As early as 2800 BC, Egyptians wore a single silver or gold wire ring on the third finger of their left hand, which they
believed was directly connected to the heart.
During the 2nd century BC, Pliny the Elder described the
custom of grooms presenting their bride with a gold ring to wear at the wedding
ceremony and on special events. The woman
was given a ring made from iron to wear at home to signify a husband’s
ownership of his wife.
Archduke Maximillian of Austria is
credited with commissioning the first ever diamond engagement ring for his
betrothed, Mary of Burgundy in 1477. The
ring was designed in the shape of an “M,” fashioned from a series of thin, flat
diamonds. Wealthy European aristocracy
and nobility quickly followed suit by bestowing diamond rings as a token of
love.
During the 1700 and 1800s, engagement
rings were often a mix of diamonds and other gemstones, enamel and metals. The American Gem Society states that many of
these rings were designed in the shape of flowers and called “posey rings.” In Victorian times, rings using diamonds and
gemstones to spell out words of endearment were common as well as rings made
from the hair of their loved one.
Diamond engagement rings really gained widespread
popularity when in 1938; the DeBeers diamond company hired N.W. Ayer, a New
York–based ad agency, to create an ad campaign to boost diamond sales. The successful campaign featured famous movie
stars adorned with beautiful diamond rings and was responsible for increasing diamond
sales by 50 percent in just three years.
By the late 1940s, the ad agency introduced the slogan still used by
DeBeers today - "A Diamond Is Forever."
Padis Jewelry, a family-owned
business, has been a trusted source for buying exquisite engagement rings, fine
jewelry and certified loose diamonds since 1974. We are one of the only jewelers in the area
to exclusively offer some of the top names in the industry as well as stock
such a large inventory. We invite you to visit to our showrooms to see the finest jewelry San Francisco and the Napa Valley has to
offer.
Source:
americangemsociety.org/en/the-history-of-the-diamond-as-an-engagement-ring
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