Who Gave the First Known Diamond Engagement Ring?

This article will take you through the entire history of diamond engagement rings，and you will get a comprehensive answer from it.

History of Engagement Rings

● Ancient Egyptian and Roman times

The origins of the ring as a symbol of love can be traced back to the ancient Egyptian period. Instead of the metal bands and huge diamonds we see today, rings were made of reeds and woven papyrus circles. The ancient Egyptians already saw the eternal symbol of this circle made of grass, named it “ring” and gave it to each other to express their sincere feelings and hopes of creating a future family.

Engagement rings made of metals such as iron and gold began to appear in ancient Roman times. Still, many modern engagement ring customs continue the practices of ancient Rome.

For example, the custom of wearing an engagement ring on the ring finger of the left hand can be traced back to a belief in ancient Rome. The ancient Romans believed that the fourth finger of the left hand had a vein that led directly to the heart, called the river of love, or the “vein of love”.

Wearing the ring on the fourth finger of the left hand means holding the beloved close to the heart and treating him or her as important as the heart. This tradition continues to today and is widely accepted for its romantic significance.

● Who Gave the First Known Diamond Engagement Ring?

Archduke Maximilian of Austria gave his fiancée, Mary of Burgundy, the first known diamond engagement ring in history in 1477, leading the way for diamond rings to become popular among European nobility.

Since the Archduke Maximilian, rings have been tied to diamonds and have become increasingly associated with love and marriage.

● Victorian Period

The diamond ring officially became prevalent as a piece of jewelry and metalwork, strictly due to Queen Victoria's unique vision and taste in jewelry. The Victorian era, from the 18th to the 19th centuries, already pioneered ingenious designs that paired diamonds, precious metals and enamel with ornate engagement rings, such as the emergence of platinum engagement rings.

● The De Beers Era

The diamond engagement ring truly became a classic meaning of eternity for marriage thanks to the marketing slogan launched by De Beers in 1947: A Diamond is Forever.

Since 1870, diamonds were no longer rare and the jewelry market was flooded with magnificent pieces of jewelry set with diamonds. But De Beers' marketing campaign, which gave diamonds the meaning of eternity in marriage, struck a chord with the innermost desires of Americans of that era, and once again bound diamonds to rings, love and marriage.

The wave of using diamond engagement rings to express commitment to each other and the eternity of marriage spread instantly around the world and began to become a universal tradition.

● Contemporary

Today, we can find a variety of great diamond engagement ring brands on the market, carrying with their unique understanding and beliefs about love and marriage.

There is a new engagement ring brand that understands the confusion that young people face in love and marriage today, and encourages people to pursue true love by promoting the brand concept of “One can only buy a DR diamond ring for the love of his or her life”.

This brilliant diamond engagement ring brand is Darry Ring, which requires customers to sign a Darry Ring Agreement after purchasing a DR engagement ring to fulfill a lifetime commitment. This Darry Ring Agreement is quite a love declaration for the world and is your proof of purchase to trace back whether you have ever purchased a DR diamond ring before.

Darry Ring strictly follows the 4Cs of diamonds, carefully selecting and cutting each diamond to provide you with high quality DR diamonds. At the same time, Darry Ring possesses top ring designers from around the world, dedicated to providing unique engagement rings and wedding bands for you! Find the diamond engagement ring of your dreams at Darry Ring to power your love and marriage.