A Take on the Engagement Ring
The engagement ring has long been a symbol of love and a promise of marriage. A vast variety of engagement rings flood the market today.
“Until death do us apart” – there has always been a profound historical and emotional connotation behind the ”engagement ring,” which is known to unite two people as one. The engagement ring is a symbol of love, as well as a pledge between the groom and bride in every marriage. The ring exchange is “in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
The engagement ring is extraordinary; therefore, the way that a woman wears it has to be distinct and classy. A woman wears her engagement ring on her left hand’s ring finger.
History
The ceremony for the ring exchange was introduced in 1215 by Pope Innocent III. In the past, the make of the ring was restricted to pure gold or silver metals. Through time, the ring stood for the nobility and high social standing of the bride and groom. One deep-rooted tradition is to have the birthstones of the couple and both the couple’s parents, incised in the ring as a sign of good luck and fortune.
Since wedding rings were always gold or silver, the first diamond engagement ring in recorded history was a noteworthy. In the year 1477, Archduke Maximillian of Austria gave this diamond ring to his dearly loved Mary of Burgundy. In spite of this, diamond rings were not commonly given until the 20th century. De Beers was the pioneer that entered the jewelry market causing almost an obsession for diamonds in jewelry.
Historically, refusing to accept the engagement ring, or is the ring is ever returned to the man, it is considered a symbol for the end of the engagement and promise of marriage.
Traditional usage
Engagement rings are traditionally given to a potential wife by a prospective husband as a symbol for the promise of matrimony.
In many western marriages, the engagement ring is used as the engagement ring. It is the a tradition for some cultures for a ring bearer to deliver the bride’s wedding ring to her at her house on the day of the wedding.
The engagement ring is an extraordinary symbol for eternal matrimony because it is a ring symbolizing a never-ending love. Therefore, the husband and wife must wear their rings at all times during their wedded life to represent the presence of their everlasting love for one another.
Materials and designs
Although the most commonly seen, engagement rings do not have to consistent of a simple band of gold with a diamond on the center. The traditional engagement ring that has the diamond centered upon a band of precious metal, typically gold, is still popular today. It is a timeless classic. Most people prefer gold and platinum precious metals over silver for their engagement rings due to both the metals’ class and durability.
There are couples that choose other precious, colored stones such as sapphires, onyx, emeralds or rubies over the simplicity of diamonds. It is rare to see pearls or opals because the stones are much too fragile to last a lifetime of constant wear. In recent times, wedding rings are made of titanium and stainless steel because of the low price and capabilities for lasting.
Fashion
To reiterate, the most universal and accepted wedding ring is the simple gold band. It is common to see women wear a thin band and for the men to wear chunky ones.
In other countries, a colored jewel can be preferred over a diamond. There is a style in France that is intertwined with three patterns that stand for the couple’s “love,” “faith” and “hope.” Interestingly, in the country of Italy, it is traditional for a woman to give her man a “puzzle ring” to test his faithfulness. In North America, a couple wears two rings on their ring finger to denote their previous engagement as well as their current marriage.
