Engagement Rings
Much as common perception may have it, the presenting of a sparkling diamond engagement ring as we know it today it is a relatively new phenomen. Modern engagement rings, usually take the form of a diamond solitaire and started to be commonly given from the 1900´s, thanks to a combination of two major events.
Firstly, the discovery of substantial diamond deposits in the late 1800´s started to bring the cost of diamonds down. As a result, the American diamond company, De Beers, saw a way to finally make them accessible to the general public. A huge marketing campaign was launched in the early part of the 20th century and helped to establish engagement rings with diamonds as essential to a marriage proposal. One slightly later advert become extremely popular for containing the immortal words "Diamonds Are Forever".
The second big occurence was that the "Breach of Promise To Marry" act began to be abolished in the US. Previously women could claim financial compensation for perceived damage to their reputation. At a time when women were still expected to be "pure" when they married, the engagement period was a time when many would lose their virginity. With the end of the act, women needed some kind of financial token to ensure that the man´s intentions were honourable and the diamond engagement ring offered the perfect solution.
Before this, the earliest recorded example of a diamond ring being given during a marriage proposal was in 1477. The Archduke Maximillian of Hamburg chose one for his bride-to-be Mary of Burgundy which was called a betrothal ring at the time. This was also a term used during Roman times, although the style of ring would have varied significantly from how we have come to know it today. The Romans did, however, place the finger on the third finger of the left hand because in ancient times it was believed that a vein ran straight from this finger to the heart. It has now proven to be inaccurate but the tradition has remained.
