Dear Friends,
Since these pages are entirely dedicated to rings that represent love, I believe it is essential to tell you how, when and why the tradition of giving them was born.
Nowadays the engagement ring is the symbol of the love that two people share, it identifies the commitment made within a couple, the union between two lovers and, last but not least, it has a very important characteristic: it is a beautiful accessory!
However, this has not always been the case. In the past, rings (especially wedding rings) represented a contract between two families and were real “guarantees” demonstrating that a man’s promise “was worth as much as gold”.
This is a very long journey: it seems that the use of rings for symbolic purposes can be traced back to prehistoric times, when cavemen weaved threads around the wrists, fingers and ankles of their partner. Far from being a romantic gesture, anthropologists theorize that it all originated from the kidnapping of the chosen bride, who was tied up using ropes and hemp to prevent her from escaping. Once the poor woman had subsided, the caveman retrieved a piece of the rope by wrapping it around a finger. Prehistoric men probably believed they could keep the woman’s spirit under their control with this ritual.
The Bible also speaks of a gold nose ring and two bracelets given to Rebecca, wife of Isaac.
The ancient Egyptians are often mentioned as the “inventors” of engagement rings, however there is no historical evidence to prove this belief. Despite having no proof that they have indeed invented engagement rings, the Egyptians are however those who have brought a strong symbolic charge to the rings. The Pharaohs wore rings as a symbol of eternity, because the circle has neither a beginning nor an end and, moreover, it reflects the shape of the sun and the moon, which the ancient Egyptians worshiped. Furthermore, they believed that the open space in the center of the ring represented a gateway to the unknown.
When the Greeks leaded by Alexander conquered Egypt, they assimilated this tradition of giving rings to their loved ones as a gesture of affection (many of these rings depicted Eros or Cupid). When the Romans then conquered Greece, they in turn acquired this tradition, using mainly iron or copper for wedding ceremonies.
The first real historical document regarding engagement rings dates back to the era of the ancient Romans, who regularly wore not only wedding rings, but also rings intended as “promises” of marriage.
For the ancient Romans, public life played an extremely important role and was kept separate from private life. For this reason, the wealthiest Romans used to wear gold rings in public and simple iron rings in private. In the ruins of Pompeii, gold rings have been found and they were worn as a promise of marriage. There is also evidence of rings in flint, bronze, ivory, copper and silver, but starting from the II century BC, gold became the favorite metal, also with the aim to show off the suitor’s wealth.
Credits: www.qreport.com.au
Initially this practice was reserved only for noble families, but over time the habit of wearing iron rings became a common practice adopted by almost anyone as a sign of a bond, which could unite a husband to his wife, but also a master to his slave. or simply to a faithful servant. Therefore rings were symbols of business contract and / or of obedience.
The ring called “faith” was very popular around the third century BC and reproduced two hands clasping to represent friendship and collaboration, but also a marriage contract. It was often made of gold and carvings of gems such as onyx, garnet, amethyst. Later in time, the Romans even began customizing the rings by sculpting their portraits.
The Latin expression “vena amoris” explains the reason why love rings are worn on the left ring finger: in fact in means “vein of love”. The ancient Egyptians believed that a vein connected the ring finger of the left hand directly to the heart and the Romans made this belief their own by starting the tradition of wearing wedding rings on the ring finger. Therefore, by tying the finger with a ring, the feelings of the beloved were also symbolically linked to the ring bearer. Although this belief has no confirmation in anatomy, it nevertheless gave rise to the custom still in vogue today in many countries of the world to put the engagement ring and wedding ring on the left ring finger.
Almost in every time and place in the world, the engagement ring has always been worn by the bride … and by the bride alone! The tradition began as a practice to highlight that a woman was already “promised to someone”.
Roman law, however, has shifted the interpretation of the engagement ring: from a symbol that indicated ownership of a woman, it has become a kind of insurance or “advance” paid to the future bride.
Moving forward until the 7th century, we meet the Visigoths, a people of Germanic origin who had written in their laws: “when the ceremony of promise has been celebrated and the ring has been given or accepted as a pledge, even if nothing has been written down, the promise must not, under any circumstances, fail”.
In 850, Pope Nicholas I formalized the use of the ring as a promise of marriage by a man and therefore as his financial commitment.
The notion of “engagement” understood as the period of time before marriage, during which a man and a woman commit to each other is a concept that originates in the Middle Ages. In the 12th century, this idea was reinforced in the minds of Europeans when in 1214 Pope Innocent III introduced the “marriage announcements”, i.e. the order that the couple wishing to get married observe a waiting period before the ceremony takes place. In order to avoid incest as much as possible, these announcements stipulated that there could be no clandestine marriages and that every marriage from that moment onwards should be announced in public in advance. Thus the engagement announcements were introduced and the ring made its way as a non-verbal announcement.
In the Middle Ages, iron and gold were quite widespread, although wearing gold rings was obviously a privilege reserved for the wealthiest classes of society.
