Engagement rings are one of those things which, while we don’t take them for granted, we just accept as a fact of our lives. Whatever type of ring we give to a loved one – whether it is a plain band or white gold engagement rings – we do it because it’s tradition. But have you ever stopped to think about how and why we give rings encrusted with diamonds to the person we want to spend the rest of our life with?
If you look back into the history of weddings and engagements, it has always been a tradition to give a ring of some sort. This can be found in ancient civilisations all over the world, and these rings were often made of materials such as leather, wood or stone. Apparently – depending on which historian you believe – it wasn’t until the late 15th century that an Archduke from Austria came up with the idea of giving a diamond ring to the woman he had set his sights on.
This is perhaps the first recorded instance of diamonds being used in engagement rings, and although this practice was initially a preserve of the wealthiest people over time the tradition became more widespread. These days of course, the giving of white gold engagement rings containing diamonds, and other types of rings is available to everyone. Whatever type of diamonds or rings you are looking for, the best place to start is at Marlows where you will find a fantastic range of stones and ring designs.