A Short History of the Engagement Ring
The engagement ring feels timeless, and in many ways it is. People have exchanged rings as a promise of marriage for close to two thousand years. Here is how the tradition grew into the diamond ring we know today.
Ancient Rome
In Roman times, the betrothal ring was often a plain iron hoop. Wealthier Romans are said to have worn the iron ring at home and changed to a gold band when they went out. By the 4th century, betrothal bands were sometimes engraved on the inside, with inscriptions as elaborate as a poem or as simple as "honey".
The fourth finger
Why the fourth finger of the left hand? The Roman writer Macrobius, in the 5th century, recorded the belief that this finger was connected directly to the heart.
The first diamond engagement ring
In the Middle Ages, sapphires and rubies were the favoured stones for betrothal rings. Diamonds began to appear in the 15th century, and the earliest written record of a diamond engagement ring dates from 1477, when Archduke Maximilian of Austria was advised to give a diamond ring to Mary of Burgundy for their betrothal.
Clasped hands and clusters
In the 16th century, fede rings, showing two clasped hands, became popular as a symbol of love and faith. In the 18th century, the discovery of diamonds in Brazil made diamond jewellery more widely available, and cluster rings set with rose-cut diamonds became fashionable.
The rise of the solitaire
In the 19th century, new diamond mines in Africa and the Industrial Revolution brought diamonds within reach of many more people, and the single-stone solitaire came into fashion. In 1886, Tiffany introduced its six-prong mounting, designed to lift the diamond and let in more light. It is a style still loved today.
"A Diamond Is Forever"
In 1947, copywriter Frances Gerety of the agency N.W. Ayer wrote the line "A Diamond Is Forever" for De Beers. Advertising Age later named it the slogan of the 20th century, and it helped make the diamond engagement ring a tradition around the world.
Your chapter
Stefan has been part of these love stories since 1922. When you are ready to write yours, book a private consultation and we will help you find a ring with a story worth telling.