Engagement rings and diamonds have traditionally gone hand in hand, but few people know why. The reason behind this combination is complex, but it is also fascinating. Adding diamonds to engagement rings is a custom that has been with us for a long time.

A Brief History Of The Engagement Ring

The offering of a ring to cement a relationship between a man and woman dates back to Ancient Rome, Egypt and Greece. Historians aren’t quite sure if these rings were used as a symbol of love between the couple or a signal to other males that a female was already taken. What is without question is that this custom has survived until the present day.

Surprisingly, the addition of jewels to rings wasn’t widely practiced until the Middle Ages. The Victorian elites in particular were known for their stunning rings equipped with jewels. It was at this time that the practice begin to spread to other segments of society. However, until the 1870s jeweled rings were still primarily reserved for the extraordinarily wealthy.

How Diamonds Became So Popular For Rings

The discovery of diamonds in South Africa by the British and Dutch changed the face of the ring industry. These large mines led to a very profitable industry as before their discovery diamonds were considered so rare and out of reach that only the richest of the rich could afford them. Diamonds also have a number of characteristics which make them ideal for rings, namely their great hardness, durability and beauty.

Cecil Rhodes and the De Beers diamond company captured an almost complete monopoly on the diamond market. The prices had fallen to the point that middle class couples were able to purchase them for weddings. The large stockpile of diamonds in South Africa combined with difficult economic times led to falling prices. De Beers responded to this by restricting the availability of diamonds and emphasizing a sector which involved excessive emotions, namely that of marriage and love.

The Diamond’s Role Today

The diamond’s status as a symbol of love continues until the present day. It has become an important aspect of weddings, particularly in the West, where men are expected to purchase diamond rings for their wives. Diamond rings may also be purchased for anniversaries or other events. The key reason why the diamond became a success is not so much because of its characteristics, though they are impressive, but because of the feelings and emotions which are attached to it.

When diamonds were first discovered in South Africa and incorporated into weddings marriages were expected to last a lifetime. Though this isn’t always the case today, the diamond has become an important cultural symbol, and because of this its appearance at weddings has succeed that of all other jewels, including, emeralds, sapphires and rubies. Diamonds also come in a variety of colors, some of which are rare, which add a new dimension to the type of stylish rings that can be designed for it.