Did you know that engagement rings are surrounded by a whole host of folklore and superstition about luck and love? If you’ve ever wondered about some of the most common engagement ring superstitions and myths, continue reading to learn more.

If your engagement ring is loose fitting or uncomfortable, your ring may be more likely to be lost or broken. Most people will agree, a lost or damaged engagement ring is certainly bad luck.

If your ring is loose fitting, it might also turn around. There aren’t really any superstitions about what this means, other than you might want to get it resized!

Explore the full engagement ring catalogue on the Jeweller BAUNAT website to find your perfect engagement ring today. 

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What are Some of the Common Engagement Ring Superstitions & Myths?

It’s commonly believed that engagement rings carry the luck of a marriage. A second-hand engagement ring that is passed down through family members or purchased from a vintage jeweller is believed to pass down the joy or suffering of the marriage that came before.

When it comes time to wear your new engagement ring, it is typically worn on the fourth finger of the left hand. This tradition can be traced back to Ancient Rome, where it was believed that the "Vein of Love" connects the finger with the heart.

If your engagement ring is loose fitting or uncomfortable, your ring may be more likely to be lost or broken. Most people will agree, a lost or damaged engagement ring is certainly bad luck.

If your ring is loose fitting, it might also turn around. There aren’t really any superstitions about what this means, other than you might want to get it resized!

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What is an Engagement Ring Wish Tradition?

After your proposal and once you announce your happy news to your friends and family members, women you meet might ask if they can make a wish by swirling your engagement ring three times around their finger. This is commonly known as the ‘engagement ring wish tradition’.

The gemstones you pick for your engagement ring are also thought to hold unique superstitious properties.

  • Diamond - considered to represent affection. Diamonds are thought to be a symbol of certainty and security that comes with being in a committed relationship.
  • Sapphire - believed to bring a happy marriage.
  • Aquamarine - also believed to bring a long and happy marriage.
  • Emeralds - considered to bring marital bliss, and some cultures believed emeralds have aphrodisiac properties. Natural aphrodisiacs in engagement rings may bring on sexual and intimate desires.
  • Pearls - traditionally avoided, thought to bring tears to a marriage if used as the gemstone on an engagement ring. 

Diamond engagement ring

Is it Bad Luck to Lose Your Engagement Ring?

It’s widely believed that losing an engagement ring is a sign of coming misfortune. If the unimaginable does happen, you can avoid any bad omens by replacing the lost engagement ring with another as soon as possible.

So what does it mean when your wedding ring falls off? In reality, if you ignore the superstitions, it means that your ring is too large and needs resizing. At BAUNAT, you can order a ring sizer before you buy to ensure this doesn’t happen.

For peace of mind, you should always insure your engagement ring (and that includes all other jewellery you own too!) for its current market value. When choosing the right insurance policy for your engagement ring remember to consider price, cover excess as well as policy conditions towards accidental loss.

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Take Your Search For the Perfect Engagement Ring Online with BAUNAT

Your engagement is a special, once in a lifetime moment. A personalised jewel from BAUNAT means top-quality at the best possible price thanks to our unique and efficient method of working. Make your engagement one to remember forever.

Are you looking to buy an engagement ring online instead? Check out the engagement ring catalogue on the Jeweller BAUNAT website to find your perfect ring. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our team of experts.

Interested in finding out more? Read other relevant articles from BAUNAT before you choose the engagement ring of your dreams.

Frequently asked Questions

How should I give an engagement ring?

Traditions are to be treasured, so why should you deviate from them? No woman is indifferent to a marriage proposal on one knee, especially when it happens at a special place. The place where you first met, an exotic beach, an iconic location in a world city, etc. Supply the necessary romantic accents like candles, torches, flower petals: always make sure the ambience is right. And of course a magnificent diamond engagement ring from BAUNAT! In short, do everything possible to make your proposal an unforgettable event.

What is the royal history of diamonds?

In the 13th century, an act of Saint Louis (Louis IX of France, 1214-70) established a sumptuary law that reserved diamonds for the king based on their rarity and value that was conferred to them at that time. From that moment onwards, diamonds began appearing in royal jewelry for both men and women. From the 17th century, they were also seen with the greater European aristocracy and the wealthy merchant class.

The earliest diamond-cutting industry is believed to have been positioned in Venice (Italy) somewhere around the 1330’s. It is estimated that diamond cutting found its way to Paris and Bruges around late 14th century and later to Antwerp.

By 1499, the Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama discovered the sea route to the Orient around the Cape of Good Hope, providing Europeans an end-run around the Arabic impediment to the trade of diamonds coming from India. Goa, on India's Malabar Coast, was set up as the Portuguese trading center, and a diamond route developed from Goa to Lisbon to Antwerp.

What is the romantic history of diamonds?

The diamond is used in many pieces of exquisite jewellery and comes in various sizes. It is, however, in its smallest form that it catches our interest the most: the diamond ring given in token of love and marriage. The actual history of this tradition transcends the perception of its creation as marketing hyperbole. The modern solitaire is just the most recent step on a long road from the past.

Rings date back several millennia, but those that are given as a token of love are first noted by the comic Roman poet Plautus in the 2nd century BCE. In those times, wedding rings were known for their interior inscriptions that recorded the marriage contracts signed in the presence of the Emperor's image. This custom was continued and Christianized by the 4th century, when priests would not permit weddings anymore without the exchange of rings.

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