Engagement rings are considered by many people as the ultimate symbols of devotion, true love and commitment. They may come in various stones, designs or styles, but they all serve one important purpose: to symbolize the upcoming union of two people who are deeply in-love with each other. It is an undeniable fact that almost all women love these beautiful pieces of jewelry.
Engaged women love to flaunt their diamond rings to their friends and families, taking pride in the fact that they are about to enter a new thrilling chapter of their lives.
Single women, on the other hand, are overwhelmed with wistful feelings of romance when they see these rings worn by other women.
Why are these rings viewed as important symbols of relationships today?
Why do they evoke such powerful emotions in women and even in some men?
Where did they come from?
Do they have any historical significance?
Answering questions such as these will help both men and women understand and appreciate the importance of engagement rings a lot more.
We can trace the history of engagement rings to the Egyptians.
They used this piece of jewelry for various purposes and symbols. The ancient Egyptian civilization believed that the fingers, especially the third finger, contained the vena amoris, a vein that is directly connected to the heart. When translated literally, vena amoris means; vein of love
Though the Egyptians are credited for inventing rings, it was the Greeks and the Romans who used them as symbols for relationships. In Greek culture, rings symbolized betrothals. On the other hand, the Romans used them as representations of a husband’s ownership of his wife. It is interesting to note that Roman women owned two different rings. One was made of gold; the other was made of iron. The gold rings were to be worn by Roman wives in public while the iron rings were to be worn inside the house.
Then came the introduction of diamond rings.
The first recorded appearance of diamond rings happened in 1477. It was given to Mary of Burgundy by her husband, Maximilian I, as a token of his love and devotion to her. During this time, diamonds were considered to be magical. Diamonds were said to possess power over fidelity, purity and love; qualities that were deemed to be important in happy marriages.
It was only during the eighteenth-century that diamond rings became available to many people, especially the upper class. The reason behind this is that at this time diamonds were discovered in Brazil, making them easily accessible for people who had the wealth to buy them.
Modern times, Modern Engagement Rings…
Though thousands of years have passed, engagement rings have never lost their meaning, value and power. Up to this day, people still view these wonderful pieces of jewelry as the ultimate expression of their love and commitment for each other. The only difference is that these days couples have various types of stones and designs to choose from. If diamonds are not your cup of tea, then you can go for sapphire engagement rings. On the other hand, if you would like to wear something unique before your wedding day, then you can opt for black diamond engagement rings. Which ever ring you choose is not important. What is far more significant is the meaning that these rings symbolize.