Did some research on the history of the engagment ring.
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In Western tradition, an
engagement ring is a
ring worn by a woman on her left-hand
ring finger indicating her
engagement to be
married. By modern convention, the ring is usually presented as a betrothal gift by a man to his prospective bride while or directly after she accepts his marriage proposal. It represents a formal agreement to future marriage.
Similar traditions purportedly date to classical times, dating back from an early usage reportedly referring to the fourth finger of the left hand as containing the
vena amoris or "vein of love".
In the United States today, it is becoming more common, but still quite rare, that a woman will also buy an engagement or
promise ring for her partner at the time of the engagement.
In
Sweden,
Denmark,
Finland and
Germany, both the man and the woman wear engagement rings. However, in these countries the man's engagement ring is often used as the
Wedding ring. (In Germany often the engagement rings for both partners are plain gold or platinum bands, worn on the left hand, which are then moved to the right hand and used as the wedding bands once they get married.) The female usually gets a diamond wedding ring. Some men wear two rings, but this is still rare.
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Material and design
Designs of such rings have varied greatly over the years. It is typically a precious band, and mounts a
diamond or other
gem. Current fashions for engagement rings are for a
gold,
platinum,
silver or, rarely,
titanium band with a single
diamond. The establishment of the diamond engagement ring as a standard in Western culture is a result of one of the most successful
advertising campaigns in history, by the world's leading diamond producer
de Beers, in the 1940s.
An engagement ring is often
intentionally expensive as a
sign of a man's permanency. The argument for a diamond is that it is the most
enduring, beautiful, and expensive gem. Some people prefer different gems or semiprecious stones.
Sapphires,
star sapphires,
emeralds, and
rubies are often used in engagement rings.
Pearls and
opals are rare, because these are soft stones.
In some European countries such as
Germany,
Norway,
Sweden, and
Denmark, engagement rings are usually plain gold bands without a gem. In others such as
France, engagement rings usually mount a colored gem rather than a diamond.
Gold and platinum are recommended by many jewelers, not only because of their inherently higher value, but because they are much more durable than silver. Often a gold or silver ring will employ a platinum setting because it will better protect the stone.
Titanium and
stainless steel are becoming more popular because of their lower cost and higher strength. These materials as well as traditional jewelry metals like gold and platinum that have been treated and work hardened allow for a type of setting called a
tension ring which is popular because it causes the illusion of a floating stone. Titanium and steel must be milled on a
lathe because the temperatures required for proper fabrication are much too high for a small jewelry operation. A titanium ring might cause problems with removal in case of an emergency, as hospital tools are unable to cut some grades of titanium, although the
titanium ring maker's FAQ challenges this notion. The results of their tests have shown that a manual ring cutter can cut through a ring in under two minutes and electric tools would be faster.
