The Engagement Ring – History And Meaning
Sunday, 19. July 2009
An engagement ring signifies a couple’s promise to build a future together, but the idea of engagement rings has quite a history all on its own.
In 1477, Archduke Maximilian of Austria presented a diamond ring to Mary of Burgundy. The couple was wed within 24 hours, and this has been labeled as the first recorded account of the engagement ring.
However, with continual historic discoveries being made, it seems that the symbolism of the engagement ring dates back even further than the 15th century; this story holds its title simply because of the incorporation of the diamond. The ancient Roman men gave rings to their lovers which they called betrothal (truth) rings, and they later began to inscribe or engrave the rings with their lover’s name.
There was more than simply a symbolic meaning to this tradition. The tradition of the engagement being placed on the ring finger originated from the Egyptian belief that the vein in that finger runs directly to the heart.
The Middle Ages started the tradition of having a diamond as a symbol for the union. A diamond is the hardest and strongest mineral on Earth. It has the ability to resist fire and steel. It is therefore perfectly symbolizes the unbreakable bond between a couple. However, the ability to express one’s affection in such a grandiose style was limited to those with great wealth.
During the 19th century, diamonds became more widely available to the public. Diamonds from the Kimberly diamond mines in South Africa started to flood the market. Birth stones overtook diamonds in engagement ring popularity due to their rare and therefore more desirable nature. The general public was able to afford diamond engagement rings after the wealthy traded theirs for rings with sapphires, emeralds and rubies with diamond accents.
Hollywood’s glamour influenced the 20th Century public into a renewed desire for diamonds. Marilyn Monroe’s song “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend” partly contributed to this comeback.
When looking at the history, it appears that the diamond is not the essence of the engagement ring. Like every fashion fad, the diamond has gone in and out of style, and then in again, but one common quality among all the versions of the engagement ring stands forever strong. Every girl dreams of being a princess, of being swept off her feet. The presence of a diamond on her finger placed by her prince charming gives her the right to declare her royalty. At this point in history, diamonds are a symbol of glamour and prosperity while the continuity of the ring shape itself symbolizes the relationship.