There is no doubt in the fact that women simply love and adore diamonds. Irrespective of the form of jewelry it accompanies, they love this rare and stunningly beautiful stone beyond words. Be it diamond rings, diamond earrings, diamond pendants, diamond bracelets or diamond necklaces, every piece of diamond jewelry is something a woman cherishes forever.
But in spite of a countless options in diamond jewelry her favorite is surely her sparkling diamond engagement ring and not without reason. Diamond engagement rings are the most popular and traditional form of engagement rings that have continued to win over the hearts of women through the centuries with their irresistible shimmer and endless beauty. But have you ever stopped to think how the immaculate diamond engagement rings came to be so popular and the history behind this highly coveted and special piece of jewelry.
Let’s start by telling you that the very first diamond engagement ring was presented to Mary of Burgundy in the year 1477 by Archduke Maximillian of Austria as a promise of marriage and this soon became a trend amongst the wealthy. Around 1870, with the discovery of mines in South Africa diamonds became a lot more accessible to people who started giving away diamond engagement rings as a sign of betrothal. This was also the time that the conglomerate De Beers was formed who ensured that diamonds reached the desired market destinations.
When Depression struck in the late 1930s and the market for diamonds was abysmally low Sir Ernest Oppenheimer of De Beers sent his team to New York and that is where the famous punch line ‘A Diamond is Forever’ was conceived. This triggered the use of diamonds in engagement rings and diamond engagement rings came to be the most desirable version.
Talking of the history of diamond engagement rings another interesting fact that deserves mention is the smallest engagement ring that was ever given. This happened in the year 1518 when the two year old daughter of Henry VIII, Mary was given the tiny engagement ring set with a diamond on the occasion of her betrothal to the infant Dauphin pf France who happened to be the son of King Francis I.
The highly sought after diamond solitaire engagement ring that women simply worship these days was introduced some time in the late nineteenth century. These diamond solitaire rings are the most popular and sought after variation of diamond engagement rings and needless to say are highly prized for their stark yet startling beauty.