Engagement Ring Ideas
The annals of history report that the tradition of engagement rings has been around for over 5,000 years and can be traced back to ancient Egyptian peoples. According to historians, it was during this era that a correlation was drawn between a circle, which has no starting or ending point, and love. Still today, the gift of a diamond engagement ring is deeply symbolic as a token of love and commitment that is unending.
In later times, during the height of the Roman Empire, a young Roman man would offer a young lady a ring as his pledge to her and his declaration of his intent to wed her. When the young lady accepted such a ring, it was considered to be a legal and binding agreement and wearing such an engagement ring indicated that she was pledged in marriage and was not available to others who might want to court her.
During the earlier eras, these rings of promise and commitment were generally made from common ore that was easy to acquire, such as iron. Today, not many potential brides would be excited about receiving a ring of iron, as today’s standards have changed and most engagement rings are now crafted in precious metals such as silver, gold and even platinum.
Diamond engagement rings are available in a huge assortment of styles, from plain, simple and classic to big, glitzy and trendy, and every style in between. With such an enormous selection available, it can be said that there is a engagement rings for every personality, taste and budget.
The most basic of rings for an engagement are simple bands of metal and could be sterling silver jewelry rings with no gemstones of any kind. Often these simple rings also do double duty as wedding bands and this is quite acceptable for the couple who is short of money or who merely prefer to keep things modest and unpretentious.
And, while simple and basic can be an elegant and completely acceptable choice, the fact is that most are somewhat more adorned and embellished. The most often seen combination is a gold jewelry ring that also is set with one diamond, known as a solitaire, or with a variety of cut diamonds. If there is more than one diamond, then often there is one larger stone with smaller gems encircling it, or there is an arrangement of small diamonds of the same size set into a channel.
In recent years, platinum has also become a popular choice. However, uncut diamonds purchased to be set in platinum will be quite a bit more expensive than those made of silver or gold, and this often makes platinum a choice that few are able to afford.
Even though a great deal of expense can go into buying engagement rings, it should always be remembered that the most important aspect of the ring is the symbol of the love and the commitment that is represents. In the long run, it is the shared loved that will make the marriage strong and happy, regardless of the type of fine jewelry the couple exchanges.