In medieval England, weddings were a simple affair: all a couple had to do was simply give their consent. Often this consent was expressed through the gift (and acceptance) of an object called “wed”, which was usually a ring. So the “wedding” was a ceremony during which a man offered a ring to a girl and she accepted it. You understand that confusion and doubts arose about the legitimacy of such marriages because witnesses or priests were not present at the ceremony, so anyone within the couple could later deny that this ceremony had ever taken place.
Therefore, around the 12th century, the Church declared that marriage was a sacrament and that – as such – it had to be celebrated in church. Rings became part of the ceremony and it was established that no man should give a ring to a woman, unless with the purpose to marry her. Before that, in fact, rings did not necessarily mean “marriage”, on the contrary they were often given as a sign of affection. When the Church decided to codify the marriage, possibly these two types of rings began to make their way: the engagement ring (more personal) and the wedding ring (as required by the church ceremony).
Those who love diamond rings know that year 1477 marks an important moment: that year, in fact, and for the first time in history, a woman received a diamond engagement ring as a gift. The jewel was given to Mary of Burgundy by her future husband, Archduke Maximilian of Austria (I dedicated a complete post to this story). From that moment, many took it as an example and engagement rings began to be worn together with the wedding band.
Credits: www.volltairediamonds.co.uk Credits www.diamondnet.ca
In the 16th century, the so-called “Gimmel Rings” became very popular: they consisted of 2 (or sometimes 3) bands intertwined to form a single ring. Immediately after the engagement, both the fiancée and the fiancé wore one of the bands that made up the ring. During the official betrothal ceremony (involving the promise of marriage), the couple had to join the bands in order to form one single ring, which from that moment on would be worn by the bride only. Martin Luther married Catherine Bora with this type of ring in 1525.
Credits bejeweledadvocate.wordpress.com
In this period, the “fede” motif (“faith”) with the two hands clasping evolves into the “Claddagh ring”, a typical Irish ring, in which two hands hold a heart. Gimmels with the Claddagh motif often had a third band with a gem held up by both hands.
Credits: www.historyofyesterday.com / British Museum
Credits: www.claddaghring.com
According to some experts, the Gimmel rings may have given rise to the so-called “Puzzle rings” (also called “Turkish wedding ring”), which apparently were in vogue with Sultans and Sheikhs. According to popular legends, the Puzzle ring was given by the husband to his wife to monitor her possible infidelities. In fact, if the ring was removed from the finger (presumably to commit adultery), the multiple bands and laces of which it was made would have frayed making it impossible to reassemble the ring in its original form.
Credits: www.qreport.com.au
In the 1600s the “Posey Rings” (or “Posy”) – already mentioned by William Shakespeare – were in vogue. These rings had delightful flowers engraved on the outside and short love inscriptions, or ballad verses engraved on the inside. They were often given as engagement rings and they were very popular among lovers. Sometimes these rings were also chosen as wedding rings.
Example of “Posey” ring follows:
Credits: www.orsini.co.nz
In the mid-17th century, the Puritan communities in colonial America tried to interrupt the tradition of the ring, which seemed frivolous and ostentatious to them, not to mention the fact that it also supported the clergy and the rituals of the Church. With a much more practical spirit, men used to give a thimble to their betrothed brides, who, after sewing clothes and fabrics for the new home, could cut the end to convert it into a ring.
During Victorian era, the “Regards Rings” spread. They are composed of precious stones and the initial of the name of each stone participates in the composition of the word “REGARDS”:
Ruby
Emerald
Garnet
Amethyst
Ruby
Diamond
Sapphire
Credits: www.london-victorian-ring.com Credits: www.bentley-skinner.co.uk
In this romantic period (perhaps also as a consequence of the popularity achieved by Queen Victoria and the deepest love she felt for her husband, Prince Albert), rings are made with stones that make up also other words, such as:
- ADORE with amethyst, diamond, opal, ruby and emerald;
- DEAREST including diamond, emerald, amethyst, ruby, emerald, sapphire and topaz
Examples of “Adore” rings:
Credits: www.1stdibs.com Credits: www.rubylane.com
Examples of “Dearest” rings:
Credits: www.london-victorian-ring.com Credits: blog.yazjewels.com
Around 1840, the first engagement rings appear in the United States, although they did not become in common use until the Roaring Thirties.
Another important moment in the history of engagement rings is the diamond rush. The first major diamond deposit was discovered in 1867 in South Africa. Just five years later, in 1872 (and without the sophisticated equipment we have today), the amount of diamond mined exceeded one million carats / year.
In this period, cutting and polishing techniques are developed in an incredible way, proving that the sparkle and brilliance of the diamond are unrivaled among other gems… and now the “solitaire” ring becomes fashionable.
In 1886, Charles L. Tiffany presented to the world the famous “Tiffany setting” which revolutionized forever the concept of setting. With its 6 prongs, the stone is raised upwards, letting the light penetrate from every angle and allowing the diamond to shine more than ever. Simple, classic, elegant, ingenious.
Credits: www.tiffany.com
In 1920, a handful of selected jewelers decided to launch a line of engagement rings for men. Unfortunately, the concept failed dramatically, also due to the rampant economic crisis.
