How it all Started

You might be asking yourself, “So how did this whole engagement ring tradition start anyway? And why is it that the majority of people give their prospective spouse an engagement ring to signify their upcoming marriage?” Although the custom may have deep roots, the wide spread tradition is not be as old as you might think.

The first incidence of a circular ring worn as a symbol of love and eternity can be traced back to ancient Egypt. The Pharaohs of Egypt wore a circular ring to represent happiness, love, and the eternity of life- all things that they believed to have no beginning and no end.

The specific use of an engagement ring can be traced back to the Fourth Lateran Council presided over by Pope Innocent III in 1215. Pope Innocent declared that a longer waiting period must be observed before a couple could wed. Simple gold, iron, or silver, bands were used to represent the awaiting couple’s intent on marriage.
But although the ancient Egyptians and Pope Innocent introduce circular rings or bands, it was the engagement of Archduke Maximilian of Austria to Mary of Burgundy in 1477 that created the tradition of a diamond ring. Upon the recommendation of a trusted advisor, Maximilian presented Mary with an uncut raw diamond ring in order to impress his future father in-law. And thus began the tradition of the diamond engagement ring.

But for hundreds of years the diamond engagement ring kept its place in western culture strictly with royals and people of extreme wealth. Until the year of 1947 when the now famous “A Diamonds is Forever” campaign was launched by De Beers, making the idea of a diamond engagement ring attainable to the common person. The campaign was an instant success and quickly helped popularize the romance of giving and receiving a sparkling diamond engagement ring when “popping the big question”. Diamond rings also began making a high profile entrance into Hollywood films, further enforcing the fantasy surrounding the engagement experience. So what began as a simple metal band thousands of years ago has now turned into an essential custom that signifies the beginning of a couple’s journey into marriage.