love and longevity. The blue sapphire is a versatile stone for jewellery and not only for those born in September. A sapphire offers our customers the opportunity to purchase a beautiful precious stone set ring that is more affordable than a diamond.
Additional reading
Most Crucial Planning Advice EVER on Choosing your Wedding Rings