In 1924, Cartier presented a jewel that has never stopped making us dream ever since: the Trinity ring. It is made of three circles intertwined with each other in pink, yellow and white gold to represent respectively love, fidelity and friendship. This model is still very popular today, especially in France, where it is often used as a wedding ring. Simplicity, elegance and endless class.
Credits: www.harpersbazaar.com – www.cartier.com
Around the end of the 1930s, despite the greater availability of mineral on the market and the consequent decrease in price, the diamond engagement ring was still perceived as a product intended only for the wealthy classes. Furthermore, the diamond ring did not seem to be an essential requirement for an engagement. This idea changed in 1938, when the giant manufacturer De Beers gave the market a huge shake up by introducing a marketing campaign that was intended to bring the diamond ring to the masses. De Beers, who already ran mines in South Africa, commissioned an advertising campaign to the N.W. Ayer with the aim of convincing young men that only diamonds could be the right symbol of a romantic relationship and that the extent of their love (as well as their personal and professional success) was directly proportional to the carat size and quality of the stone purchased.
De Beers began an aggressive advertising campaign to face the economically hard period of the Great Depression: the company gave famous Hollywood actresses the task of wearing diamonds in films and public outings, and also entrusted illustration of billboards to Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali in order to communicate the very important concept that diamond jewels are real works of art.
In 1947 the agency N.W. Ayer – in the person of the young copy Mary Francis Gerety – proposes the slogan “A diamond is forever” which makes history. The hardness of the diamond evoked in the minds of Americans the idea that a marriage would last forever. In every corner of the world, the purity and luster of the diamond became the symbol of a man’s deep feelings, as well as the seriousness of his commitment.
Mary Francis Gerety, credits: gemandgeode.com
The diamond ring became the standard gift for all future brides, who preferred it to other gifts in vogue at the time (for example, the washing machine!)
Magazines were full of photos of Hollywood stars covered in diamonds and sales of these gems rose by 50% in just three years, making the engagement ring the star product in most US shopping malls.
In 1953, Marilyn sang that “diamonds are girls’ best friends” and in the 1950s – 1960s, diamonds fully entered American culture. In addition to the romantic and sentimental aspect, giving a diamond ring was a way for men to demonstrate their financial power.
It is interesting to note that if in 1939 only 10% of US brides received a diamond engagement ring, in 1990 the threshold of 80% was reached.
Thanks to the marketing efforts of De Beers in the Chinese market, the percentage of brides who received a diamond engagement ring went from around 0% in the 1990s to 50% in 2019.
Although the Church promoted the “exchange” of rings during the marriage ceremony (also as a ploy to reduce the infidelities of married men), in actual fact rings were usually worn only by women.
However from the postwar period onwards the use of the ring band spread also for men. In fact a big push came in the period of World War II, during which American and European soldiers kept the memory of their wives alive by wearing their wedding bands.
In addition, the unforgettable Humphrey Bogart wedding played a crucial role: in 1946, the star married the wonderful Lauren Bacall and he proudly wore his wedding band ever since, becoming an example for contemporary men.
In 1969, Richard Burton gave his beloved Elizabeth Taylor the greatest diamond of all time: an incredible 68 carats! Liz jokingly claimed that the stone was so heavy that she couldn’t lift her finger. The joke, however, must have been quite realistic because in order to be able to wear the incredible stone, the diva commissioned a special $ 80,000 necklace in which the diamond was mounted centrally.
Credits: www.naturaldiamonds.com
Credits: www.naturaldiamonds.com
In 2000, the World Diamond Council was established in order to develop and control the diamonds extraction, avoiding the so-called “blood diamonds”.
In recent times we are noting some changes in the way couples conceive the engagement ring: first of all there is greater attention to the origin and traceability of the stone, with the aim of discouraging the marketing of “blood diamonds “. The words “transparency” and “sustainability” appear more and more frequently in the pages dedicated to diamonds.
Furthermore, it is interesting to note that about 5% of future husbands choose to wear an engagement ring (the so-called “man-gagement ring”) and there is a reborn interest in colored gems (in lieu of the central diamond, which however, remains a classic preference for girls). A first notable boost certainly came after the impact of the magnificent sapphire belonged to the late Lady Diana, which now shines in the hand of the new Princess of Wales, followed by other rings with rubies, sapphires and emeralds in the hands of so many celebrities.
Finally, with a view to a greater ecological awareness, some young couples are showing an increasing interest for lab grown stones.
Sources:
https:://www.tiffany.it
https://www.gia.edu/gia-news-research-engagement-rings-through-ages
https://4cs.gia.edu/en-us/blog/origin-of-wedding-rings/
https://4cs.gia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/GIA_050815_ERInfo_v5-op.jpg
https://www.engagementringbible.com/a-brief-history-of-the-engagement-ring/;
https://www.brides.com/story/history-of-the-engagement-ring
https://www.americangemsociety.org/page/diamondasengagement
https://www.vashi.com/history-of-the-engagement-ring/
https://www.leibish.com/why-diamonds-are-used-for-engagement-rings-article-1434
https://www.everything-wedding-rings.com/history-of-wedding-rings.html
https://en.wikipedia.org