We have all heard wonderful stories about proposals being made in the most romantic, special and sometimes simplest ways. All proposals are unique to the couple who got engaged, but most have one thing in common: the proposal was made with an engagement ring. You may think this habit has only been around for a few decades, but it actually dates back way further than that. Let’s delve into all you want to know about the lovely history of engagement rings.

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When Did the Act of Proposing with an Engagement Ring Start?

Proposing with a ring came from the Egyptians. Gold engagement rings  date back to as early as 2600 BC. For Ancient Egyptians, an engagement ring had a circular shape to symbolise the eternal cycle and was worn on the left hand’s fourth finger because of the vein that was believed to lead straight to the heart. This became a custom that continues in many cultures even today.

Initially, engagement rings were either made of gold or of metals such as iron for the people who could not afford gold.

The tradition of setting a diamond in an engagement ring came much later. The first trace we have in history dates back to 1477 when Archduke Maximilian of Austria proposed to Mary of Burgundy with a diamond engagement ring that was custom made for her.

How Did This Habit Evolve to Become What it is Today?

The diamond engagement ring proposal as we know it today is fairly recent and is the direct result of the diamond discoveries made in South Africa in 1866. These mines, which initially belonged to individual miners, were cleverly developed and managed over the 1870s by a young Cecil Rhodes, who later founded the De Beers Mining Company in 1880.
This company is the ancestor of the diamond giant we know today that created the most iconic slogan in the industry ever: “Diamonds are forever”. It was launched in 1947 and proclaimed best slogan of the twentieth century in 1999 by the magazine Advertising Age.

This is probably the most clever marketing campaign that was ever launched, which really changed people’s mentalities. In fact, it became common knowledge very quickly that a person could not propose to their partner without a diamond engagement ring. Furthermore, men were expected  to spend two months' salary on the ring, but that has considerably changed today.

Are you looking for an engagement ring for your loved one? BAUNAT is your perfect jewellery partner with its wonderful online collection. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any queries that need our assistance.
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